Nae Danger: New Game Tackles Knife Crime

Nae Danger is a new choose-your-own-adventure game aimed at schools and youth organisations across Scotland to help young people understand more about the dangers of carrying knives.

Created by Dundee-based Pocket Sized Hands, the game is based upon the No Knives Better Lives (NKBL) Nae Danger Bystander guide, which empowers young people to stand up, speak out and get help if a friend or someone they know is carrying a knife.

The game follows a group of friends as they face different situations involving knife carrying. It invites young people to shape key moments where their decisions can take several different directions, some with grave outcomes.

The game is free and available to all local authorities in Scotland. It will be delivered primarily in secondary schools and youth clubs, supported by local facilitators. More than 23 local authorities have already signed up to the facilitator training.

Along with the game a toolkit with key questions, facts and discussion points will draw out key discussions from the game and ask young people to reflect on the big question: What would you do if someone you knew was carrying a knife? Through the game, young people will understand why it is important to do something if they know that someone is armed with a knife.

While developing the game, Pocket Sized Hands worked alongside young people and staff from organisations including Youth Just us and the Children & Young People’s Centre For Justice. The studio listened to their ideas, opinions and experiences of knife crime and used their invaluable feedback to shape the game. Young people even voiced the main characters in Nae Danger.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf MSP said:

Young people are at the heart of what No Knives, Better Lives do and none more so than their ‘Nae Danger Game’ which has been co-designed by young people, using their opinions and experiences of knife crime. This is an exciting and innovative way to encourage young people to highlight and talk about the consequences of carrying a knife.

“Although levels of knife crime have fallen drastically over the last decade, we cannot be complacent. That is why I am delighted to see this game launched and I am sure it will play an important part in further reducing handling of offensive weapons, and specifically knife crime among young people.

Orielle Taylor, National Co-ordinator for NKBL at YouthLink Scotland commented:

In the last decade, the level of knife crime in Scotland has drastically reduced, but one incident is still one too many. Work with young people is key to continuing to prevent violence. The Nae Danger Game has given us an exciting new way to talk to all young people about their role in preventing knife carrying through peer support.

Gary McCartan, Chief Executive Officer at Pocket Sized Hands said:

For many of us, knife crime won’t be an issue that affects us directly. But for some, carrying a knife may be their only perception of how they can stay safe. In designing this game, we wanted to tackle some of the misconceptions around knife crime and give young people an opportunity to discuss knife crime prevention in a safe and non-judgemental environment. It’s has been a great pleasure working alongside the team at YouthLink Scotland as well as the young adults at Youth Just Us, getting to hear their stories and thoughts on what would make this a great game and get people talking about knife crime prevention.”