ENGAGING DISAFFECTED YOUNG PEOPLE: THE YOUTH SECURE STREETS PROJECT

Alice Murray, Westminster City Council and Lauren Small,

Inclusion

THE YUS PROJECT • Funded by European Commission Justice Department

• Partners: Municipality of Pescara, Region on Abruzzo,

Progetti Sociali (Italy) , Municipality of Cordoba (Spain),

City of Westminster , Inclusion (UK)

• Common aim to devise measures to tackle serious youth

violence across EU towns/cities

• Focus on local engagement and transferable solutions

• Inclusion and Westminster worked together to produce

anti-violence campaign for the borough

DEMOGRAPHICSResidents at both ends of the wealth spectrum - some of the richest and most deprived communities

33,000 young people aged 0-15 (14% of the population)

10,500 young people aged 15-19 189 Westminster residents aged 18 and under were convicted of an offence

Approximately 118 young people have been identified as being involved in gangs in Westminster

AFFECTED AREAS IN WESTMINSTER

TACKLING YOUTH VIOLENCE IN WESTMINSTERFollowing an escalation in youth violence and rise in

community concern, Westminster City Council developed the ‘Your Choice’ programme:

Four themes:

Prevention Identification Support Enforcemen

t

Your Choice Programme Manager

Co-ordinator

Analyst3 x Gang Workers

ASB Caseworke

r

Young Person’s Advocate

0.5 Probation

Officer

Police SergeantMPS Funded

3 x Police ConstablesMPS Funded

Police Council

Gang Exit Programme

Conflict Mediation

Family Support

FreshStart

Commissioned Services

Other Police Teams

Youth Offending Service

Locality Young

People’s Services

SchoolsYouth Clubs

Neighbourhood Crime Reduction

Service

Aligned Services

Growing Against Gangs & Violence

Safe & Secure

Integrated Gangs Unit

Reducing youth violence in Westminster Reducing overall offending by youths in

Westminster (non-violent offences) Reducing gang affiliation of those who

participate in Your Choice Reducing community concern about gangs and

serious youth violence in Westminster

Mantra: Cross border, cross agency, cross age range

YOUR CHOICE: AIMS

PROJECT AIMS

Give young people a

chance to make a

difference in their

community

Help get their

message about gangs

and crime out to

other young people

Provide access to

decision makers

Create a campaign

by young people for

young people

Training and skills

development

Developing and

online, print and

video/radio

campaign with

professionals

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT Outreach sessions in local youth clubs

Brainstorming sessions on the key campaign messages and materials

Sessions with professionals to generate materials graphic designers and music producers and some media training

Residential weekend to finalise campaign ideas and to give the young people experience of team working through fun activities

Campaign launch week

OUTCOMES New skills

• Web development• Graphic design• Music/video

production• Team working • Community

engagement

Accreditation

• Duke of Edinburgh award components

Future opportuniti

es

• Work experience with project partners

• Community engagement opportunities (youth forum, youth council, police ward panel)

WHICH PATH WILL YOU CHOOSE?

Audio tracks Radio adverts Radio interviews Leaflets for young people, for

parents and for professionals Posters Magazine adverts Three short campaign films for

the website

The website: www.whichpathwillyouchoose.com