Lives Not Knives is an organisation dedicated to reducing knife and gang related crime in Croydon and elsewhere in London by: • Using a Mentoring and Befriending approach that is dedicated to helping young people at risk • Supporting young people into employment, education and training • Focussing on training for young people in schools to ensure they are safe at home, at school or college and in their social and leisure time activities • Providing safe places for young people to meet, socialise and make friends in a relaxed environment Lives Not Knives focuses on work with young people aged 11 to 24 who have been referred to the organisation by teachers, parents and agencies or who have referred themselves to LNK. We are Croydon based but work across London with schools, colleges and other partner organisations to reduce the risk of gang related violence to young people. Our approach is preventative; we work with young people through our youth mentors who are trained in explaining the dangers of association with gangs, and working with small groups and individuals who are at risk. We are a youth led organisation, we listen and act on the views of our expert youth mentors who are familiar with the real world of gang culture and this forms the basis of our work in Croydon and elsewhere.