empower instead of criminalise

There is a new government scheme, working with young people as mistery shoppers, as they go to shops and try and buy knives. This is a great idea of working with young people, making them feel involved, giving them responsibility, and a bit of mystery with the under-cover part of it as well. This will, I hope give young people that sense of excitement, that sense of doing something, and mystery, without the bad, dangerous consequences that tey get from carrying knives. How else can we empower young people to make a difference in our communities.