UK Youth / National Lottery Community Fund · 2019
This report presents findings from a pilot youth-led consultation exploring young people's views on the causes of, and solutions to, serious violence in England. Using peer-to-peer active listening workshops, causal loop mapping, and a rapid evidence assessment, 123 young people aged 13–23 with lived experience of serious violence participated across six locations. Young people identified social division, financial hardship, online conflict escalation, substance use, and gang formation as key drivers of violence — factors often framed differently from existing research. The pilot found that high-quality education, involvement in positive activities, and mentoring were the interventions most supported by young people, while also highlighting a significant disconnect between policy language and the way young people describe their experiences.