Bereaved Families Back EVOLVE Education Resource in liverpool 2026

Key Points

• Grieving families are backing a new educational program that has been developed to commemorate the fourth anniversary of EVOLVE.
• EVOLVE was formed after a series of devastating shootings in Merseyside.
• The program was designed to educate young people about the effects of organized crimes, gang culture and knife crime.
• The program will be utilized in schools and communities that are considered highly affected by criminal behavior.
• Partners of the program include Merseyside Police, Liverpool City Council and other partners.
• The project is part of the broader preventative strategy that emphasizes education, community engagement and early interventions.
• Previous EVOLVE project, which has been reported by Liverpool Express, utilized spoken-word poetry to talk about gang culture and its solutions.
• The program was meant to foster safer communities, remembering those who suffered from the violence.

Liverpool (Liverpool standard) August 17, 2026 – EVOLVE is marking its fourth anniversary with the backing of bereaved families who have supported a new educational resource intended to help young people understand the impact of serious violence, gang culture and organised crime.

The resource has been developed as part of work connected with EVOLVE, an initiative established following a series of tragic shootings that caused shock and grief across Merseyside. Its central purpose is prevention: helping young people recognise the risks linked to criminal exploitation and violence before they become involved.

The project brings together bereaved relatives, police, local authorities, schools and community partners. Their involvement reflects an approach that places education and early intervention alongside enforcement when addressing serious organised crime.

Liverpool Express reported that the new resource has received support from families who lost loved ones in shootings. Their backing gives the initiative a direct connection to the human consequences of violence and ensures that the experiences of affected families remain part of the wider conversation about prevention.

What is the EVOLVE resource?

EVOLVE is a partnership-led programme designed to respond to serious and organised crime in communities affected by violence. The new educational material is intended to help young people consider how crime affects victims, families and neighbourhoods.

Rather than focusing only on criminal justice consequences, the resource presents violence as an issue that can damage lives over many years. It encourages discussion about choices, peer pressure, exploitation and the importance of seeking help.

The initiative is aimed particularly at young people who may be exposed to criminal activity through their neighbourhood, friendship groups or online networks. By introducing these subjects in educational settings, partners hope to create opportunities for pupils to ask questions and speak about concerns in a safe environment.

The programme also recognises that young people can be victims of exploitation. Children and teenagers may be pressured or manipulated by older criminals into carrying weapons, transporting drugs or becoming involved in organised criminal activity. Early conversations can help them identify warning signs and understand where support is available.

Why are bereaved families supporting it?

Bereaved families have supported the resource because they understand the consequences of serious violence more directly than most people. Their involvement helps demonstrate that shootings affect far more than the individual victim.

The effects can extend to parents, children, siblings, friends and wider communities. Families may face long-term grief, financial pressure and emotional distress, while neighbourhoods can experience fear and a loss of trust.

By backing EVOLVE, bereaved relatives are helping to communicate the personal cost of violence to younger audiences. Their support also highlights the importance of prevention and gives greater weight to efforts aimed at stopping similar tragedies from occurring.

The involvement of families does not replace formal education or policing. Instead, it adds lived experience to discussions that might otherwise be presented only through statistics, legal explanations or general warnings.

How will schools use the material?

The resource is intended for use in schools and other youth settings. Teachers, youth workers and community organisations can use it to start conversations about serious organised crime, knife crime and criminal exploitation.

Lessons and discussions may examine how young people can be drawn into criminal networks, how violence affects victims and what support is available when someone feels threatened or pressured.

The educational approach is also designed to encourage young people to think about their communities. This includes considering the consequences of carrying a weapon, becoming involved in gang activity or remaining silent when someone is being exploited.

The precise structure and delivery of the resource may vary depending on the school or organisation using it. However, its broader objective is to provide a consistent way of discussing serious violence and encouraging safer decisions.

What role do police and councils have?

Merseyside Police and local authorities are among the partners involved in the wider EVOLVE programme. Their role includes supporting prevention work, sharing information and connecting schools and communities with appropriate services.

Police enforcement remains an important part of the response to organised crime. Officers investigate shootings, disrupt criminal networks and work to protect people at risk. However, EVOLVE also reflects recognition that enforcement alone cannot prevent every young person from being drawn into criminality.

Liverpool City Council and other partners can contribute through education, youth services, community projects and safeguarding arrangements. These services can help identify concerns at an earlier stage and provide support before problems escalate.

The partnership model allows different organisations to address different aspects of the issue. Police may focus on criminal activity and risk, schools may provide education and safeguarding, while community groups can offer local knowledge and practical support.

How does the project connect with earlier EVOLVE work?

