Archived decisions

Name of LSP

Eastleigh Strategic Partnership

Contact Name

Vince Johnston/Melvyn Reader

Amount Requested

£5,000

Summary of Bid

(Details of proposed activity the money will be spent on)

Reducing Alcohol-related Nuisance Behaviour by Young People

The ESP proposes a matrix approach to tackling alcohol-related nuisance by young people (see diagram below). Utilising the resources of a range of partners, the project will involve the deployment of co-ordinated measures around the 3 themes of education (i.e. prevention), enforcement and treatment to achieve changes of behaviour for young people, parents, and the community.

The project has a distinctive approach in that it seeks to work with young people still at primary school through transition to secondary school, and to closely coordinate this mainly education-based activity (which will also include parents) with appropriate enforcement and treatment initiatives. In order to organise and co-ordinate the theme-related actions included in the project, a co-ordinator and trainer will need to be employed. A general description of these actions and their rationale is set out below.

Education

Action:

· Work with a local secondary school and feeder schools to develop a holistic education package for young people including summer activities programme with the Hampshire Youth Service.

· Develop work with parents including parent education sessions and work with those parents of at risk young people

Rationale:

· There has been little consideration of the transition between different levels of education (i.e. primary to secondary), despite young people having been shown to be particularly vulnerable during and immediately following this transition. [Drugscope & DoH, 2000]

· Multi-component programmes based on a social influence approach have shown the most consistent effects on reducing drug use. [Canning et al., 2004; McGrath et al., 2005; Faggiano et al., 2005]

· Parents' attitudes to alcohol and substance use, and the extent to which they feel able to discuss these with their children, help young people form their own attitudes to substance misuse. [Updated Drug Strategy, 2002]

· Parental involvement in drug prevention activities can be aided by establishing active networks with schools, local agencies and community groups, delivering courses with a wide focus and having the flexibility to fit with parents commitments. [Mir, 2004]

Enforcement

Action:

· Increase the police presence in the area of the school to deter young people from buying alcohol and support retailers in refusing to sell to underage young people

· Develop the Challenge 21 scheme in the area

Rationale:

· The police have a vital role to play in tackling drug dealing on our streets and combating the problems caused by drug markets. Their efforts will only be effective if they have the full support of other agencies and partners at a local level. [Updated National Drug Strategy, 2002]

Treatment

Action:

· Ensure appropriate staff are trained to Tier 2 level

Rationale:

· All members of the community need a greater awareness of organisations and agencies that can provide help, advice and information.

· These agencies should proactively promote themselves and their services and reduce potential barriers which may prevent people from engaging with appropriate services.

It is expected that this or a revised model (on the basis of our learning) would be rolled out to all schools in the Borough of Eastleigh, as well as providing a valuable piece of research and a useful model for other alcohol-related nuisance reduction projects in the whole of Hampshire and beyond.

Timescale

(anticipated period over which the money will be spent)

One year pilot.

How does this bid support the targets within the Community Strategy?

Community Safety is one of 8 themes in Eastleigh Borough's Community Plan, and is consistently rated top priority by the Borough's residents. This initiative would help give our young people the tools and support to avoid alcohol and drug abuse, as well as help reduce the nuisance that often accompanies this abuse.

The project also supports the Priority Outcome E in the Hampshire LAA, which includes the action/aim to "Reduce Violent Crime and in particular Violent Crime in Public Places (especially alcohol related)". This action/aim has much in common with the project in that it encompasses 3 types of alcohol misuse and harm reduction measures - that is, prevention (including education), treatment and enforcement - which are directed towards people under 25 years.

Overall funding arrangements

(please specify total cost of project and the amounts contributed from other partners)

Cash funding is £54K. However, the partners will also be involving a range of existing resources in order to support this initiative.

These specifically include schools, EBC (£50k for both projects), HCC (£5k), PCT (£6K), CDRP(12k) Police etc.

Signed

(by Chair of LSP or on behalf of)

Date

Amount Agreed

Signed

(By HCC authority)

Date