Prevention Matters How sustained investment in prevention programmes has reduced youth offending
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Prevention Matters How sustained investment in prevention programmes has reduced youth offending
Introduction
Prevention is
key to success the case
Despite the negative headlines, the number of first-time entrants
Y
Preventing children and young people outh crime has long been ieves that the increase in prevention
from becoming involved in crime is at the viewed as an impossible funding since 2003 is bearing fruit.
heart of the work that we do. problem – an ever lengthen- “We vastly increased the number of
All of us working within the youth jus- ing queue of hoodies passing Youth Inclusion Programmes (YIPs)
tice system are fully aware of the huge from petty crime to youth custody and Safer Schools Partnerships
value of prevention programmes, which and on to prison. But recent figures (SSPs) and, at the same time, were
are made available to young people in danger of falling not only contradict the tabloid cli- challenged by government to demon-
into lives of crime. ché, they point to a dramatic reduc- strate what impact this would have.”
For the past 10 years, the Youth Justice Board (YJB) tion in young people entering the The YJB pledged that the extra
has been at the forefront of developing a wide range of criminal justice system. resources would result in fewer
youth crime prevention programmes, which evaluations The number of young people aged young people entering the youth
have proven to be successful and cost-effective. Work- 10 to 17 receiving their first reprimand, justice system. But even it has been
ing with national and local partners, such as police, local warning or conviction in England surprised at the speed of the fall.
authorities and charities, we have been able to deliver and Wales stood at 79,260 in 2008/09 Originally, the YJB set a target for
a robust raft of targeted interventions, such as Youth compared with 100,210 in 2007/08 youth offending teams (YOTs) to
Inclusion Programmes, Youth Inclusion and Support – a decrease of just under 21 per cent. reduce first-time entrants by 10 per
Panels, Safer School Partnerships and parenting pro- There was also a 7.5 per cent fall in the cent. A later target under the Youth
grammes. As such programmes have matured, and have number of reoffences committed by Crime Action Plan set the goal of
been increasingly adopted across areas of England and children and young people from 2005 reducing the average 100,000 young
Wales, it is extremely satisfying to see them bear fruit. to 2007. Over the period between people who enter the criminal justice
Recently published figures show a dramatic reduction 2000 and 2007, reoffending fell by 23.6 system for the first time each year by
in the numbers of children and young people entering per cent. All this has helped to bring 20 per cent by 2020. The latest fig-
the criminal justice system, as well as a notable fall in the custody rates down – the number of ures show that the target has been
rate of reoffending, and this has made an important con- young people held in custody has met 10 years early.
tribution to reducing the number of young people in fallen by nearly 400 over a year to What has been instrumental in the
custody. These successes would not have been possible stand at 2,464 in November 2009. success has been giving young off
without the input of outside agencies and third sector Bob Ashford, head of strategy at enders and those at risk of offending
organisations. Around half of the crime prevention pro- the Youth Justice Board (YJB), bel tailored support in exchange for
grammes funded by the YJB on a local level are provided
by partners in the third sector, which deliver both inno-
vative and flexible provision in the community.
Preventive action Leeds cuts first-time offending
The challenge as we enter a period of increasing pres- Leeds has seen a significant As part of the partnership, every
sure on financial resources is to ensure that the value of reduction in the number of first-time young person receives a 45-minute
targeted youth crime prevention programmes is appreci- entrants to the youth justice system. weapons-awareness course from
ated by all those making funding decisions. The YJB will The number fell from 2,126 in their school’s police officer. It means
be actively making this case loud and clear in order to 2005/06 to 1,952 the following that young people have clear
both make our communities safer and provide support year. In the most recent year of information on what they can and
and challenge to young people at risk of offending. 08/09, it was down to 1,424. cannot carry. So far, 25,000 young
Moving forward, the challenge is to build on this exist- Jim Hopkinson, head of Leeds people have been through the
ing success and ensure that these vital programmes, Youth Offending Service, attributes programme and since the scheme’s
which are turning around the lives of thousands of young the progress to a range of key introduction the level of 10- to
people each year, are sustained in the future. decisions. Positive Activities for 17-year-olds who say they carry a
Young People funding has been used knife has fallen to 0.5 per cent, as
Frances Done to provide activities for young people opposed to the national figure of
Chair, Youth Justice Board for England and Wales who come into contact with the city’s 2.5 per cent.
