Archived decisions

Contact: Andy Kennedy, Development Worker, Tel: 023 9237 0013

Ray Barnard, Youth Service Manager, Tel: 01962 846424

1 Summary

1.1 This report summarises the development and achievements to date of the Wessex Youth Offending Team - Duke of Edinburgh's Award Project. This innovative project pilots the use of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award with young offenders and young people at risk of offending. The project is a multi-agency initiative involving the County Youth Service, Wessex Youth Offending Team and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

2 Background Information

2.1 The project was set up in October 1999 as part of the Intervention Schemes Programme initiated and supported by the Youth Justice Board. A full-time youth worker was seconded from the County Youth Service to the Wessex Youth Offending Team to develop and manage the project.

2.2 The aim of the project is to steer young offenders, and young people at risk of offending, away from crime and towards challenging and constructive leisure time activities. This is done by offering young people referred to the project opportunities to take part in The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The project worker has become skilled in developing individual programmes with the young people and in offering appropriate levels of support. The young people benefit from the valuable experiences and qualifications offered by the project.

2.3 The young people involved are, for the most part, referred to the project by members of the Wessex Youth Offending Team. Some young people at risk of offending have been referred by locally based County Youth Service staff and other young people have become involved as friends of the main client group. The involvement of friends has been encouraged by the project as a confidence boosting measure.

2 Evaluation of Pilot Project

2.1 An independent evaluation of the project's work was undertaken by Dr. Pamela Storey on behalf of the Youth Justice Board. The evaluation report was produced in January 2002.

2.2 The evaluation report identified that the project had worked with a total of 173 young people who were either in receipt of a final warning or at risk of offending. 33 young people had received Duke of Edinburgh's Award sectional certificates. To obtain a sectional certificate each young person had shown their commitment to 13 weeks of activity.

2.3 As evidence of the effectiveness of the project, the re-offending rate after six months of a sample group of young people on final warnings from the previous year, was compared to the re-offending rate of young people on final warnings involved in the project. The re-offending rate of the sample group from last year was 23%, this contrasted sharply with a figure of less than 1% for those young people involved in the project.

3 Future Plans

3.1 Following the successful pilot phase and evaluation report, the project is to continue for a further two years from 1^st October 2002. The project is extending the geographical base of its work to include the southern half of Test Valley and the whole of the New Forest and Eastleigh districts.

3.2 The project is employing an additional full time youth worker, a part time youth worker and an administrative assistant. In addition to its office at Cosham the project will establish a second base at the YOT offices in Southampton.

3.3 The project is developing a Gold Award group that will focus on providing young people with vocational qualifications. The qualifications and experience gained, will enable them to pursue work in the outdoors as a career.

3.4 The project will continue to engage young people in specialist activities, including summer outdoor education programmes funded by the New Opportunities Fund, First Gear driving courses and Outward Bound peer led courses.

3.5 The project is beginning to establish both a regional and national profile for its approach to delivering the Duke of Edinburgh's Award with young people at risk. A video of the project's work has been sent to central government and an article about the project was published in the Award's national journal in September 2002. The project will continue to develop innovative strategies for the delivery of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award to young people at risk.

4 Recommendations

1. That the current developments in the Wessex Youth Offending Team Duke of Edinburgh's Award Project be welcomed and noted.

2. That the Youth Panel supports the proposals for the development of the project.

3. That the Youth Panel acknowledge the support of the Wessex Youth Offending Team and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award in the successful development of this project.

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

N.B. The list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

Nil.