The new educational resource follows earlier EVOLVE activity in Merseyside. In March 2025, Liverpool Express reported that a spoken-word project called “Dear Merseyside” had been launched as part of a fourth EVOLVE operation.

According to the Liverpool Express report, “Dear Merseyside” was created by 21-year-old spoken-word artist Joseph Roberts. The piece was described as a love letter to Merseyside that addressed problems associated with gang culture and knife crime before turning towards solutions and the “love where you live” message.

That project was delivered in secondary schools in EVOLVE areas, described as communities most affected by serious criminality. It showed how creative work could be used to discuss difficult subjects in a format intended to engage young people.

The spoken-word initiative also formed part of a wider Home Office-backed project involving Merseyside Police, Liverpool City Council and other partners. Liverpool Express reported that community groups working in uk/local/everton/">Everton and Vauxhall were invited to apply for support for projects that could help improve those areas.

The latest resource continues this emphasis on communicating with young people through education and community engagement. Its support from bereaved families provides an additional focus on remembrance, responsibility and prevention.

Why is prevention important in affected communities?

Serious violence can have a lasting effect on communities. Residents may alter their routines, avoid certain places and become reluctant to provide information to authorities. Young people may also grow up viewing violence as normal or unavoidable.

Prevention programmes seek to challenge that pattern. They aim to provide young people with information, trusted adults and practical alternatives to criminal involvement.

Education can be particularly important where young people are exposed to criminal exploitation. A pupil may not initially recognise that a request from an older person is connected to organised crime. Clear information about manipulation and coercion can help them understand the danger.

Prevention also depends on support beyond the classroom. Young people may need access to youth workers, safeguarding professionals, mental health support, family assistance or help from the police. A resource can open the conversation, but sustained support is needed when a child is already at risk.

What has been said about the wider approach?

The EVOLVE work is based on the principle that serious organised crime requires a coordinated response. Police action may remove individuals involved in violence, but long-term progress also depends on reducing the conditions that allow criminal networks to recruit.

The programme therefore links enforcement with education and community projects. This approach allows partners to address both immediate threats and longer-term risks.

Attributing the details available about the initiative, Liverpool Express described the spoken-word project as part of an effort to approach serious and organised crime “from a new angle”. The report identified Merseyside Police and Liverpool City Council as partners involved in the wider work.

The involvement of bereaved families adds an important public dimension. Their support reinforces the message that the consequences of violence are measured not only through arrests or court cases, but also through the lives permanently changed by shootings.

What remains unclear about the new resource?

The available report does not provide a complete breakdown of the resource’s content, length, delivery timetable or the number of schools expected to use it. It also does not set out measurable targets for reducing youth involvement in serious organised crime.

Those details would be important when assessing the programme’s long-term effect. Educational initiatives can raise awareness, but their success also depends on consistent delivery, suitable training and access to services for young people who disclose concerns.

The resource should therefore be viewed as one element of the wider EVOLVE response rather than a standalone solution. Its value will depend on how effectively schools, families, police and community organisations work together.

Background to EVOLVE

EVOLVE was developed in response to serious violence and shootings that affected Merseyside communities. The initiative brings together public bodies, police and local partners to support prevention, intervention and community safety.

Its work has included projects designed to engage young people in areas affected by serious criminality. The “Dear Merseyside” spoken-word project, created by Joseph Roberts, used poetry to address gang culture and knife crime while encouraging pride in local communities. Liverpool Express reported that the project was delivered in secondary schools as part of a wider operation supported by the Home Office.liverpoolexpress.co

The programme has also encouraged community groups to develop projects in areas including Everton and Vauxhall. This reflects an effort to support local solutions as well as police-led activity.

The fourth anniversary of EVOLVE provides an opportunity to remember those affected by the shootings and to examine how prevention work has developed. The backing of bereaved families places the focus on reducing the possibility of further deaths and protecting future generations.

How could EVOLVE affect young people and communities?

For young people, the resource could provide clearer information about the risks of gang culture, knife crime and criminal exploitation. It may also make it easier for pupils to identify trusted adults and seek support when they feel threatened or pressured.

For schools, EVOLVE could offer structured material for discussing serious violence in a way that connects with local experiences. Teachers and safeguarding staff may be better placed to identify concerns if pupils feel able to speak openly.

For families affected by violence, the project may offer a way to ensure that their experiences inform prevention work. For wider communities, its likely impact will depend on whether education is matched by accessible youth services, effective safeguarding and continued action against organised criminal networks.

The development is unlikely to resolve serious violence on its own. However, by combining bereaved families’ experiences with school-based education and partnership work, EVOLVE could contribute to a longer-term effort to prevent young people from being drawn into crime and to reduce the risk of further tragedies.