Salvation Army worker warns young footballers about knife crime

Young footballers took part in a powerful session aimed at tackling myths around gang culture and knife crime during a special event at Shrub End Community & Sports Centre in Colchester.

The workshop, delivered by Colchester United in partnership with The Salvation Army, featured a moving talk from Yassir Mohammed, the church and charity’s Addiction Development Officer for London and The South East, after the boys from Year 9 and 10 took part in a friendly tournament.

Yassir, a former gang member, shared his lived experience of violence and crime.

His message was clear: life in a gang is far from glamorous.

He said: “I grew up around racism, and I felt the only way to survive was to be a part of a gang. This escalated to using weapons and drugs and people close to me died. Now I know that this is not the way to live my life, I use my experience to raise awareness for others.”

As part of the session, Yassir led a myth-busting exercise that challenged common misconceptions such as “carrying a knife makes me feel safe.” He also highlighted the dangers of grooming and county lines, using interactive examples to show how easily young people can become entangled in criminal activity.

The workshop was attended by teams from the Colchester United Community Foundation’s Premier League Kicks programme, which supports young people from areas of high deprivation across Colchester, Clacton, and Harwich. The initiative provides access to sport and education in a safe and person focused setting.

Louis Garbett, Head of Health & Inclusion at Colchester United Community Foundation, explained:

“These boys are in Years 9 and 10 and are starting to make their own decisions, so we want to play our part in guiding them. It was important to bring in someone like Yassir, who has lived experience, so they can hear first-hand what happens if you don’t make the right choices at this age.”

During the workshop, Yassir also encouraged the boys to think about who they could turn to in a difficult situation, whether that be a parent, coach, teacher, or helpline.

Young people attending the sessions said Yassir’s workshop inspired them to not join gangs and think about who they would reach out to in certain situations.

Yassir’s role at The Salvation Army focuses on harm reduction providing training, guidance and resources for the church and charity’s frontline staff, raising awareness around drug and alcohol-related harms. He works across Salvation Army centres in London and The South East.