The King, Idris Elba and Keir Starmer discuss youth violence at King’s Trust event and finally concluded with a sleek solution to the youth … see more

King Charles, actor Idris Elba and Prime Minister Keir Starmer gathered with young people at St James’s Palace to discuss how to help people affected by youth violence.

Today at Clarence House, His Majesty The King and Idris Elba met to discuss the impact of violence on young people and the need to create more positive opportunities.
His Majesty and Idris Elba discussed The Elba Hope Foundation and the impact of the recent ‘Don’t Stop Your Future’ campaign, which addresses the rising issue of knife crime among young people and opportunities to create change here in the UK.

The Elba Hope Foundation and The Prince’s Trust (becoming the King’s Trust) share a joint ambition of supporting and developing employment prospects for young people who face disadvantage and adversity, both in the UK and around the world.

In particular, they talked about the importance of education and employability programmes, and about providing more opportunities for young people in the creative industries. The King heard about the Elba Hope Foundation and The Trust partnering to provide exciting new opportunities for young people both in the UK and in Sierra Leone.

His Majesty and Idris then joined a discussion in St James’s Palace with young people, including those supported by The Trust, and representatives of other youth organisations to hear directly from those affected by violence. The discussion explored how alternative options, such as access to employment opportunities, can impact young people at risk of being affected by knife crime and other serious violent crime.

Included in the discussion were representatives from UK Youth, BigKid, Youth Endowment Fund, BounceBack, Youth United Foundation, the Royal Marines, young people and representatives of The Prince’s Trust, as well as the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
His Majesty and Idris, and those participating in the discussion, listened to the experiences of young people whose lives have been affected by violence, as well as to those who are dedicated to offering positive solutions.

Gideon Buabeng, who was supported by The Prince’s Trust, and is Founder of Our Pain To Power, said: “A few years ago, I survived an attack in which I was stabbed 14 times. I never thought my story was worth telling; where I grew up, it wasn’t unusual to have been a victim of violence.

It was my Prince’s Trust mentor who made me think twice about this. I began to understand how sharing my story can help to drive change in a positive way. The more we can all talk together about the issue of youth violent crime – to really listen to the experiences of those it impacts – the more we can learn how to prevent it.

“One thing that has come out of today’s discussion loud and clear is the positive impact that creating alternative opportunities for young people at risk can have on their lives. If we can empower these young people to see a better path for themselves, including through building their confidence and skills, we can support them to move away from a culture of violence.”
Having himself been supported by a grant from The Prince’s Trust when he was a teenager, Idris Elba, said of today’s visit:

“The Elba Hope Foundation was created to help every young person fulfil their potential, which is why I’m looking forward to working with The Trust both here in the UK and in Sierra Leone to reach as many people as we possibly can.”