MANCHESTER, England, January 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A leading youth worker will tell a national conference today (26th January) that children as young as NINE should have lessons to dissuade them from joining gangs.

Paul Fletcher, a Director of youth charity Rathbone, will urge schools to use Personal Health Social Education sessions (usually reserved to teach kids about everything from acne to the environment) to include warnings on the dangers of carrying a knife and becoming involved in gangs.

Paul will also use the platform to condemn sections of the media - including musicians and programme makers - for glamorising gangs and making youngsters believe they are a protective, cool, alternative family.

"Rathbone has spent over a decade on the streets of places such as East London and North and South Manchester working with young people on the periphery of gang activity and there is no doubt that children are now being lured into becoming involved in anti-social behaviour at an earlier age" said Fletcher. "In US cities such as Los Angeles elementary school children are being given the tools to resist that pressure and we need to bring that kind of thinking here."

Paul has already seen the difference education and mentoring sessions can make during past projects including a recent scheme aimed at high school students to cut knife crime in Manchester.

Many schools are reluctant to teach children about gangs for fear of having their community labelled as a problem. But Paul argues that classes at suburban schools on gangs could put things in perspective and allay worries about crime, saying: "Lessons would re-assure them that a gang doesn't exist around every corner. There is a near obsession with gangs in some quarters which perversely has made them seem attractive especially to more vulnerable youngsters."

Organised by leading trade magazine Children & Young People Now, the, "Why do children join gangs?" seminar boasts an impressive array of speakers including Government youth policy adviser Paul Oginsky and the founder of the Lives Not Knives Campaign, Eliza Rebeiro. The event takes place on the afternoon of Wednesday 26th January (2-5pm) at Central Hall, Westminster.

Last year Rathbone enabled over 20,000 young people at 70 training centres to gain the qualifications and experience they need to move on to college or find work. Learn more about the charity at: http://www.rathboneuk.org

Press contact: Peter Gibson, Rathbone, peter.gibson@rathboneuk.org