Bristol PR agency Speed Communications is supporting students from a secondary school in the city to work on a series of campaigns aimed at tackling knife crime.
The tie-up, which will involve the agency hosting a workshop and then helping exhibit the students’ work, is part of a national initiative staged by Department of Culture, Media and Sport to showcase to young people what a future in creative careers can look like. 
Under the Discover Creative Careers Week, creative organisations are paired with state schools to highlight pathways into the sector.
Speed is partnering with Bristol Brunel Academy in Speedwell to introduce students to the world of PR via a topic relevant to Bristol residents – awareness of knife crime in the city.
The agency has co-created a brief for students to develop a series of anti-knife crime campaigns, which they will work on live in a workshop led by Speed creative director Sarah Firth, who will use generative AI to devise campaigns in real-time.
The students’ work will then be to the public via an exhibition.
Speed Communications managing director Kelly Pepworth, pictured, said the agency was proud to support Discover Creative Careers Week, alongside several like-minded agencies across the UK, to give students invaluable hands-on experience in the sector.
“Looking at the knife crime statistics in the South West are sobering,” she added. 
“Last year alone the number of incidents involving a knife averaged more than one a week.
“This makes this initiative crucial to opening doors for young people and demonstrating a different path, as well as ensuring our industry is more accessible and inclusive.
“We need to engage with young talent early, long before they face pivotal career decisions, to show them the opportunities available in creative fields.
“We can’t wait to see the impact this collaboration will have and are sure we will be inspired by the creative talent demonstrated by the young people we meet.”
Jen Cusack, principal of Bristol Brunel Academy, part of the Cabot Learning Federation said the initiative was an extraordinary opportunity for our students to learn about creative industries and the communications sector.
“Exposure to professionals who are passionate about their work and committed to making a difference is invaluable – it’s these experiences that plant the seeds of ambition and open up futures our students might never have imagined for themselves.
“We are excited to see our students step into this world and prove what they’re capable of. Initiatives like this don’t just teach skills; they inspire purpose and show young people that their voices matter.”
Speed employs around 40 people working on comms strategy planning, content creation, digital implementation, engagement and PR for a range of clients, including kitchen and homeware brand Brabantia, Virgin Media and global assurance provider LRQA.
It is part of the Devon-based MISSION group of creative agencies, which employs more than 1,100 people across 25 locations on three continents, including 19 offices in the UK.
