Merseyside youth project uses theatre to raise awareness of county lines

A Merseyside youth project has allowed young people to stage impactful theatrical pieces about the dangers of county lines and knife crime.

The Between the Lines initiative, orchestrated by Unistar Youth, concluded with an emotional showcase at Anfield’s Liverpool Lighthouse on Monday (July 6). 

The event followed a 10-month workshop series that engaged upwards of 80 participants aged 10 to 16 from the Clubmoor, Tuebrook, Everton, Vauxhall, and Anfield neighbourhoods.

Financing for the scheme included a £5,000 grant from the EVOLVE Everton-Vauxhall participatory budgeting fund alongside an injection of over £3,000 from Spirit of Shankly.

The program allowed the young actors to dissect the origins and fallout of illicit grooming while emphasising the value of neighbourhood unity, identity, and secure environments.

EVOLVE serves as the local execution of the Home Office’s Clear, Hold, Build blueprint, uniting law enforcement, municipal authorities, and regional stakeholders to dismantle major criminal rings via policing, early intervention, and sustainable funding in neighbourhoods hit hard by illegal activity. Merseyside currently operates four dedicated EVOLVE zones.

With contributions from Evolve Youth Theatre, An Hour for Others, and North Liverpool Academy, the showcase featured bespoke scripts written by the teenagers themselves, exploring exploitation networks, knife-related violence, and grassroots safety solutions.

Katie Heywood, co-founder of Unistar Youth, said: 

“All ideas originated from the young people as they explored characters, choices, and consequences. The plays highlighted issues such as social cohesion, gaslighting, and the tactics gangs use to influence young people.

“They also addressed how young people become vulnerable and what we can do as a community to empower them and keep them safe. This project has been incredibly meaningful. The young people have been a pleasure to work with over the last 10 months, contributing their own ideas and working hard to create such powerful and educational performances. 

“I could not be more proud of what they have achieved together. One pupil described the experience as ‘life-changing’.”

She added: 

“Over the past 10 months, Unistar worked closely with North Liverpool Academy, An Hour for Others, and a new youth theatre called Evolve, which was established through EVOLVE funding.

“It is also supported by our partners, Spirit of Shankly, who continue to fund the free youth theatre in Anfield to provide a consistent safe space.”

A spokesperson from the Spirit of Shankly said: 

“We were pleased to help with the production with the help of funding from EVOLVE. There is so much talent and creativity in the Anfield area and it was great to see such a wonderful performance.

“Unistar are opening up doors for so many local youngsters and we are proud to support that work.”

The initial EVOLVE financial backing was secured during a participatory budgeting conference hosted by Liverpool City Council and Merseyside Police at North Liverpool Academy last April.

Grassroots teams pitched their ideas to secure a portion of a £50,000 community pot, which was sourced by the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner from asset forfeitures and cash seized from prosecuted offenders.

Students at North Liverpool Academy cast the deciding votes to select the 10 initiatives that would receive financial support aimed at disrupting serious lawbreaking and bolstering neighbourhood solidarity.

Inspector Chris Taylor, one of the senior officers involved in EVOLVE Everton-Vauxhall, said: 

“While we have made significant progress in clearing criminality from the area and preventing others from filling the void, community engagement and youth-focused projects like Between the Lines are a vital part of building long-term resilience against crime.

“Young people have a crucial role in breaking the cycle of criminality and it is fantastic to see Between the Lines delivering such powerful and thought-provoking performances after being selected for funding by pupils at North Liverpool Academy.”

The *Between the Lines* program mirrors the overarching philosophy of EVOLVE, merging strict enforcement with preventative measures and neighbourhood-driven programs.

Artistic strategies, including performance art and poetry initiatives like *Dear Merseyside*, are deployed across multiple EVOLVE sectors to inform teenagers about grooming, gang subcultures, and weapon dangers, all while offering constructive paths forward in protected settings.

Merseyside Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: 

“This demonstrates the incredible difference that can be made when we invest in our young people and give them the opportunity to have their voices heard.

“Across our EVOLVE areas, we are working with communities to create positive opportunities that help steer young people away from serious violence, criminal exploitation and organised crime, while building confidence, resilience and a sense of belonging.

“We have seen encouraging reductions in organised crime and its impact within our EVOLVE communities, but enforcement alone is never enough.

“Lasting change happens when local people, schools, youth organisations and partners come together to create safer environments and provide young people with positive alternatives. The success of this project is a powerful example of that community-led approach in action.”

“The young people involved should be extremely proud of what they have achieved. Their performances have placed important issues affecting their communities in the spotlight while delivering messages that will resonate with their peers.

“By continuing to invest in grassroots projects like this, we can build on the strong foundations already in place and create safer, stronger futures for the next generation across Merseyside.”

Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, Cabinet Member for Communities, Neighbourhoods and Streetscene at  Liverpool City Council added: 

“This is a fantastic example of our young people using their creativity to tell authentic stories of the real-life consequences of getting involved in criminality.

“It is far more powerful and effective than any message that adults could deliver.  This is one example of the grassroots work taking place to tackle the root causes of serious violence, so that residents of all ages can go about their lives without fear of crime.”

Find out more about EVOLVE here.

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