Safe Steel – Knife Crime Awareness and Behaviour Change Campaign
Safe Steel is Sheffield's knife awareness and behaviour change campaign. The project aims to reduce the harm caused by knife carrying and knife related violence by encouraging positive conversations, challenging perceptions, raising awareness of the risks, and promoting safer choices.
The campaign takes a unique Sheffield approach by drawing on the city's proud steel and cutlery heritage. For generations, Sheffield has been known around the world for producing high quality knives and cutlery that are used safely and responsibly every day. Safe Steel seeks to reclaim that positive story, celebrating the skills, craftsmanship and heritage of Sheffield steel while promoting messages about safety, responsibility and community pride.
Safe Steel forms part of Sheffield's wider work to prevent serious violence and sits within the city's developing Preventing Serious Violence Strategy, overseen by the Safer Sheffield Partnership. It supports the Sheffield Together approach to preventing serious violence by working with communities, young people, businesses, schools and partner organisations to reduce knife related harm and create safer neighbourhoods for everyone.
Why Are We Doing This?
Knife related violence has a devastating impact on individuals, families and communities. While only a small number of people carry knives, the fear and consequences can affect many more. We know that carrying a knife can increase the risk of serious injury, harm and loss of life, and that many people who carry a knife do so because they believe it will keep them safe.
Research and local engagement tell us that prevention is about more than enforcement alone. It is about helping people understand the risks, providing positive alternatives, challenging harmful attitudes and creating opportunities for young people and communities to feel safe, supported and connected.
Safe Steel aims to start conversations, promote understanding and inspire people to think differently about knives and their impact on our communities.
What We Have Heard So Far
Through our wider engagement on preventing serious violence, people have told us that knife carrying is often linked to fear, peer pressure, a lack of trust in safety, and concerns about personal protection. Communities have said they want greater awareness of the consequences of carrying knives, more education for young people, and earlier support to help prevent people becoming involved in violence.
We have also heard that local people want solutions that are positive and community led. They want young people to be part of the conversation, not simply the focus of it. Many people have highlighted the importance of role models, opportunities, trusted relationships and creating safe spaces where young people can talk openly about their experiences and concerns.
There is strong support for approaches that celebrate Sheffield's identity and strengths while helping to change attitudes towards knife carrying. Safe Steel seeks to do exactly that by combining community safety messages with pride in Sheffield's steel heritage and a shared commitment to keeping our communities safe.
Get Involved
This is a campaign that belongs to Sheffield.
Whether you are a resident, parent, young person, community organisation, school, business or partner agency, we want to hear your views and ideas. Your feedback will help shape campaign activities, awareness raising, education programmes and future community initiatives.
Together, we can celebrate Sheffield's steel heritage, challenge the myths around knife carrying and build a safer future for everyone.