antisocial behaviour unit. Another It has taken years of hard work
key aspect is this unit’s “sea change”, to win people over. To cut those
Editor Ravi Chandiramani Deputy editor Andy Hillier Production editor Colin Hamilton
moving away from a punitive programmes now would be like
Senior sub editor Rebecca Dyer Senior art editor David McCullough approach to taking responsibility for turning their back on local people,
Advertising director Andrea Thomas Production controller Allen Beattie
Associate publisher Beth Pedersen Publishing director Richard Watts these young people and their says Hopkinson. “There’s areas that
Managing director Stephen Farish
Subscriptions subscriptions@haymarket.com; 08451 55 73 55. parents. And every high school has were suspicious when we first set
Prevention Matters is published by Haymarket Business Media Ltd,
174 Hammersmith Road, London W6 7JP become part of a Safer Schools up a Youth Inclusion Programme,”
© Haymarket Business Media Ltd 2010.
Typeset by Colour Systems. Printed by Lynhurst Press
Partnership, which has caused the he adds. “Now those same
number of first-time entrants to communities would be up in arms
“hemorrhage”, says Hopkinson. if we were to take them away.”
2 | Prevention Matters | February 2010 www.cypnow.co.uk
for prevention
to the youth justice system has reduced dramatically. Tom de Castella reports on how prevention has been key to this success
Youth offending falls sharply
How the number of first-time entrants to the youth justice system has reduced over the past four years
120,000 115,867
110,930 110,286
107,275 105,168
Number of young people aged 10 to 17 100,210
100,000
receiving their first...
83,249
...reprimand, warning or conviction 79,260
80,000
processed by English and Welsh
police forces
60,000
...penalty notice for disorder,
reprimand, warning or conviction 40,000
processed by English and Welsh
police forces
20,000
0
2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09
improved behaviour. If they are not are really aware of this so they’re not children and young people’s busi- means tougher cases can get more
willing to engage with YOTs and vol- going to undermine that.” ness area, believes SSPs in particu- intensive work.”
untary organisations, then a more However, there can be no cast- lar have helped stop young people But it all comes back to resources.
punitive approach is taken. The iron pledges of financial support – being criminalised. “Having officers At a time of economic difficulty,
strategy of using YIPs, Youth Inclu- local circumstances will dictate how on site can prevent incidents from Ashford says it is important to look
sion and Support Panels, SSPs and authorities respond to budget con- escalating,” he says. “Police officers at value for money. “The govern-
parenting programmes has worked, straints, she says. In the Royal Bor- can intervene before the situation ment spends £33m on prevention
says Ashford. “In 2003 I remember a ough of Kensington and Chelsea becomes more serious. And because through YOTs, which is not an awful
headmaster in Liverpool who was where Ritchie is the lead member young people are engaging with the lot. And YOTs have brought in
concerned about the stigma of hav- for young people, voluntary groups police, there’s more of a willingness investment from local partners.”
ing a police officer in his school. I have played a vital role in diverting to tell them if there’s a problem.” Compared with the £298m spent
went back 12 months later and all the young people away from crime. She Jim Hopkinson, head of Leeds on youth custody in 2008/09, it
staff understood the benefits,” cites Intermission, a youth theatre Youth Offending Service, believes amounts to a “sliver” he insists.
he says. group that recently carried out audi- part of the recent success is down The challenge now is to sustain the
A similar story applies with YIPs, tions and workshops with young to YOTs becoming more sophisti- progress made on reducing youth
which now number more than 100 people on the cusp of offending, cated. “Initially we saw our task as offending. But with an election
across the country. which led to three of them being more about reducing reoffending only a few months away, politicians
Ashford says: “A positive develop- selected for roles in Wasted, a mod- than preventing first-time entrants are “keeping their cards close to
ment is the introduction of targeted ern reworking of Julius Caesar. into the system. But youth offending their chests”.
