Snow-Camp has launched Stop.Breathe.Think, a mindfulness campaign using drill music to help tackle knife crime.
Stop.Breathe.Think
brings together drill artists and mindfulness experts to provide mindfulness techniques to help young people manage their emotions. The campaign will also encourage young people across the UK to sign up for the charity’s free series of mindfulness tutorials and free 1-1-counselling sessions.
Mindfulness, the ability to be fully present in the moment, teaches us how to change a rash, reactive mindset into a more considered, responsive and productive one. It provides practical ways to become less reactive, and more able to manage impulsive feelings and behaviours. Although mindfulness doesn’t eliminate factors that may lead to knife crime, such as fear, anger and anxiety, the charity hopes that by providing young people with mindfulness techniques, they can become better equipped to handle their emotions in the moment – with a better chance of reacting calmly.
Nito NB, an up and coming artist from West London, has created the campaign’s first drill track titled Breathe, that teaches young people how to use mindfulness to deal with anger. Whilst growing up, Nito’s mum became his coping mechanism, she taught him how to channel and process his anger. Through his track, Breathe, Nito hopes to raise awareness of the usefulness of mindfulness techniques and the importance of being aware of your emotions. Although drill music has been accused of encouraging knife crime, the charity wants to use a relatable and authentic vehicle to reach as many young people as possible.
Over recent months, whilst delivering its own mental health programme, Snow-Camp has seen that mental wellbeing is something that today’s young people are increasingly struggling with, which has been exacerbated by COVID-19. Young people rarely have the means or resources to find the support they need. Ninety-two percent of young people on Snow-Camp’s programme believe that the rise in knife crime is linked to young people’s mental health issues and challenges related to controlling emotions. That’s why Stop.Breathe.Think is also offering young people across the UK the opportunity to sign up for the charity’s free series of mindfulness tutorials and free 1-1-counselling sessions.
Nito NB’s track will be hosted on LinkUp TV, whilst promotion through posters and billboards in key inner-city locations aims to enable the campaign to reach further young people. Young people can sign-up for the free mindfulness tutorials and 1-1-counselling sessions via the Stop.Breathe.Think website.