Programme Update
Commissioned Services
Since Young & Safe was first established in 2008 the programme has commissioned a series of projects to provide a range of prevention/ intervention services which were delivered between August 2009 and March 2011 by a total of 13 voluntary sector organisations/ charities.
These projects were delivered to approximately 500 young people from within the borough aged 8-19 who are at significant risk of involvement or are involved with criminal activity, gangs and violence.
Following a Young & Safe conference in March 2010, a number of area's of support were identified for the programme to commission services in order to provide additional support.
The following organisations were commissioned during 2009-10 and/or 2010-11:
- Barnardo's (2010-11) Young Men's Project
- Brathay Hall Trust (2009-10 & 2010-11) 2-XL Programme
- Groundwork London (2010-11) Locations Project
- Impact Consortium (2010-11) Alternative Education Project
- Mentivation Services (2009-10 & 2010-11) Locations Project / Targeted & Diversionary Activities
- Redthread (2010-11) Victims of Youth Violence Project
- Rolling Sound (2010-11) Locations Project
- Shaftesbury Young People (2010-11) Support to Avoid Exclusion Project
- The Children's Society (2010-11) Young Women's Project
- Tomorrow's People (2009-10) Pathways to Employment
- Young People Matter (2009-10 & 2010-11) Pathways to Employment
- Youth Empowerment Solutions (2009-10) Targeted & Diversionary Activities / Pathways to Employment / Supporting Family Life
- Youth Scene (2009-10 & 2010-11) Targeted & Diversionary Activities / Pathways to Employment
Small Grants
In addition to the above commissioned service providers Young & Safe also funded 36 voluntary sector organisations and Lambeth schools to deliver one off projects, workshops, activities or events designed to target, reduce or prevent violent youth crime within the borough. During our Small Grants Programme 2010-11 organisations and schools were also asked to focus on providing additional support to year 6-7 pupils dealing with the transition from primary to secondary school.
Personalised Grants
A personalised grant programme was also launched back in 2009 to provide individual young people with items or services specifically tailored to meet their needs and improve their education, employment and training prospects. This included such things as paying for additional tutoring, study materials/ equipment and clothing expenses for those young people attending job interviews.
Key Working
The key working role has become an increasingly important part of the Young & Safe Programme. The target group are higher risk young people aged 12-19 that are referred to the programme, who are assessed as needing more intensive one to one support.
The key working team is made up of three staff members who each work with between 10-15 young people at anyone time.
The key workers use existing assessments or complete their own CAF (Common Assessment Framework) if no assessment is available. An action plan is drawn up for each young person and all contact with them is recorded.
The role of the key workers is to support young people in all areas of their lives; encouraging them back into education, repairing family relationships, career planning and arranging housing and finances for those not living with a carer or guardian. They also accompany young people to court hearings and appointments with housing and social services.
Young People were overwhelmingly positive about the support they were receiving from their key worker when interviewed as part of the external evaluation of the programme and many went on to say that even when their lives had normalised they would still wish to remain in contact with their key worker.
The feedback showed that many of the young people perceived the Young & Safe Programme as distinct from other statutory services and therefore, they were prepared to engage more effectively with the projects and the key workers as a result.
Future Jobs Fund
In 2009-10 the government announced its £1 billon Future Jobs Fund Scheme aimed to create jobs for 18-24 year olds who have been out of work for 6-12 months or to those living in deprived areas of the country.
Young & Safe were successful in their bid for funding and were able to offer 6 month placements to 11 individuals from within the borough.
The individuals were placed in local third sector organisations throughout the borough to provide additional administrative support or as youth support workers.
Following their placement a number of the individuals have since gone on to find work or returned to college to further their education.