programmes under the Youth Crime Kevin Wilkins, assistant chief con- services have got much smarter.” Ashford believes cutting preven-
Action Plan. The action plan’s ap- stable of Norfolk and member of the tion funding not only risks reversing
proach of challenge and support and Association of Chief Police Officers’ Safer schools the fall in first-time entrants and
funding for promising programmes Hopkinson believes YOTs have youth custody levels but it could
such as triage and family intervention both a good understanding of crime undermine the whole system that
will benefit our shared aims of pre- “The benefits hotspots and detailed knowledge has been painstakingly built up over
venting offending and reoffending.” have been about individual young people. “If
we’re working with a 13-year-old
the past decade. “The benefit of pre-
vention has been a triple whammy:
Early investment fewer young and they have a nine-year-old bro fewer young people coming into the
Councillor Shireen Ritchie, who
chairs the Local Government Asso-
people entering the ther we can then target them to avoid
the younger brother following his
justice system, reoffending falling
and numbers in custody down.”
ciation’s Children and Young Peo- system, reoffending sibling into the system.” This is not just good news for the
ple Board, stresses the importance
councils place on prevention work.
falling and numbers The key to prevention is working
with young people who, with a bit of
potential victims and those young
people who might otherwise be
“By investing up front you save in custody down” support, will not come into the youth sucked into a life of crime. It saves
money as young people aren’t going Bob Ashford, head of strategy, justice system, he says. “It’s about money for courts, victims’ services,
into custody,” she says. “Councils Youth Justice Board sorting the wheat from the chaff and police and councils, says Ashford.
www.cypnow.co.uk February 2010 | Prevention Matters | 3
On the ground
Youth Restorative Disposals Parenting
Traditionally, young people could Parents Matter, a collection of
easily end up a with a criminal record clubs, courses and workshops run
for relatively low-level offences. But by Warwickshire Youth Justice
a scheme being trialled by seven Service, works with parents of
police forces and their correspond- young offenders or those at risk
ing youth offending teams (YOTs) of offending.
in England and Wales is giving Vicki Barnes, team leader of the
young people who offend the chance service, believes parenting skills can
to atone for their mistakes without determine whether a young person
the need to go to court. North Wales Police is testing the scheme reoffends or not. Clubs focus on parents’ experiences
North Wales is among the areas “You can have lots of
testing this approach. Since August forms of reparation will be agreed. professionals working with a young There are also one-to-one
2008, 600 trained police officers have YRDs are only issued to 10- to 17- offender, but when a parent turns sessions with parents, encouraging
had the option of issuing Youth Res year-olds who have never come to up at the police station to meet their them to reflect on their own
torative Disposals (YRDs) instead the attention of police before. child, it really makes them think experiences, have family meetings
of reprimands for offences such as In North Wales only nine per cent about what they’ve done.” and draw up behaviour contracts.
criminal damage, common assault of young people who have received Parents Matter was established Barnes says addressing parents’
and minor theft. The YRD can take YRDs have gone on to reoffend, three years ago, beginning with a problems can help them recognise
different forms and is only used if compared with 25 per cent of those weekly lunch club in Rugby where that they have some control over
the victim agrees. The police aim to who received reprimands. “The evi- parents could share experiences. their child’s life.
arrange a meeting between perpe- dence shows the fact that they’ve had There were sessions on drug misuse, Nearly all parents using the
trator and victim, at which the young to take responsibility for what they’ve conflict resolution and how to set service come voluntarily, having
person apologises and is told how the done has more of an effect than a rep- boundaries. The club was popular been referred by social workers,
victim was affected. Alternatively, rimand,” says Sergeant Tony Mor- enough for two more to be set up in teachers or police.
