Training and networking day for practitioners focused on youth violence prevention hosted by NKBL with guests from Police Scotland/SVRU .

We are back on the road this year to talk with practitioners in different areas across Scotland! This year we will be joined by partners from the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit and Police Scotland.

Join us at our Edinburgh in-person training for practitioners to enhance your knowledge and develop practical skills for working with young people to ensure they grow up safely and reach their full potential.

The No Knives, Better Lives team will introduce you to current projects and resources.

Each participant will receive a copy of our most recent Better Lives toolkit (worth £10)

There will also be support to explore the specific challenges you face in your community.

There will be plenty of opportunities for exchanging ideas, violence prevention tips and to share learning.

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Event Details

Date: Monday 19th October 2026

Time: 9:30am - 3:30pm

Venue: Edinburgh Futures Institute

Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Please inform us of any dietary requirements when booking.

Tickets are FREE of charge. However, if you cannot make the event, you must tell us at least 48 hours before the event starts. Cancellations received within 48 hours of the event will be subject to £25 cancellation fee.

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We are committed to making this event accessible to everyone. If you have any accessibility requirements, please contact us at nkbl@youthlink.scot at your earliest convenience and we will ensure necessary arrangements are made.

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About No Knives, Better Lives

Since 2009, NKBL has been a leading prevention, early intervention and education program run by YouthLink Scotland and funded by the Scottish Government. We work in partnership with young people and practitioners to understand and address the drivers of youth violence.

Our vision is to create a safer Scotland, where children and young people feel loved, safe and respected, enabling them to realise their full potential. We want everyone to live in communities that are inclusive, empowered, resilient and safe. We want everyone’s human rights to be respected, protected and fulfilled, allowing a life free from discrimination.

Our aim is to inspire youth workers and practitioners working with young people to empower those who may be at risk of youth violence to choose a better path. We do this through:

• A youth work, youth-led and public health approach

• Developing programmes that support practitioners to discuss and educate young people on offensive weapons and youth violence, empowering them to make more positive, informed choices

• Deliver training to created and upskill pro-social practitioners

• Advocating for a rights-based and trauma-informed approach to be taken

Find out more about us on our website

Sign up to our newsletter

Follow us on Twitter @NKBLScotland and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/no-knives-better-lives/

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About Scottish Violence Reduction Unit

Part of Police Scotland and directly funded by the Scottish Government with an annual budget of around £1million, the SVRU works to identify innovative, evidence-based solutions to violence. Our team is made up of police officers, civilian police staff and people who are experts by experience. We work closely with colleagues and partners across health, education, social work, housing and many other fields.

We use a public health approach to violence reduction. This means we:

use data to analyse violence

look to understand the causes

test and evaluate what works and for who

Seek to scale up effective programmes through appropriate partners

Find out more about us on our website

Follow us on Twitter @vruscotland

Description supplied by the event organiser.