Portsmouth students hope to save lives with anti-knife crime app
The students' app could soon be used as a training tool for primary teachers
An anti knife crime app, designed by a group of students in Portsmouth, could soon be used as a training tool for primary teachers.
'Safe Edge' includes videos and articles produced by the team, a map showing knife surrender boxes, and local resources for those who need help.
The app is currently a prototype, but Abdur, Daniella, Tajkia, and Sabriha all hope for it to be turned into a usable training tool.
Abdur said: "It does a bunch of things.
"It's got lots of safety points, so where you can return knives, defibrillators in case you're in harm.
"It's got information on how to protect yourself and others, too.
"It's got lots of information on how to hopefully spread awareness, as well."
Daniella, who also designed the app, is telling us why they decided to make it about anti-knife crime.
She said: "We were thinking of something that was a current problem, and knife crime was happening a lot during that time.
"Especially around us, and it was really unsafe.
"We were trying to think, how could we make it less of a problem?
"Because you can't fully stop something, but you can make things to at least pause it.
"So, we came up with an app to make sure that people would know more about knife crime."
The app and presentation is now being used in Portsmouth Academy’s PSHE lessons on knife crime to highlight the dangers to the pupils with the aim to roll it out to schools across the city.
The group created the app a part of a 'Apprentice'/'Dragon's Den'-inspired competition and were awarded 'Best Business'.
Tajkia also created the app and told us how often they hear about knife crime as a group.
She said: "Young teenage boys, I feel like they feel as though they have to have a knife to be cool and fit into the group.
"But when you have a knife on you, it doesn't make you more safe, it actually puts you in more danger."
Sabriha told us how they hoped an app would help with this.
She said: "Creating an app was the best way to tackle this issue because to be honest, nowadays, most things are based around social media.
"This is specifically targeted at teenagers, and the easiest way to reach teenagers is social media apps.
"We decided an app was the easiest way to do that because an app is something you can have and not tell anybody about, so you can reach out for help without having to tell anyone about it."
The students hope their app will be used to help educate younger students in primary schools on the dangers of knife crime.
The teenagers at The Portsmouth Academy have been praised by the Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, for their app, 'Safe Edge'.
PCC Donna Jones said: “Apps like these have the potential to save people’s lives.
“These students really are an inspiration to their peers. They understand how raising awareness is vital if we’re to tackle the problem head on.
“Their slogan ‘Drop a knife, save a life’ epitomises that.
“My continuing concern is that some young people genuinely believe carrying a knife will keep them safe.
“Society as a whole has a role to play in trying to tackle the reasons behind that decision which is why I continue to invest hundreds of thousands of pounds into projects across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight which support young people at risk.”