their apology and the victim’s opin- gan, restorative justice co-ordinator. other parts of the county. Rosie Walker
ions are relayed by police. Often, Mathew Little
prevention in action
Youth crime prevention programmes can take many forms. Here we look at some of the schemes that are in place
Safer School Partnerships Knife awareness
Brislington Enterprise College in One of the guests taking part in Liv-
Bristol is an inner-city comprehensive erpool’s knife awareness programme
with 1,200 students and 200 staff. is a senior nurse from a local A & E
The college’s police officer, Keith department. According to Rachel
Hobden, has been based there full- England, a local youth offending
time since 2004. He has the powers service (YOS) manager, many young
of any other police officer while on people believe knife attacks always
site, but principal John Matthews kill, so the nurse’s role is to “tell the
thinks it is Hobden’s social role that whole story” about knife injuries.
has had the greatest effect. Hobden is well known to the students “It’s gruesome. He brings in all Young people learn effects of knife crime
“Most of the students know him his tools: the rib spreaders, the chest
as Keith,” he says. “He’s well known helps to arrange meetings between strains,” she says. “He shows pictures fending rate. The YOS has also run
to children and parents, so when perpetrators of crime and victims. of infections you can catch when you psychometric tests before and after
there is low-level crime, he can A 2004 survey revealed that most have stab wounds. He shows how it the programme and will be able to
intervene to stop things escalating.” students did not feel safe on college can lead to disability, disfigurement, analyse the results over time.
Hobden gets to know students by grounds, says Matthews. But a 2009 chronic illness. It’s very graphic, but Other speakers on the eight-week
taking on responsibilities similar to Ofsted report states that “students it needs to be. And the kids’ feed- programme include an ex-offender,
those of a teacher or mentor, such are proud to belong to a college in back is good – they say they appreci- a police officer and three mothers
as supervising residential camps and which they feel safe and secure”. ate being told the truth.” whose children have died from knife
looking after one of the college’s But does the presence of a police Running since September 2009, attacks. “We use that as the last
tutor groups of 10 students. He even officer create fear? Not according to the programme is one of 10 national session, and it’s had a tremendous
helps with transport to ensure Matthews: “Keith is the 21st century pilots. Forty-six young people in impact. The young people have
students have access to sports and bobby for a village of 1,400 people.” Liverpool with convictions for pos- come back and asked to see the
hobbies during the holidays. And he Rosie Walker session of weapons have completed mothers again,” says England.
it so far, with a 90 per cent non-reof- Mathew Little
4 | Prevention Matters | February 2010 www.cypnow.co.uk
YIPs
inclusive approach
Youth Inclusion Programmes are helping to divert high-risk young people away from offending. By Mathew Little
A
major reason for the suc- who are disruptive during lessons
STEVEN BRADSHAW
cess of youth crime preven- may also be taken out of school
tion programmes is that by YIP workers at pre-arranged
they are carefully designed times, to take part in physical or
to reach precisely those young peo- artistic activities.
ple who might otherwise become Frequently, the philosophy of the
steadily immersed in crime. programmes is to integrate the tar-
Youth Inclusion Programmes geted young people into more main-
(YIPs) were first set up in 2000 and stream activities aimed at their
there are now about 130 in England peers. Many programmes are part of
and Wales, situated in some of the larger social inclusion initiatives.
most deprived neighbourhoods. Community Action North Devon,
They specifically target an identi- for example, is also funded by the
fied group of young people consid- Home Office’s Positive Futures
ered at high risk of offending. They programme. The charity runs a
are funded by Youth Justice Board community football programme in
grants to youth offending teams partnership with Exeter City Foot-
and may be delivered by the local ball Club. Young people on YIPs
council’s youth service or a third take part along with other teenag-
sector organisation. ers from the local community. The
A 2008 evaluation of YIPs found scheme takes place on Friday eve-
they reduced arrest rates for their nings, when antisocial behaviour has
target group of young people by traditionally been a problem.
