Youth violence and gang-related harm are serious public health issues. While it’s a proportionately small number of young people involved, they have a disproportionately large impact on the communities around them in parts of the UK.

There is a strong relationship between socioeconomic factors and gang involvement; exclusion from school, ethnicity, lack of employment prospects, lack of positive role models, and poor housing or homelessness are all cited as factors for joining gangs.

Joining host Josie Cochrane, today Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner for West Midlands Tom McNeil joins us, alongside Daniel Cunningham from the Straight Up service in Birmingham. Commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions, Straight Up is a holistic one-to-one service, delivered by Catch22, supporting those either at risk of or associated with gangs into training and employment.

Join the conversation at #Catch22Minutes and visit our website at catch-22.org.uk