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Grants Committee Service 80. Reduce youth offending and anti-social behaviour among young people (aged 11-24) through diversionary activities Report by: Sasan Abtahi Date: 10 February 2010 Contact Officer: Sasan Abtahi Telephone: 0207 934 9841 Item no: xx Job title: Policy and Grants Manager Email: [email protected] Summary This report provides an update on progress made by organisations funded under service 80 in the first year of funding and makes recommendations for continued funding for the period 1 April 2010 – 31 March 2011. Recommendations Members are asked to: 1. Agree the renewal of grants within this sector as set out in Table 1 below for the period 1 April 2010 – 31 March 2011. Background 1. Grants Committee agreed funding for 11 organisations, under service 80, at its meeting on 29 April 2008. One of the organisations – Connexions – was wound up in 2008 and the grant offer was withdrawn and no payment made. The Grants Committee at its meeting on 22 April 2009 agreed to redistribute the resources previously allocated to Connexions, to five of the remaining ten organisations funded under service 80. The funding was agreed in principle for four years starting in September 2008. In the first instance specific approval was given for the first 18 months – 1 October 2008 – 31 March 2010. 2. This report provides Members with an update on progress in the first year of funding and summarises groups’ performance against the standard outcomes for the service. The period covered in the report is 1 October 2008 – 30 September 2009 Table 1: Groups funded under service 80 London Councils Reference 5957 7002 5964 5392 7001 5996 6003 7000 6038 7003 6086 6088 6109 6110 6999 Organisation Active Planet Active Planet (additional redistributed grant) Artefacts Edutainment Brandon Centre Counselling and Psychotherapy for Young People Brandon Centre Counselling and Psychotherapy for Young People (additional redistributed grant) East Potential Fairbridge in London Fairbridge in London (additional redistributed grant) London Action Trust London Action Trust (additional redistributed grant) SOVA London Springboard Bromley Trust The Peace Alliance The Princes Trust The Princes Trust (additional redistributed grant) Total Annual Grant (£) 15,249 5,301 10,421 24,240 3,312 26,334 23,825 6,442 58,273 11,667 36,435 14,790 28,108 31,354 4,229 299,980 Summary of performance in first year of funding 3. The ten organisations funded under service 80 have delivered the following outcomes in the first year of funding: Outcome 1: a) Reduced youth offending and anti-social behaviour through: provision of diversionary activities for young people aged 11-16 who are identified to be at risk of becoming involved in crime or anti-social behaviour, and/or b) provision of diversionary activities for young people aged 16-24 years who have offended or been involved in anti-social behaviour, and/or c) provision of second tier support (networking, support with service information dissemination, e.g. electronic newsletters, a website, etc.) to other community organisations which are working to reduce youth offending and anti-social behaviour. 1,130 young people participated in diversionary activities Outcome 2: Improved referral arrangements and partnership working among voluntary organisations and between the voluntary sector, registered social landlords and the statutory agencies (the Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade, Youth Justice Board, local authorities, etc.) working with young offenders and young people at risk of becoming involved in crime or anti-social behaviour. All the commissioned organisations have worked to improve their referral arrangements. Outcome 3: Increased effectiveness of the voluntary sector’s response to the problems of youth offending and anti-social behaviour through the promotion and championing of good practice models in this area of work. All the commissioned organisations share good practice with other organisations and agencies. Outcome 4: The development of innovative approaches to tackling youth offending and anti-social behaviour, in particular through initiatives which encourage young people to take an interest in their local communities and the environment. Outcome 5: Actively promote equality for disadvantaged groups through the service delivery, marketing, evaluation and management of the proposed service. Key issues emerging from the delivery of the service and in the wider sector 4. The organisations commissioned under this service specification have delivered a range of frontline (mainly diversionary activities) and second tier services for young people involved in or at risk of becoming involved in crime and anti-social behaviour. 5. One of the commissioned organisations, has been undertaking second tier activities and developed an online database of diversionary activities used by professionals across the voluntary and statutory sectors. 