66.5 per cent compared with the 12
months prior to their involvement in Commitment
the programme. They are also cost- The Barnstaple YIP can claim some
effective. The average amount spent The Enthusiasm project aims to provide young people with personalised support impressive results. In the Gorwell
on a young person is less than £1,650 area of the town, there has been a
over three years. activities where they will be assessed, Devon because of shoplifting. Her 64 per cent decrease in first-time
assigned an individual worker and mother had mental health problems entrants to the youth justice system,
Personalised service action plans will be drawn up.” and her father was in prison. Six accompanied by a halving of the
One common element in the pro- Young people are not given months later she became pregnant. overall crime rate.
grammes is that each young person a generic, off-the-peg programme of She was given intensive one-to-one Evans attributes the success of
receives an individual, highly per- activities but help that responds to mentoring, which could be as simple the scheme to a commitment to the
sonalised service. Community the particular problems that are as going for a walk on the beach and young people involved, no matter
Action North Devon, a charity which leading them into antisocial behav- talking things through. She was also how difficult their circumstances.
runs a YIP in the Gorwell district of iour or crime. helped to make a video diary of her Participants may be excluded
Barnstaple, will compile a list of 50 “For some kids, they may well pregnancy. “That shows how we can from particular sessions for disrup-
young people most at risk of crime have major anger issues and that’s be very individual with different tive behaviour but never from the
through referrals from different why they are on the YIP because cases,” says Evans. service itself.
agencies. Each young person will they’ve smashed something up,” says The problems experienced by the “Our philosophy is that we meet
receive at least one home visit. Russo. “We employ a counsellor who young people involved in YIPs may young people in whatever place or
“They get an in-depth assessment, will work with them around bereave- relate to their relationship with their at whatever stage they might be at
which takes place with them and ment, child abuse or exploitation, parents or to their experience of in their lives,” says Evans. “We
their family,” says projects manager depending on the issues they face.” school. Then the focus of the case don’t expect overnight change and
Paul Evans. “The assessment looks Fourteen-year-old Jade was ref workers needs to widen. if things go wrong we won’t give up
at what may lead them into offending erred to Community Action North “If, within the home environment, on them.”
behaviour in the future – that’s key.” a young person is eating junk food Russo says the unique value of
Enthusiasm, another charity that and going to bed at three in the the programmes is that they bring
runs programmes in the East Mid- “We don’t expect morning, and getting into trouble at troubled young people “face to
lands, aims to visit any young person
referred to it within 48 hours.
overnight change and school the next day, we need to work
with that family,” says Russo. “We
face with someone who believes
in them”.
“We do a lot of work in the com- if things go wrong will engage with the family, although “You can have all the pro-
munity and are already well known
by a lot of the kids, so the first hurdle
we won’t give up on our predominant focus is on the
young person.”
grammes in the world and all the
assessments. If a young person is
is quite easy,” says chief executive the young person” In Barnstaple, young people encountered by someone filling out
Joseph Russo. “Then we will start to Paul Evans, projects manager, may be picked up in the morning a form, it doesn’t cut the mustard.
get the young person involved in Community Action North Devon and taken to school. Young people The kid has to know you care.”
www.cypnow.co.uk February 2010 | Prevention Matters | 5
Voluntary sector
NACRO
The third sector runs a significant number of youth crime prevention programmes and can often be more effective at building relations with hard-to-reach young people
THE IMPORTANCE OF
The voluntary
sector plays
a huge role in
THE THIRD SECTOR
youth crime
prevention.
Mathew
Little reports
The task of diverting young people and primary care trusts. Young Young person’s charity Catch 22 Wright says the sector can build
away from crime is not the responsi- people considered at risk of criminal is another non-statutory agency that confidence and trust in young peo-
bility of the statutory sector alone. behaviour are referred by agencies is heavily involved in youth crime ple who feel let down by the system.
