December Charity of the Month | Joe Dix Foundation

As we approach the festive season, we wanted to raise awareness of Joe Dix Foundation, a charity that focuses on young people, helping them to make better choices and live safer lives.

About Joe Dix Foundation

Joe Dix Foundation was set up in 2022 after the death of Joe Dix, who was stabbed to death in Norwich in January 2022. The Foundation was set up with the goal of raising awareness of child criminal exploitation, knife crime and gang culture in the UK to prevent any family from enduring the heartbreak that Joe’s family has faced. Read Joe’s story here.

How Does Joe Dix Foundation Help Young People?

The Foundation helps young people stay safe and make positive choices by thinking about the consequences of their actions by promoting awareness through talks, leaflets and its website. The early signs of child criminal exploitation is promoted to adults and a telephone support helpline is available and operated for concerned parents/carers to use to speak to others who have similar experiences. The Foundation also promotes ‘how to stem a bleed’ first aid training to everyone and distribute bleed bag kits for public use.

Preventing exploitation is easier than freeing a child who has been fully emersed in the situation. Joe Dix Foundation lists six things you can do to help prevent your child from getting in this situation.

1)     Talk to them.

Talk about the dangers and consequences of gangs, child criminal exploitation and knife crime.

2)    Be available.

Be available and take interest in what your child is doing. Encourage them to talk about their feelings and what is going on in and out of school.

3)    Listen to them

Listen to them without judgement. It’s better to know about any potential risky activities they might be up to, than to not know.

4)   Always make time

Always make time if your child wants to talk to you.

5)    Ask other parents

Ask other parents or teachers to keep an eye on them.

6)    Be honest with them

Let your child know that gangs who undertake child criminal exploitation make young people feel like they have no choice, and to scare them into not speaking out. Let them know there is always a choice.

How Can You Help Support The Joe Dix Foundation?

By familiarising yourself with the early warning signs of child criminal exploitation and following the six steps to support your child, you can help minimise the risk of child exploitation and reduce knife crime in our county. You can also support the work of Joe Dix Foundation by donating here.

Why Did We Support Joe Dix Foundation?

By highlight the Joe Dix Foundation this December, we hope to contribute to raising awareness of and preventing the tragic consequences of knife crime and child exploitation in Norfolk, ensuring that more young people are guided toward brighter futures. Find out more about the Foundation by visiting https://joedixfoundation.co.uk/.