6. London Councils funding under this specification complements services, for young offenders and young people at risk of becoming involved in crime and anti-social behaviour, directly supported by individual local authorities and other funders Recommendations Members are asked to: Agree the renewal of grants within this sector as set out in Table 1 above for the period 1 April 2010 – 31 March 2011. Financial Implications for London Councils 7. The resources required to finance the recommended renewals have been included in the Grants Committee’s budget. Legal Implications for London Councils 8. This report has no legal implications. Equalities Implications for London Councils 9. As part of the annual monitoring process, officers have examined the equalities profiles of each organisation’s beneficiaries, management committee and staff. Officers have also examined the commissioned organisations’ commitment to access and promotion of equalities, and are satisfied with their performance in these regards. Background Papers London Councils Grants Committee Report, 29 April 2008 – Service 80 Funding Recommendations; London Councils Grants Committee Report, 22 April 2009 – Service 80 Additional Funding Recommendations; Table for website This table provides information on the progress of individual organisations Organisation Summary of Performance Active Planet Active Planet engages young people (aged 11-24) at risk of being involved in antisocial behaviour, or who have been involved in crime in positive activities. By using sport and health as a central theme the project motivates young people to undertake training and progress onto voluntary opportunities and employment. For the younger group it provides a range of sports and dance activities at local venues encouraging them to volunteer and set positive goals. The aim is to reduce their long term involvement in anti-social behaviour. Artefacts Edutainment During the reporting period, 511 young people have benefitted from its sports and training activities. The borough distribution pattern shows that they have exceeded their targets in 4 boroughs and under achieved in Westminster. For service 80, the output figures were amended to reflect the additional grant awarded to them in May 2009, which has resulted in a slow start towards the increased outputs in Westminster. Artefacts Edutainment provides a range of services and resources that provide crime prevention techniques, progression routes for young participants and community workers from Lewisham, Greenwich and Southwark. During the reporting period, the organisation ran 76 weekly workshops in different citizenship, creative and media subjects linked to personal, social and health education to 106 11-16 year olds, at risk of offending. It also ran 48 weekly workshops in personal, social and health education for 44 16-24 year olds at risk of offending, and a Creative Communities professional development programme for 2 voluntary organisations During the reporting period, Artefact Edutainment's service provision in the boroughs of Greenwich and Southwark, has been more than 20% below the level originally agreed by the Grants Committee. It has robust links, including CVS contacts in the two boroughs and proposes to publicise its services more widely there. Officers’ Comments The organisations has made good progress towards its stated outcomes and the officers are satisfied with its proposed approaches to address the under provision in Westminster. Officers are satisfied with the progress of the organisation. Although there has been some underprovision during the monitoring period officers are satisfied with the proposed approaches to address the underprovision in Greenwich and Southwark. Officers Brandon Centre for Counselling & Psychotherapy for Young People The Brandon Centre offers an evidence-based, structured parenting programme designed to equip parents to divert at-risk young people aged 11 to 16 from offending and antisocial behaviour. A project manager, a project co-ordinator and two qualified practitioners provide the programme, which is run from the Brandon Centre's premises. Referrals of parents will be taken from all parts of London and will be sought from Youth Offending Teams, Social Services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, and schools. The programme focuses on shortcomings in parenting that are known to heighten the risk of offending and antisocial behaviour: for example inadequate rules, boundaries, and consequences for antisocial behaviour, the absence of pro-social activities and relationships in the life of the young person, the young person having delinquent peer group attachments. The programme is run in a group format followed by individual sessions and telephone support for parents from up to 8 families whose child is at risk of offending and antisocial behaviour. The group programme comprises six, two-hour sessions and is designed to equip parents with practical skills and strategies which are then tailored in individual sessions and telephone support for their particular circumstances. will closely monitor the group's progress over the next monitoring period. Officers are satisfied with the organisations progress and proposed approaches to address the underprovision of services in the boroughs of Havering, Kensington & Chelsea, Tower Hamlets and Westminster. During the reporting period, The Brandon Centre's activities included 35 diversionary activities aimed at reducing youth offending and antisocial behaviour, 25 young people aged 11-16 who are at risk participated in the diversionary activities, 35 parents from disadvantaged backgrounds were beneficiaries of good practice models developed and were involved in group programmes, and 5 organisations actively referred young people. East Potential During the reporting period, The Brandon Centre's service provision in the boroughs of Havering, Kensington & Chelsea, Tower Hamlets and Westminster has been more than 20% below the level originally agreed by the Grants Committee. The organisation proposes to increase its outreach services and to publicise its services more widely in these boroughs to increase the take up of services. This project focuses on 6 estates across Newham, Tower Hamlets, Redbridge, Waltham Forest, Havering and Barking & Dagenham. Activities follow 4 main strands: Officers are satisfied both the level and quality of service delivered by the 1. Introductory Diversionary Activities for 11-16 year olds; which aim to attract and engage hardto-reach young people in relevant, creative activities, including dance, physical theatre, visual arts, film media and music. project across the funded boroughs in east London. 