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Why County Lines Aren't the Real Enemy: The Fight for Youth Identity No One’s Talking About

Writer's picture: Alex HughesAlex Hughes


The appeal of county lines and its lure of young people is no secret, it offers them a sense of belonging, quick financial gain, and a shortcut to respect in a world that often overlooks their potential. For young people growing up in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, the pull of this lifestyle is difficult to resist. And it’s not just about the money. The driving force behind why so many young people fall into county lines is the absence of meaningful opportunities that offer them the same level of ownership, influence, and reward.


But here's where we need to challenge that narrative. Is the absence of opportunity truly the problem, or is it that the opportunities on offer simply don't resonate?


Competing for Hearts and Minds


It's one thing to create initiatives and programmes to steer young people away from dangerous lifestyles, but it’s another to make them compelling enough to break through the noise. Young people are highly adept at spotting inauthenticity. They don't want to be talked down to or patronised with "safe" alternatives that fail to meet their core desires, that being independence, belonging, and purpose.


For too long, the initiatives designed to tackle the appeal of county lines have been reactionary, focusing on diversionary tactics that lack the charisma or immediacy that these networks provide. There are examples of great work being done but broadly if we’re serious about competing with county lines, we need to present opportunities that hit the same emotional notes. Young people need to feel like they are building something of their own, that they have influence, and that they’re not just a cog in someone else’s wheel.


Take a moment to ask young people working the streets how they ended up in that situation, and you'll often hear a variation of the same response: "I knew someone," or "I wanted more than what school offered me." This shows that they weren’t necessarily drawn to criminality but to the perception of opportunity and respect. The challenge, then, isn't simply to educate them about “better choices” but to offer those choices in a way that’s equally magnetic.


Entrepreneurship is Not the Answer—But Autonomy Is


We often think entrepreneurship is the antidote to county lines, and yes, it’s a good start. But the answer isn’t as simple as teaching young people to start businesses. The deeper need is autonomy—to make decisions that matter, to be in control of something tangible, and to feel like they’re shaping their own future. This doesn’t have to come in the form of a traditional business. It can be creating a social movement, heading up a community project, or even being the local go-to person for a creative skill like music production or fashion design.


Think about it, what’s more appealing to a 16-year-old? Learning to run a hypothetical business with "potential" profits years down the line, or having immediate social currency through being part of something respected by their peers, with tangible rewards here and now? The entrepreneurial model has to be reimagined to reflect their reality to want fast results, visible gains, and recognition.


If we don’t offer real autonomy in these alternatives, we’re just offering them the same top-down solutions that the education system does, which many of them are already rejecting. Autonomy, not just entrepreneurship, is the key.


Status and Influence—Real, Not Manufactured


Another undeniable pull of county lines is status. Youth want to be seen as influential, powerful, and respected. What are we offering in comparison? Often, it’s a one-size-fits-all pathway that doesn’t match the need for social recognition. It’s easy to dismiss status as something shallow, but it’s deeply rooted in human psychology. In a world where young people feel increasingly invisible or powerless, gaining status becomes everything.


Take the rise of influencers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, a lot of young people are obsessed with visibility. These platforms offer them immediate validation, a powerful antidote to the slow climb of traditional careers. So, why aren’t we creating opportunities in this space that provide the same sense of visibility and validation? Why aren’t we harnessing this culture of influence to guide young people into building brands around themselves that are rooted in positive outcomes, whether that’s in the creative arts, social change, or tech innovation?


We’re not competing with criminal networks by offering them safe, respectable jobs that take years to build up to. We need to meet them where they are, by making them visible and giving them influence over something that matters.


Fast Money? Sure, But What About Fast Purpose?


The lure of fast money can’t be denied, and no well-meaning initiative will compete with the immediate cash county lines offers, at least not in financial terms. But there’s another fast return that could work, fast purpose. Young people want to feel like they’re part of something now, not five years from now. Whether it’s a movement, a creative project, or an entrepreneurial venture, the faster they see their work make an impact, the more likely they are to stick with it.


What if we framed these projects not as long-term career paths, but as opportunities to create change now? Whether it's improving their community, working on local environmental issues, or being part of a youth-led movement, the emphasis has to be on immediate impact. You don't have to wait 10 years to see change, you can see it in a few months, or even weeks. That’s the kind of purpose-driven framework that can rival the fast cash mentality.


Social Capital: The True Currency


When you talk to young people involved in county lines, you often hear that they came in through family or community connections. County lines isn’t just about money; it’s about social capital (who you know, who trusts you, and who’s got your back). This is something we’ve failed to replicate in many youth-focused initiatives. We need to build networks of social capital that can rival what gangs offer. Strong, loyal networks that support young people for who they are, not just for what they can do.


This means creating mentorships that go beyond surface-level advice and establishing youth-led projects that focus on real partnerships with adults, businesses, and local leaders. It’s about making young people feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves, with strong ties to people they respect.


We need to stop thinking about career paths and financial outcomes as the only metrics of success. Social capital is often more important to young people than anything else, and if we want to compete, we need to offer them meaningful networks, mentorships, and collaborations that feed this hunger for connection and trust.


It’s Not Just a War for Jobs, It’s a War for Identity


County lines is more than just a criminal enterprise—it’s an identity for the young people involved. It offers them a role, a reputation, and a community. The answer isn’t just creating better job opportunities or educational pathways. We need to create alternative identities that are just as compelling.


The key question we should be asking isn’t "How do we provide young people with better opportunities?" It’s "How do we offer them identities that are just as powerful, respected, and meaningful as those offered by county lines?"


When we crack that code, we won’t just be creating jobs, we’ll be creating movements, communities, and futures. We’ll be giving young people something much more valuable than money, we’ll be giving them a sense of self-worth that’s grounded in something real, something they can own and be proud of. That’s how we win.

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