A COVENTRY teenager who launched a youth club to help reverse rising levels of knife and gun crime has received backing from leading city figures and his former college.
Tyler Campbell, a former media student at Coventry College, launched a weekly event last month called FRIDAYS to provide a place for 15 to 17-year-olds to have an enjoyable evening in a safe environment.
As we reported, the youth club is based at the Coventry Caribbean Centre in Spon Street and is open from 7pm until 10.30pm every Friday where teenagers can relax with their friends and listen to live music artists as well as receive mentoring around building confidence and identifying potential career opportunities.
Among those now backing the project are former Specials band member Neville Staple and wife Christine ‘Sugary’ Staple as well as Coventry City Council council leader George Duggins, who took part in a photo call.
Campbell’s creation is born amid a crime wave, which according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), has resulted in a 20 per cent rise involving knives or sharp instruments in the West Midlands in the year to this March.
The club’s attendances have been increasing every week since the launch night in July – with more than 80 teenagers attending in the first month – and now Coventry College has invited Campbell to spread the word to more than 7,000 of their students across the city.
The 18-year-old will be going into Coventry College’s Swanswell Street campus on Thursday, September 26 and their Henley Road campus on Friday, September 27 to give talks to students about FRIDAYS as they begin the academic year.
Campbell will also be distributing membership cards throughout the campuses on both dates to enable the students to gain access to the club, which is a membership only club that also requires parental consent.
“I want the Coventry version of FRIDAYS to act as a blueprint that can be replicated in other cities, and the response I’ve had since setting the club up in July has been fantastic,” he said.
“Hearing about various shootings and stabbings in the area made me want to try and make a positive change.
“There are so many teenagers across the city and wider region who just need some guidance to avoid them slipping into trouble.
“We rely on a £5 annual membership fee to help with costs, so I’m really grateful to Coventry College for giving me the platform to promote FRIDAYS to thousands of students.
“The benefits of attending a youth club such as FRIDAYS are endless – there is currently nothing else like it out there at the minute, and it provides a great blend of being able to chill out with your mates in a secure space, while getting the chance to meet new people, and receive advice whether it is about building confidence or seeking guidance on pursuing a particular career path.”