2. Community Contribution Projects for 11 to 16 year olds. These engage young people in more extended creative work' and address key issues relevant to offending behaviour, working towards an outcome that benefits the local community and encourages interest in their local environment. 3. One-to-one Mentoring Support for 16 - 24 offenders. Mentoring works to achieve a sustained change to individuals' behaviour, providing support and alternatives for a successful move away from crime. Mentored young people will be referred to and from the Projects outlined above. 4. Second Tier Support, providing a forum for information exchange and disseminating information at Networking Meetings, sharing best practice, locally and evaluation findings from the programme. Fairbridge in London During the monitoring period the project provided diversionary activities for 49 young people at risk aged 11-16, who are identified to be at risk of becoming involved in crime or anti-social behaviour, and diversionary activities for 37 offenders / ASB perpetrators aged 16-24 who have offended or been involved in anti-social behaviour, and second-tier support to 25 other community organisations working in the service area in the defined boroughs. Fairbridge engages NEET young people aged 13-24 at risk of/or with a history of offending in a programme of personal development incorporating various diversionary activities. Working alongside over 70 referral partners including Youth Offending Teams and Feltham Young Offenders Institute Fairbridge will reach out to hard-to-engage young people across 10 London boroughs. Working from centres in Hackney and Lambeth the Project will first provide an accredited course designed to remove barriers to engagement for NEET young people. Incorporating challenging outdoor activities to enhance personal and social skills, the course includes a residential experience and encourages the development of communication, team-work and problem-solving skills to motivate participants to commit to a wider programme of diversionary developmental Officers are satisfied with the progress made by the organisation, they are delivering services in the funded boroughs within the parameters agree in the funding agreement and have enabled 13 activities on its completion. During the monitoring period 32 young people aged 13-16 and 16-24 were identified to be at risk of becoming involved in crime or anti-social behaviour and have participating in the diversionary activities. 7 beneficiaries 13-16s at-risk of offending are retained in/returned to education participants in the project to either be retained/returned into education or move into employment, training or voluntary work. 6 ex-offenders/those with ASB history (16-24) move into education, employment, training, voluntary work. London Action Trust Fairbridge has utilised and strengthened existing partnerships with 50 agencies, including YJB, hostels and the London Crime Prevention Panel. Forging 10 new partnerships/referral arrangements. This project reduces youth offending and anti social behaviour among young people by building a database of diversionary activities that young people can be referred to by professionals in the statutory and voluntary sectors; the database is accessed on line. The website publicises examples of good practice and disseminates practical toolkits that will help local people set up new initiatives appropriate to their neighbourhood. The website places an emphasis on positive solutions to anti-social behaviour; and links to a range of government, voluntary and statutory websites working with anti social behaviour. The main website created, approved and material in the process of being uploaded. The online database of projects is in the final testing stage. The ASB website is due to go live in January 2010 at a launch event to be held at City Hall. LAT has developed a number of factsheets and toolkits for the website and has engaged with 460 Voluntary and community groups and 1591 statutory groups/contacts who are receiving information and support service through the CSAS service. Officers are satisfied with the progress made by the organisation and the launch of the London ASB website in January will enable for the first time access online to a range of voluntary and statutory provisions for those organisations engaged in ASB intervention and prevention initiatives in the Capital. Furthermore it will enable members of the public to access information about SOVA London SOVA provides a range of diversionary activities in the boroughs that it is commissioned to deliver services,. Among the activities which are being delivered are : - drama, healthy living and sports projects aimed specifically at diverting young people from criminal/anti-social behaviour;- peer education projects, empowering young people to work with their peers in schools and youth groups on diversionary activities; - information sharing activities, to contribute to the dissemination of good practice and support to community organisations; - cross-sector working to encourage increased cross-referral and joint working between agencies. During the monitoring period SOVA worked 125 young people of which 40 were between the ages of 11 to 16 and 85 between 16 and 24 years delivering accredited peer mentoring training at OCN level 1. However on the grading of the material it was mentioned that the standard of the responses and work submitted by the young people was at closer to level 2 . Examples of some of the work being carried out by the participants on the project include: a health handbook for their peers which is being used to disseminate information about the importance of a healthy lifestyle as well as information about the project, the production of a short film in which the young people highlighted the consequences of becoming involved in the criminal justice system. There has been the creation of a website which was used advertise and promote the project to young people as well as being used as a tool to disseminate information to our counterparts in the voluntary sectors as well as other external organisations with an interest in the project. A group of young people in Croydon wrote, produced and directed a song and music video called 'Where will you end up?' which highlights the ease of becoming involved in the recreational use of alcohol and drugs and the devastating effect it can have on young people personally and on their circle of friends. The SOVA Young London Project is currently developing a project for young mothers and females local ASB initiatives and projects. Officers are satisfied with the progress made by the organisation. Although there has been some underprovision during the month monitoring period officers are satisfied with the proposed approaches to address the underprovision. Officers will closely monitor the group's progress over the next monitoring period. Springboard Bromley Trust who have been referred by the YOT. With the increase of female involvement in crime through 'holding' knives or guns for their partners, we are responding with a service which will work around issues of identity, belonging, positive relationships and working towards a pathway of personal and community responsibility. The project gives young people the chance to create film, radio, music and web content that is relevant to them, and owned by them. The project provides a radio studio, video studio, sound studio and IT facilities so that young people can make their own media and present it to a wider audience through the internet and through screenings and performance. During the monitoring period, the project has worked with 69 young people who are identified to be at risk of becoming involved in crime or anti-social behaviour.40 were from the age group of 11 to 16 and 29 were from the 16 to 24 age group. 40 came from disadvantaged communities. The participants in the Project have the opportunity to gain recognised qualifications in media and IT, including the Open College Network Film Production certificate, OCR IT User NVQ, and Key Skills. Sprinboard is building on the current network of contacts in the statutory and voluntary sector to improve the referral and partnership arrangements available to support the young people in the area. As leading members of the 14-19 partnership in Bromley and active participants in the Greenwich and Lewisham 14-19 partnerships we will involve local colleges and training providers in this process. The Peace Alliance The project has not yet formally commenced because there was a delay in finalising the outputs and outcomes and delays in recruiting to the post. Officers have met with the organisation on several occasions and outcomes and outputs have now been agreed and the project has a timetable to start, together with a clear job description for the Project Co-ordinator post, which will be advertised. The organisation has considerable background experience, requisite contacts, networks and knowledge of the user group related to the London Councils funded element of the larger project. The organisation has also mapped service provision in the target boroughs. As there has been no service provision, and no funding released to the organisation, there is no borough spread data or assessment. Officers are satisfied with the progress made by the organisation, the service is being delivered across the funded boroughs within the parameters agreed in the funding agreement. Springboard is developing partnership links with other organisations in Boroughs to enable the participants to move onto employment, further education and /or volunteering opportunities. Officers have had concerns regarding the development of the project. Officers have also met with the organisation and are satisfied with its proposals for developing the The Prince's Trust The Prince's Trust, in partnership with three further education providers, delivers Team, a 12 week personal development programme, to young people aged 16-24 who have offended or been involved in anti-social behaviour. This project provides young people with a positive alternative to offending and anti-social behaviour and supports participants back into education, training and/or employment by improving their employability through vocational skills and national qualifications. During the monitoring period the project worked with 89 young people, from eligible boroughs, aged 16-24, who were identified to be at risk of becoming involved in crime or anti-social behaviour . 78% of young people on the programme moved onto positive outcomes (employment, education, training, or volunteering). project and in delivering agreed outputs and outcomes. Officers will work closely with the organisation, supporting it monitor services and targets. Close monitoring of the situation will be undertaken and officers will review the situation at the next monitoring period. Officers are satisfied with the progress made by the organisation. Although there has been some underprovision during the monitoring period officers are satisfied with the proposed approaches to address the underprovision. Officers will closely monitor the group's progress over the next monitoring period.