Research by the National Youth Agency (NYA) has found areas worst affected by youth centre closures have seen an increased likelihood of children being involved in crime.
The finding is drawn from a study of 74 sources of academic literature and evidence and detailed in the report The social cost of youth work cuts: Preventing youth offending through youth work. It shows that in London boroughs worst affected by youth centre closures between 2010 and 2019, participation in crime by 10 to 15-year-olds increased by 10 per cent.
The report highlights how over the same period, the profile of youth crime has changed with more violent and drugs-related offences recorded – convictions for offences involving knives are more than 30 per cent higher now than in 2014/15.
The Youth Endowment Fund’s second annual report on children, violence and vulnerability revealed that nearly half of children had been a victim or witness to violence in the past year, and those who committed violence were also victims (see graphics).
The NYA report highlights the importance of youth work charities such as Redthread in providing support to young people involved in offending (see case studies).
Leigh Middleton, NYA chief executive, says: “Where youth workers are working in partnership with other allied professionals, we know they are able to use their skills to capitalise on that ‘reachable moment’ and work with, and for, the young person to make positive choices about their future lives.”
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NYA report from https://tinyurl.com/prmy64c6
CUSTODY SUPPORT, LONDON
ENGAGE is a custody-based intervention for under-18s that offers access to statutory services to reduce the risk of reoffending. Funded through the Greater London Violence Reduction Unit, Engage is a partnership involving children’s services, the Metropolitan Police and NHS England.
The programme embeds youth workers in police custody to help support young people when they are arrested for violent offences at what is known as a “reachable moment”. They work to prevent violence and support young people with long-term mentoring and guidance.
Over the last two years, coaches have helped nearly 1,900 young adults with ongoing support, information and guidance, while almost 450 directly took up opportunities in education, training or employment.
POSITIVE ACTIVITIES, ESSEX
In 2020, Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit ran a listening project that found young people felt unsafe and wanted more places to meet up. Working with voluntary youth organisations, the project provided detached youth work and safe activities for 2,324 vulnerable young people.
As well as providing 10- to 14-year-olds potentially at risk of exposure to youth violence and gang activity with positive activities and trusted adults to talk to, the project has facilitated conversations about knife crime and safety. The project was also able to signpost to other support services including forming positive links between young people and the police.
The project is considered a resounding success and led to an extension of funding for a further 12 months and expansion to other areas.
CAPACITY BUILDING, NOTTS
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Violence Reduction Partnership (NNVRP) has developed a strategy to build capacity among voluntary and community sector organisations in the area. The strategy consists of a Youth Charter, bespoke Quality Mark, and a training framework for workers in youth services across the city.
The Youth Charter has had more than 40 organisations sign up in six months. NNVRP also offers voluntary organisations free training through local provider Base 51. Hotspot analysis by Nottingham Trent University shows that crime is down in areas where detached youth work is present.
The NNVRP cite a youth work-focused Police and Crime Commissioner, evidence from academic research partners and the support of local organisations as factors for success.
