As part of our commitment to the third sector, we run an award-winning CSR initiative which helps a small charity every year to reach new audiences and raise essential funds. The prize is £15,000 worth of content strategy and production.
After 31 applications and hours of deliberation, we’re pleased to announce that we have chosen StreetDoctors as our 2017/2018 winner!
StreetDoctors change lives by giving young people the skills and confidence to deliver life saving first aid. In 2017 alone they gave lifesaving skills to over 3,500 young people through a nationwide team of more than 300 volunteers. But as well as saving lives, they use first aid as a tool to educate and empower young people, giving them confidence and a sense of responsibility for their actions, helping to change their attitude towards violence.
Upon reading StreetDoctors’ application, we were shocked to learn that the peak age of hospital admission due to violence in the UK is 18 years old, and that young men aged 16-24 are four times more likely than the general population to fall victim to violence.
Some of these deaths happen because the people present do not know what to do; they panic and don’t call for help. Teaching these young people to call 999 and effectively deliver simple first aid can and does save lives. But by highlighting the death and significant injury associated with violent crime, it’s also possible to discourage young people from carrying weapons in the first place.
Young people at risk of violence are one of the most difficult audiences to reach and we are excited to create a piece of groundbreaking content that helps them make the decision not to carry a knife. Whilst the media and general public often view teenagers and young people as a problem in society, the fact is that many young people carry knives because they’re afraid, not because they’re intent on harming others. As Rebecca Long, Joint Medical Director at StreetDoctors, puts it; “We cannot stop all young people from carrying knives, but we can empower them with the knowledge of the risks, and the confidence to step in and help save a life.”
Thank you to everyone who entered the competition this year. We received more applications than ever before from 31 fantastically inspiring small charities. You can learn more about StreetDoctors here, or take a look at our work for past winners Northumberland Domestic Abuse Services and S.A.L.V.E. International.
