'Children now settle disputes with guns'

"I have lived in Brixton nearly all my life. You are presented with two choices when you grow up here - either follow the route the system has built for every local teenager: sell drugs, rob and get involved with knives and guns. The other choice is to get out.

I wanted to live my life away from all the negativity around me - the path few decide to venture down. I did, and I have no regrets. I feel that I was one of the lucky ones because my life could have gone either way.

Two weeks ago, I buried a good friend of mine who was shot dead. And although I am still living in Brixton, I can no longer be affected mentally and swayed into crime because of what I achieved over the past few years.

These days kids are no longer settling disputes with fist fights but with guns. This inevitably sees no winners - regardless of who pulled the trigger.

I feel the key to solving this issue is "self realisation": what can we do within ourselves to better our lives and others around us? There definitely is a shortage of positive role models that the youth of today feel they can relate to. And although I have been told buying guns is easy on the streets, actually getting hold of one while I was making the documentary was still quite shocking.

But I feel by making this programme, I will be taking a step in the direction which shows kids that they too can achieve whatever it is that they want to achieve, regardless of what people may say."

* After finishing his studies, Mr Bennett is hoping to start a career in the music industry.