Youth Violence in Education: The Heartbreaking Reality – What happens when you dedicate your life to supporting young people, but sometimes, despite everything you do, you cannot save them? In this powerful throwback episode of The School Podcast, host Cameron Parker sits down with experienced pastoral leader and youth advocate Matthew Popo to discuss youth violence in education, the importance of positive relationships and the emotional challenges facing those working with vulnerable young people.
Watch the full interview on YouTube →
Building Relationships, Respect and Boundaries in Schools
Throughout the conversation, Matthew highlights why strong relationships are essential when working with young people. However, he makes an important distinction between being liked and being respected. For Matthew, effective relationships require clear boundaries, consistency, expectations and mutual respect. Young people need adults they can trust, but also adults who are prepared to challenge them and maintain high standards. The discussion explores how teachers, mentors and pastoral professionals can build meaningful relationships without compromising expectations around behaviour.
Youth Violence in Education: The Emotional Reality
One of the most powerful moments of the episode comes when Matthew shares the heartbreaking experience of losing a young person he had supported and mentored to violence. Even more tragically, the person responsible was another young person Matthew had worked with earlier in his career. Matthew speaks openly about the grief, emotional conflict and responsibility he experienced following the tragedy. Having spent years supporting young people through football, education and community programmes, the experience left him questioning whether he could continue doing the work he loved. His story highlights an often-overlooked reality of youth violence in education: teachers, mentors and youth workers invest emotionally in young people, and the impact of losing them can be devastating.
Early Intervention, Mentoring and Preventing School Exclusions
The conversation also explores Matthew’s journey into education, beginning with supporting vulnerable young people in children’s homes before progressing into school inclusion and pastoral leadership. He explains how football became his first vehicle for engaging young people, building relationships and teaching valuable life lessons. That same philosophy continues to shape his approach to education, behaviour, mentoring and preventing school exclusions. Matthew emphasises the importance of early intervention, providing positive role models and creating opportunities that help young people make better choices.
Watch Matthew Popo on The School Podcast
This episode is an important reminder that education goes far beyond academic achievement. It’s about relationships, opportunity, safeguarding, prevention and helping young people build a positive future. For teachers, school leaders, pastoral teams and anyone working with young people, Matthew’s experiences offer valuable lessons about the impact adults can have on young lives. Watch the full throwback episode of The School Podcast with Cameron Parker and Matthew Popo. A special thank you to our sponsors, Nisai Learning, for supporting The School Podcast and helping make these important conversations possible.
