Crime Reduction Partnerships
New Start
(Please note this page has been translated for Internet publication into English from Danish.)
'New Start' a programme of social skills developed on the basis of psychological theories on learning and cognition, defined as: the acquisition of personal and social competencies in an internal and an external process where the person concerned makes his/her own choices on what should be learnt and therefore included in personality and social behaviour.
In the 'New Start' programme, emphasis is laid on the possibility of learning acceptable social skills as well as on reorientation in the direction of more appropriate personal structures so that the target group will become socially integrated and not find itself in a marginalised position.
The 'New Start' programme has an action-oriented manual which requires that the staff are instructed in the use of the manual in relation to the target group.
It is a new development in Danish social policy that special training is needed in a practical method directed at a specific target group. This is necessary if the actions taken are to be goal-oriented and the measurement of their results is to be possible.
The slogan for 'New Start' is as follows: STOP - THINK - ACT.
The young participants have to learn to STOP when they experience violent and overwhelming emotions in connection with an input. Subsequently, they should THINK. Firstly, they should think of what they wish to achieve. They should then think of the possible actions to take, and the different consequences of these. Finally, they should choose an ACTION and carry it out. When this is completed, they should evaluate if the action chosen was the best to achieve the goal - and if anything could have been done in a different and better manner.
The individual youth has to make his/her own choices, and bear the responsibility of his/her actions.
The 'New Start' Programme has attached a research programme for two years, made by the Danish University of Education. Below are the conclusions of this outcome research:
Conclusion: Programme, behaviour, psychological research
The entire target group is characterised as being dysfunctional in various degrees due to personality disorders.
75% of the youths in the 'New Start' group showed an improvement and are no longer in a marginalised position in society.
Compared with the control group, there are extremely good results with the youths who have completed 'New Start'.
A small proportion of the 'New Start' group do not benefit from the programme.
The programme reduces substance abuse, impulse outbursts and aggression, and the participants improve in social interactions with other people.
There is a high percentage of programme completion.
The youths have been very active in the exercises and the activities of the programme.
The youths become better at setting up and pursuing realistic goals for the future.
The youths function better within their families.
The parents actively use the instructors as sparring partners during the entire length of the programme.
To achieve results, it is important to use special pedagogical programmes for the target group.
Number of participants
There should be six to eight youths, aged 12 - 18 years. There should not be large age differences as it is important for youths in these age groups to be together with others who are either slightly younger or older than they are. The target group is therefore divided into: 12 - 14 years and 15 - 18 years.
The pilot project
The 'New Start’ pilot project has been run in its entire length in four Danish municipalities and the experiences and results from the pilot project are based on four 'New Start' groups.
After the pilot, the programme has been implemented in around 20 Danish Municipalities and about 250 instructors have been educated in the programme method.
The phases in 'New Start'
Contact phase | Motivation phase | Learning phase | Integration phase |
Duration: | Duration: | Duration: | Duration: |
Aim: | Aim: | Aim: | Aim: |
European Crime Prevention Award 2001 Jury Assessment
‘New Start’ is a project, or to be more correct, a programme, that has been specially developed for a difficult target group: young persons between twelve and eighteen years of age who behave impulsively and aggressively as a result of a developmental disorder. Young people who have already been through a lot and run a high risk of taking to a life of crime. They are given intensive guidance during two years. The motto of the programme is: Stop, Think, Act, and the young people learn to make choices and to bear responsibility for their behaviour. The programme has given an important role to those doing the guidance: after all, these young people require a lot of help and attention. The jury is extremely impressed by the positive results of the programme that started in 1998 and has already been implemented in as many as twenty Danish cities.
Last update: Wednesday, August 08, 2007