Around half of the 130 Youth Jus- such as Connexions. prevention. The charity runs 49 “They are often promised things
tice Board-funded Youth Inclusion The focus of many of the projects programmes dedicated to diverting that don’t happen so you need con-
Programmes (YIPs) are delivered is on skills training. In addition to young people from crime. sistency of service delivery and a
by voluntary organisations, which basic literacy and numeracy, train- “This is about working with young regular programme – if you say you
use their own unique approaches. ing is delivered in subjects such as people who need to be engaged in are going to do it, you turn up and
According to Bob Reitemeier, construction, mechanics, hairdress- some kind of positive activity that is it happens.”
chief executive of the Children’s ing and animal care. going to stop them from doing some- The voluntary sector also takes
Society and a Youth Justice Board “It’s aimed at trying to draw back thing less positive,” says the charity’s pride in its ability to go beyond the
member, third sector organisations into the education system young director of operations and new busi- terms of agreed contracts. “We are
can be more effective in building people who have been excluded ness Chris Wright. The programmes often in contact with young people
relations with hard-to-reach young from school or left without qualifica- offer a choice of group and individ well beyond when the contracted
people. “The reason they are in a tions,” says Paul McDowell, chief ual activities that range from sport relationship has finished,” says
good position is that there is much executive of Nacro. Of the 4,000 or running a music studio to working Reitemeier. “It is through that kind
less stigma for a family or young young people in the charity’s Entry on an allotment, as well as sessions of interaction that new ideas come
person in approaching a third sector into Employment programme, 1,700 on topics such as anger management. up, that you can learn most about
organisation to work with,” he says. went into employment, further edu- “It’s about learning to live with your what’s worked and what hasn’t.”
“We are constantly told by service cation or training last year. community and make positive con- Reitemeier likens youth crime
users that a voluntary sector organi- tributions,” says Wright. prevention to the funding of early
sation is actually easier to work with Although the schemes vary, vol- years work through Sure Start and
than a statutory agency.” untary sector youth crime preven- children’s centres. Both require sus-
Crime reduction charity Nacro is “There is a willingness tion work tends to be marked by a tained investment and the patience
one of the main providers of youth to be patient, to stick philosophy of building enduring to wait for results that may only be
crime prevention programmes in relationships with young people. apparent in 20 years.
the third sector. It runs 250 crime with people and not “There is a willingness to be patient, “In youth justice we’ve had a dec-
prevention schemes for young peo-
ple under 25, including 18 YIPs.
judge them built into to stick with people, to give them
opportunities and not to judge them
ade of concentrated investment and
are starting to see the benefits. It
The schemes are commissioned the voluntary sector” which is built into the culture of the would be the worst time to with-
mainly by youth offending teams Paul McDowell, chief executive, Nacro voluntary sector,” says McDowell. draw,” he says.
6 | Prevention Matters | February 2010 www.cypnow.co.uk
Young voices
How I changed my life
Without their respective prevention programmes, these young people say they would have taken a very different path
Ben Clarke, 14, for his condition. “It has really Chris Doyle, 25, in the Derby area. He had been
Middleton, Leeds helped me,” he says. “I used to be Derby going to Enthusiasm when he was
Ben has attention on half-days at school. Now I’m Chris Doyle didn’t get younger but it was the rehabilita-
deficit hyperactivity back at school full-time and my on with the teachers at tion order and the intensive work
disorder, which led to behaviour has improved.” school and by the age he did with staff there that turned
problems at school. Before he The key to his change in fortunes of 14 he had lost interest in educa- him around, he says.
started going to South Leeds Youth lies in his rapport with his workers. tion. He and his friends liked going “My mentor would pop round my
Inclusion Programme (YIP), run In particular, the work they have to the local youth centre but it was house and check what I was doing. I
by crime prevention charity Nacro, done on anger management has often closed. learned that it was about choices –
he was getting “excluded all the enabled him to gain greater control “It would irritate us when we got and if you chose the wrong one you
time”. His main problem was act- of his life. there and found it shut,” he says. could end up in prison.”
