Community Safety and Youth Justice

The National Youth Agency provides bespoke consultancy and support in developing effective approaches to
reducing crime and disorder, anti social behaviour and improving community safety by involving young people
in planning and delivering strategic and operational priorities.

For the past three years we have been commissioned by West Midlands Police Authority. Warwickshire Police
Authority has asked us to undertake similar work in 2010.

We are a market leader in this field with a unique and proven record in youth crime consultation. 11 Million, in recognition of our work in this area, has asked us to undertake similar consultation with young people to inform its forthcoming three year youth justice plan.

Benefits

• Opportunity to strengthen consultation with hard to reach/hard to hear groups of young people. 
• Assists Police Authorities, required to consult annually on strategic planning processes.
• Assists with ‘public confidence’ force targets. 
• Assists the prevention of young people’s crime, thereby addressing mainstreaming requirements of Section 17, 1998 Crime and Disorder Act.
• Adaptable across the Police Service Sector, both at a strategic level and also neighbourhood level.
• Cost effective knowledge transfer via NYA support of designated staff members who can receive training and coaching support in order to integrate this activity into existing job roles.
• Excellent contacts with local organisations.
• Linkages into a wider knowledge exchange and network.

Community Safety Contacts

National Programme Manager - Graham Fletcher 
Tel: 07525 965969

Business Development Manager - Jackie Kennedy
Tel: 07590 734564

Recent and Current Work

• Young People’s Voice and Influence within the Youth Justice System

During 2009/10 the NYA has been commissioned by the Local Government Association to develop resources and guidance on the involvement of young people in the youth justice system and how this the involvement of young people leads to service changes and reform.

The NYA provides regular training and consultancy support to youth justice organisations to help implement the Hear by Right standards framework to enable them to map and plan for greater involvement of young people in their service planning and delivery.

Find out more about Hear by Right >>

• Positive Activities for Young People

During 2008/9, the NYA supported the Department Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) pilot Extended Positive Activities for Young People (EPAYP) programme aimed at diverting those young people at risk of or involved in gangs and street violence. The NYA provided support to the 15 pilot sites: Birmingham, Bristol, Croydon, Greenwich, Hackney, Haringey, Lambeth, Leeds, Lewisham, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Southwark and Trafford) to help each area increase the impact of the additional funding.

In 2009, we produced a report outlining the findings from this work along with recommendations for future Positive Activities funding and practice.

• Creating a Sense of Belonging

In 2009, we also produced a project database of all the Extended Positive Activities for Young People projects from the 15 pilot areas. This report captures some of the excellent Positive Activities as well as some being case studies being delivered across the country.

Creating a sense of belonging - Local Authority Summary Report

• Guns, Gangs and Knife Crime

In 2008, the NYA, along with the Association of Principal Youth and Community Officers and the Speaking Out Project (NCVCCO and NCVYS) jointly organised a national round table event to discuss how to combat knife, gun and gang crime, and how this should be taken forward with policy makers. The round table event focused on developing solutions and the need to take concerted action at both national and local levels and put forward a number of recommendations detailed in the report.

Gang, gun and knife crime round table (May 2008)

• Youth Crime Consultation

Recently Warwickshire Police Authority and West Midlands Police Authority commissioned the NYA to undertake further consultation with young people about their views and experiences of crime, gangs and violent extremism and the criminal justice system. For more information about this current work email: youthjustice@nya.org.uk

In 2008, we hosted a West Midlands Regional Youth Crime Conference on behalf of the West Midlands Police Authority and Local Criminal Justice Board. Using a variety of creative workshop methods and facilitated by young people, 150 young people participated including many from hard to reach groups. This report provides a detailed account of the event and young people’s views and experiences of anti social behaviour; gangs and street violence; personal safety; violent extremism; and their perceptions and experiences of local criminal justice agencies, including the police.

Listening to Young People - Police report (June 2009)

Listening to You – Young People’s Report (2009)

In 2007, we were commissioned by West Midlands Police Authority to undertake consultation with young people to gain their perceptions and experiences about personal safety and policing to inform their strategic plans. The report published in early 2008 summarises the key findings and recommendations from the 10 focus groups held with young people from across the West Midlands region.

West Midlands Police Authority - The Police Your Views, 2008

Useful links

The National Youth Agency is a member of the Standing Committee for Youth Justice, this coalition works to promote the welfare of children who become engaged in the youth justice system and advocates for a child-focused youth justice system that promotes the integration of such children into society and thus serves the best interests of the children themselves and the community at large.