Violence Affecting Young People: The Role of Relationships in Prevention
In recent years, conversations about violence affecting young people have become more frequent and more urgent.
When serious incidents occur, public discussion often focuses on enforcement and punishment. These responses can be important, particularly where harm has taken place. However, they rarely address the deeper conditions that influence why violence occurs in the first place.
Increasingly, violence affecting young people is being understood through a public health lens. This approach recognises that violence does not occur in isolation. It is shaped by a range of social and environmental factors including poverty, inequality, trauma, exclusion, fear and lack of opportunity.
If we are serious about preventing violence, it is important to look beyond individual incidents and focus on the wider conditions that shape young people’s lives.
For those of us working directly with young people in community settings, these issues are not abstract policy discussions. They are part of our everyday reality.
Last year our organisation experienced the devastating loss of a young person who had been attending our youth group and was known to our team. Moments like this affect communities deeply and remind us how important it is to strengthen the conditions that support young people long before crisis occurs.
One of the most significant protective factors in a young person’s life is the presence of trusted relationships.
Relational youth work is built around this principle. It is not primarily about programmes or short-term interventions. At its heart it is about adults showing up consistently, listening without judgement and creating spaces where young people feel known, valued and respected.
Over time these relationships build something incredibly important. Young people begin to feel that they belong. They begin to trust that there are adults who care about their wellbeing. They begin to see possibilities for themselves.
These changes may appear small from the outside, but they are powerful forms of prevention.
At Kingsway Community Connections we see this through our PG&W approach, which focuses on strengthening the conditions that allow individuals and communities to remain well. The changes we often notice first are subtle: increased confidence, stronger relationships, a sense of responsibility, optimism and resilience.
These are the early signs that a young person is beginning to feel more secure in themselves and their place within the world around them.
Many of the boys we work alongside are navigating multiple pressures at the same time. Some are growing up in families who have arrived in Scotland from other parts of the world, balancing cultural expectations at home with the desire to belong among their peers. At the same time, many are living with the realities of poverty and inequality.
When these pressures intersect, the search for belonging, identity and purpose can become even more complex.
This is why safe community spaces and trusted relationships matter so much.
A young person who feels connected to their community is less likely to feel alone. A young person who has trusted adults around them is more likely to ask for help when things become difficult. A young person who has opportunities to participate and contribute begins to develop confidence, responsibility and purpose.
These are the foundations that help protect young people from harm.
Violence prevention cannot rely solely on responses after incidents occur. It must also involve long term investment in the environments and relationships that allow young people to grow, connect and thrive.
If we are serious about addressing violence affecting young people, relational youth work and community spaces must be recognised as part of the solution.
Young people deserve opportunities to grow, to feel that they belong and to build hopeful futures for themselves. These opportunities should not depend on where a young person lives or the resources available in their community.
They should be available to every young person.
About the Author
Lainy Bedingfield is the Managing Director of Kingsway Community Connections, where she brings many years of experience in community development to support strong, meaningful relationships within the community. She is passionate about creating opportunities that bring people together, strengthen local connections and ensure that individuals feel supported and included.
With a background in community engagement and relationship building, Lainy works closely with partners, residents and organisations to develop initiatives that respond to the needs of the community. Her approach focuses on listening, collaboration and creating spaces where people feel valued and able to contribute.
Through her leadership, Kingsway Community Connections continues to deliver projects that promote inclusion, wellbeing and community-led development, helping to build a stronger and more connected community for everyone.
