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Home >The #BinTheBladeForBalin movement
The #BinTheBladeForBalin movement’s primary goal is to persuade anyone who owns a knife to “bin it”. If a knife is not present during an altercation, it cannot cause any harm.
Further to that aim, is the goal to educate and forewarn youths about the dangers and consequences that a simple act of violence can have. As well as the pain experienced by the victim’s family, most young people don’t realise the ripple effect that a spur-of-the-moment decision can have on their own family, friends and their future.
The Balin Stewart Foundation has a three-pronged approach to achieve its primary purpose which is harm prevention of injury and death due to incidents involving “edged weapons” such as knives. This includes; Education, Awareness and Events.
Education
The foundation is continually involved in the ongoing development and delivery of resources for teens, youths, parents, carers, teachers and other community members aimed at preventing injury and death.
These include presentations, materials and tools that support individuals to:
- Understand the ramifications – legal, physical and mental – of the harm caused by edged weapons.
- Rethink “reasons” for carrying an edged weapon.
- Safety plan for the purpose of harm prevention
- Promote help-seeking behaviours from victims of low-level incidents to alert anyone in a position of authority such as a parent or teacher in order for preventative measures/intervention to be undertaken.
Further to the above, programs will be developed to provide education and awareness for frontline educators and other professionals to be able to identify and respond effectively to potentially harmful behaviours in high-school age children.
#binthebladeforbalin Movement
Awareness
A community awareness campaign aimed at education of the entire community of the legal, physical and mental effects caused by incidents involving edged weapons.
Some of the initiatives undertaken are:
- Laptop stickers, where the aim is to have a sticker on every high school student’s laptop in the country has a sticker. This advertises the Foundation’s website.
- Bumper vehicle stickers to help parents, teachers & carers spread awareness though the wider community.
- Subject to agreement from relative government departments, the Foundation will seek to have large stickers on residential wheelie bins – initially across the Sunshine Coast – as a constant reminder across the region of the movement.
- A range of fashion wear that promotes the #BinthebladeforBalin message to prmote a positive teen culture and to not carry edged weapons. This will also include a range of corporate wear aimed at parents, teachers & other careers who wish to promote anti-knife messaging in the wider community.
Other merchandise will be available from the website to promote the #Binthebladeforbalin movement.
About Balin
Born on 08/09/2005, Balin’s middle name Vogn (pronounced Vaughan) is the initials of his grandparents Velia, Olwyn, Graham and Neville. Balin’s dad Michael has Indian ancestry. In Hindi Balin means “soldier” and in Indian “Mighty Warrior”. Mick is also an avid surfer so the surf brand Balin also had an influence.
Mick and Kez want to say a massive thank-you to all those who have supported them in the wake of Balin’s passing.
