I was delighted that Somali Voice and the Bristol Somali Media Group organized Saturday's event because it is important for the Somali community to come together and raise awareness of these serious issues. I was grateful for the opportunity to listen to the concerns and discuss what action we should take.

That so many people came along demonstrates how worried the Somali community is about gangs and knife crime. I was also encouraged by the high attendance, though, as it shows there is a positive and united attitude to stop young Somalis becoming involved in these gangs.

There is real spirit and enthusiasm in the community, and we were all honored that Ahmed Ibrahim Dahir, a Somaliland MP, was able to attend. We also heard from people from Birmingham and London , where they have faced similar problems and where the Government has taken very effective action, so it was a great opportunity to learn from their experience.

I was pleased too that Detective Superintendent Trevor Margenout, who has overall responsibility for Bristol 's policing, and Inspector Graham Fox, who is in charge of the police for Lawrence Hill, Easton and Ashley Wards, joined the debate. Our Neighborhood Policing Teams are making a real difference out on the streets, and they are always trying to develop a good relationship with young people.

I want to stress it is not only Somalis who are involved or have these fears about gangs and knife crime, but active representatives of the community have, rightly, raised these issues with me. This is partly why I helped to establish the Bristol Somali Forum. I am really glad I can be involved with this and help the Somali communities work together. The Forum also gives a clear contact point for the local police and Council and I believe they have developed a very constructive relationship in trying to tackle street crime, particularly among youths.

The Forum shows how effectively we can all work together and, for me personally, Saturday's event proved very useful, given the very real concerns that have been raised with me by Somali constituents, especially parents worried about their teenage children.

I certainly understand their worries, as it unfortunately seems almost every week we hear of another young man who has tragically lost his life because of a stabbing or shooting. Although it is not always the case, it seems that many of these are gang-related so it is crucial we can agree to tackle this together, and meetings like last Saturday's are an important part of this.

While crime is falling, in the year 2007/08, I am saddened that there were 360 serious incidents involving knives recorded by Avon and Somerset police. On Saturday, we were given a chilling and personal illustration of the need to raise awareness of these dangers, with a video about the death of Linval Wright, a 22 year old student stabbed repeatedly in Easton . The film included accounts from paramedics and police who tried to help Linval that day and, most powerfully, his mother. I was certainly shocked by her tragic story, and very moved by her tribute to her son. It's important that the film has been shown in Bristol 's schools so that our young people can understand the devastating consequences of knives and casual violence, and I can only admire Linval's mother's courage in trying to help other families and make sure Linval can make a difference.

Sadly, discussions about gangs and knife crime will inevitably also include the issue of drugs. This is again an issue I have discussed with the Somali Forum, and it is clear that drugs are a problem, particularly if young people have struggled with their education or to find jobs. To make money, and possibly out of boredom, some can be tempted to turn to drug dealing. While they may not think of the severe consequences of their actions, they can often see older dealers who give out an image of success. Instead of this, these young people need to be reminded of the grave dangers of drugs, and that they could face a criminal record, and even prison. Carrying a knife can also lead to a 4 year prison sentence and £5000 fine.

I did not find the event, however, to be just a worrying assessment of the risks and temptations that may confront our young people, as we discussed positive solutions and how the wider Bristol community can work together to reduce youth crime, proving to young Somali people that they do not need to carry knives or join violent gangs.

I firmly believe a major part of this is supporting our young people; talking to them and understanding the problems they may face and giving them the confidence to overcome these. We need to listen to their ambitions, in some cases encourage them to have ambitions, and give them the opportunity to achieve.

All too often, I have seen young people who may unfortunately feel alienated, from their families, schools, peer groups or from authorities in the community and we need to address this on a number of levels.

I was pleased another film on Saturday emphasised the importance of family unity and how this can counteract the attraction gangs can have. It demonstrated the impact of family breakdown and poor communication, whereby children no longer feel they can confide in their parents so look elsewhere for that sense of belonging and trust.

It is therefore important that parents, and Somali elders, are able to provide positive role models so that young people can not only respect their community and authority figures, but also themselves. I left the meeting confident they can do this.

We need to help Somali young people feel not only an important part of the Somali community, but also of the wider Bristol community, where they can make valuable contributions. I was pleased that we also discussed how we can encourage them to learn English if they do not already speak it.

For everyone, education is pivotal, but we need to make a special effort with those who lack the motivation to achieve at school or who perhaps are not given the support they need. So we need to help them get good grades and encourage young people to think about their futures, starting with apprenticeships or going to college. This is partly why I like to work closely with Bristol 's schools and academies, where pupils are making real improvements. The Government has a role in this too and is extending the apprenticeship programme to help more young people gain the experience they need, and start a successful career.

The Government has been targeting youth and knife crime, particularly as these have sadly become more high profile public concerns over the past year or so. The Government now has a more coordinated programme to target knife and gang-related crime. I am pleased to say this includes better educational packages and working with parents and schools to help these young people. I think the event on Saturday showed that this is the right approach and that there is popular support for it.

We realise how worried all parents are about their teenagers, and the Government has issued guidance for parents who think gangs may be a problem for their child. This was developed with parenting organisations and community groups, and I hope many families will find it helpful and reassuring. More information is available at http://direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Yourchildshealthandsafety/WorriedAbout/DG_171320

The Youth Crime Action Plan was also launched over the summer and this emphasised that we cannot only look at enforcement and punishment when crimes are committed, but that we have a duty to focus on support, for whole families, and prevention. When I have met with youth workers around Bristol , I have seen a real enthusiasm to engage with young people, to encourage them to engage with each other, and to provide them with positive activities so that they are not led astray.

I am glad to say that this was reinforced at the Malcolm X Centre, but I would also like to emphasize that we are talking about a minority of Somali youths who are involved in such crimes; I have met many young Somalis in Bristol who are such positive and promising individuals but the event on Saturday showed that we can reduce the risks even more.

I will conclude by congratulating all those involved in making Saturday a successful event, particularly in promoting awareness and making clear to worried parents that they are not alone. The meeting showed that there is agreement on these issues and widespread support for positive action, and I look forward to continuing to work with members of the Somali community, old and young, on this.

Hon Kerry McCarthy

Member of Parliament for Bristol East