Youth
On The Streets Project
An innovative project in the Gorton area of Manchester has been using a combination of outreach and rewards to engage hard-to-reach youths in community development activities. It has had remarkable success in its first six months. In some areas 90% boys on the scheme are excluded from school. In addition to giving the children a sense of responsibility, the attitudes of the local residents in respect of these youths have also turned around.
Action Plan
Objectives
To encourage and facilitate Capacity Building in the community
To empower the Community to deal with (communicate, negotiate and lead) youths on their own housing estates
To facilitate youths to deal with problems and encourage younger children and siblings to behave in an acceptable manner on their own housing estates
To link youths to central services i.e. Drugs/Alcohol Services, Mentoring, Young Peoples Information Shop etc.
To link youths to local services i.e. The Youth Service
To build young people's awareness of the consequences of their offending behaviour e.g. ASBO's, curfews, evictions, family pressure, the prison system
To build tolerance amongst the youths and residents on housing estates
To raise young people's awareness of the consequences of using drugs/alcohol etc.
To facilitate young people to deal with their personal problems responsibly
Measures
Target groups of young people on the streets between 6pm and 10pm at night who are, or may be perceived as causing a nuisance
Identify and train volunteers in the community who can give a few hours a week to networking with the young people on their estates
Use dedicated workers in groups of two per area, over four hot spot areas of Gorton, in conjunction with Police checked volunteers to work with the youths and the people in the community by building relationships with them
To directly challenge nuisance behaviour on the streets and offer alternative solutions
Find indoor locations in each area, which offer a safe place for the young people to meet and discuss their problems and at the same time challenge their behaviour – showing them how it affects them, other residents and the prospects of their whole community – housing, social and economic
Use indoor premises to carry out activities with them including negotiation with residents, video work
Provide training for all young people including Drugs, Alcohol, Sexual Health, First Aid, ASBO training, Anti Bullying strategies etc.
Provide food and drink for each indoor activity as an incentive – to encourage young people to attend
Provide 12 external leisure activities, for each group - which will be undertaken on a reward basis, building on active youth interaction in the community i.e. 'clean up' campaigns, positive interaction with residents of all ages, positive behaviour in the community e.g. noise reduction, responsible behaviour etc.
Outputs
3,000 leaflets distributed to young people throughout Gorton
200 young people targeted in approximately 8 groups and worked with on a consistent basis over the year
Organised meetings between young people and local residents – including negotiation and joint problem solving
Approximately 12 clean-up campaigns organised and carried out by young people in each hot spot area, by each group
Drug Awareness Training provided to young people at risk of drug misuse
Alcohol Awareness Training provided to young people including the role of alcohol as an escalator in nuisance behaviour
Anti-Bullying Training provided to young people at risk in their community
Sexual Health Training provided to young people at risk in their community
First Aid Training provided to young people so that they can deal with risks to themselves and their friends
Anti-Social Behaviour Training provided to young people so that they are fully aware of the new ASBO laws
12 external activities provided for 8 groups of up to 10 young people in exchange for work in the community
Outcomes
High awareness of On The Streets Project amongst Young People and residents in the Gorton area
Better understanding between young people and local residents
Higher tolerance of young people by local residents and vice versa
An Awareness of Drug/Alcohol/Joyriding/Lawbreaking issues – their impact on young people and the community and help for addiction amongst the young people
Resources
Manchester Housing - £36,000 (committed)
Youth Offending Team - £20,000 (committed)
Key Personnel
Neighbourhood Warden Project Manager to have overall responsibility
Project Manager and Warden Supervisor to co-ordinate Project Workers, oversee Health and Safety, organise schedule of work and evening rota, organise and co-ordinate events, timesheets and resources, log outcomes and co-ordinate evaluation
Eight key Project Workers who will consist of a mixture of Neighbourhood Warden Staff and members of the community
Partners
The Police
The Operational Policing Unit
Youth Offending Team
Central Youth Offending Team
Gorton Neighbourhood Warden Service
Manchester Housing
Residents who will join the project as volunteers and workers
Other Agencies – including Youth Services and Discus
Baseline evidence to date
Neighbourhood Warden Service operating since April 2001 have encountered and built relationships with youths on the streets at night
Work already done by the On The Streets Project has attracted a high number of offending youths – mostly those who are excluded from school
Work done by Neighbourhood Warden Service in conjunction with The Neighbour Nuisance Team in Manchester helping to gather information relating to serious youth nuisance in Abbey Hey
Prolific reports to the Neighbourhood Warden Service from residents throughout Gorton have identified hot spot areas and groups of youths involved in nuisance activity
Police statistics and resident support for the project show that youth nuisance and antisocial behaviour has been positively affected by the four months work already done by the On The Streets Project
Location of project
Four 'hot spot' areas have already been identified in Gorton – they comprise
Abbey Hey
Ryder Brow
West Gorton
Mount Road
Children with offending and nuisance behaviour problems have now been identified and grouped in Central Gorton
Timescale
It is hoped that the project can last for a further 12 months. This new funding will allow for a further 50 weeks intensive project work over three nights a week.
Evaluation
Outcomes of the project will be measured by the following criteria:
Less complaints from residents on Housing Estates and a reduction in their 'fear of crime'
Community now involved with working with youth – by use of adult volunteers
Approximately 20 young people recruited for youth work from amongst the young people on the project themselves
Estates will be cleaner due to the high number of clean-ups taking place in the community by the young people
Police statistics should show a reduction in crime
Neighbourhood Warden Statistics should show a reduction in reporting of Youth Nuisance
Feedback from LAP should be more positive
Feedback from residents should show a commitment to the project
Feedback from youth should show their enthusiasm for the project and the impact it has had on their lives
Joyriding should be reduced on estates by at least 30%
Children trespassing in and using void properties should be reduced by at least 50%
Children with ASBO warnings and ASBO's should show a marked improvement in their behaviour
Further On The Streets Information
Last update: 15/09/03