2008 – Schools and parents ask Junior to provide group sessions that raise awareness and equip children with the knowledge and tools to stay safe. Rather than adopting a ‘scared straight’ approach, the sessions use role play and real-life scenarios to help children explore the consequences of different choices through critical thinking. Junior receives the South London Press Hero of South London and Community Champion awards.

2009 – SOS continues to grow, with the team expanding into other parts of London through a mix of local authority and voluntary-sector funding. The SOS Project receives a Centre for Social Justice Award, while the continued growth of the schools work leads to the formal establishment of the SOS+ Project.

2010 – St Giles begins work on the Barrow Cadbury Trust-funded Transition to Adulthood pilot. Professionally trained staff with lived experience of knife crime, custody and previous gang affiliation support young people who face significant barriers to engaging with other services. At a time when employing people with lived experience in this field still meets considerable scepticism, the pilot provides further evidence of the approach’s value and helps build confidence in it. SOS+ delivers 23 sessions in its first fully funded year.