ing impulsively without thinking Ben comes to the project three or “We’d go robbing cars, drinking He went on residentials and took
through the consequences of four evenings a week and his par- alcohol and making mischief.” Soon part in workshops on drugs, confi-
his decisions. ents have noticed a change in his he got into taking cannabis and dence and self-esteem. The young
But when the school referred general manner. “They think my ecstasy. His dad was a disciplinarian people also went go-karting, rock
Ben to the YIP last year his for- behaviour has improved so they are and when his parents split up it hit climbing and caving. “It was a real
tunes changed. He has had one-to- happy for me to come,” he says. him hard. mix so you weren’t just ‘rewarding
one sessions focusing on behaviour, Ben is happier with himself as “We wouldn’t have dreamed of the bad kids’ – we did real youth
taking him out of some of the les- well. And he believes that without doing any of this stuff with my dad work but it was also fun.”
sons he struggles with at school. the help of the YIP he would be in around. But I started dealing ecs Now, nine years after being
His workers believe the sessions a similar position to the young tasy and when I turned 16 got caught charged by the police, Chris is a
at the YIP have helped him think people he was hanging around in a nightclub. The police charged manager at Enthusiasm and is res
through his impulsive behaviour. with before. me with possessing Class A drugs.” ponsible for 14 staff. It’s been a long
He has also been helped by child “If I hadn’t come to the project He got a rehabilitation order and journey from causing trouble on the
and adolescent mental health serv- I’d have been permanently exclud- was referred to Enthusiasm, which streets of Derby to helping young
ices and is now taking medication ed by now like my friends. And I runs Youth Inclusion Programmes people find a sense of purpose.
can’t believe I would have got a job He is convinced that Enthusiasm
so it would have been tough.” turned his life around. “Without
“If I hadn’t come to He is hopeful that he has put his “I learned that it it I would’ve carried on dealing
troubles behind him and can now as I didn’t have my parents in my
the project I’d have look ahead to an exciting future. was about choices life. I think I would have ended up
been permanently “When I’m older I’d like to be a
police officer. To join the police
– and if you chose in prison.”
The project won’t always result
excluded. I can’t you have to reach certain stand- the wrong one in such a happy ending but al-
believe I would ards so I’ll need to settle down and
get my GCSEs before I can think
you could end up most all the young people who att
end have a real desire to change,
have got a job” about that.” in prison” he says.
Jordan Holt, 17, Jordan went on trips and Sam Carr, 19, then moved into joinery, making
Derby began volunteering for activities Bolton benches for older residents in the
Jordan was referred such as litter picking. He managed Sam was bullied by a community to use.
to the Enthusiasm to stay in school until the end of group of young “The project gives you good role
project in Derby when Year 11 and is now part of people in his street. models besides your parents. They
he was 14. He was on the verge of Enthusiasm’s Youth Academy, He tried to prove himself to the were like a guide you could talk
being excluded from school and was which trains young people to leader of the gang by stealing from to,” he says. Leaving the crowd
part of a gang involved in robbing become youth workers. shops and joyriding. he’d got involved with was “one of
bikes and other petty crime. Jordan believes that Enthusiasm “I got into trouble with the the hardest things I’ve ever done”.
All his friends were referred to connects with young people police and caused a lot of strain to It meant starting again, making
the charity but he was the only one because its mentors are only a few my parents,” he says. The turning new friends, knuckling down and
who has stayed. “At school the years older and come from a similar point came when he got involved going to college.
teachers wouldn’t give me the time background. with the Farnworth Inclusion Sam is now studying an arts
of day but at Enthusiasm they sat Some of Jordan’s old friends are Team (FIT), which includes the degree at university. “I’m a very
me down and asked me what I now looking at prison sentences so Farnworth Youth Inclusion confident person now. FIT gave me
wanted – I just wanted someone to he is thankful that he chose a Programme. He started attending stability and the opportunities to
talk to.” different path. a weekly woodwork session and get out of the wrong crowd.”
www.cypnow.co.uk February 2010 | Prevention Matters | 7
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