Engaging Young People and our Community

Streetwise is now into its third year and continues to grow and progress. The project operates in each of the four wards of Sutton Coldfield and concentrating on identifying trouble hotspots where young people were known to congregate a team of six to eight outreach workers set out to meet and engage with young people with the aim of diverting them away from negative and potentially anti-social behaviour, discussing issues important to them and identifying and involving them in activities that are meaningful to them.

Programme consists of and provides:

• A rolling programme of 3 detached sessions on average in all four wards of Sutton Coldfield per week. Which totals 600 sessions per year with each session consisting of 3 hours which totals around 1,800 hours of face to face work
• Eight detached youth workers providing young people with information, advice and guidance on various issues affecting young people
• A link between young people and youth centres and other youth facilities to help young people engage in more positive activities

Direct Outcomes of project qualitative and quantative:

• Provided ten sessions around alcohol including the risks and dangers of drinking to around 225 contacts with young people in Sutton Coldfield ranging from numbers for alcohol support groups/leaflets to workshops using beer goggles for example to highlight dangers.
• A continued significant reduction in anti-social behaviour across many of the hotspots as reported by the police
• 15 young people volunteering onto young people's interview panels
• Around 20 young people in each ward being made aware of the effects of anti-social behaviour upon their community from littering to minor vandalism
• Around 40-50 young people being directed into youth facilities including youth café
• On average around we have had 175 contacts per week across over all four wards which totals around 9,000 contacts per year
• One young person gaining their record of achievement for continued work in the YMCA as well as gaining their level one football coaching award
• Maintained strong links with local youth centres, West Midlands Police, community centres, Sutton Central, East and Four Oaks extended schools clusters, local schools as well as many other agencies.
• Involved in diversionary activities in the summer holidays in summer park where around 100 young people were engaged with Streetwise the youth service, extended schools and the police.

Delivery of diversionary activities have taken place this year due to strong relationships with the young people, these include:

• Used the youth bus to help deliver 48 sessions on alcohol/drugs as well as a place for young people to 'chill' which has helped contribute to the reduction in anti social behaviour. In total around 400 contacts with young people were made.
• Through Youth Opportunities funding some Streetwise young people were able to partake it things such as trips to Alton Towers, Buffet Island, Ice Skating, Ackers and the Beauty Bus
• Received £7,000 for continued activities from Building Blocks fund from West Midlands Police
• In total around 300 contacts have been involved in diversionary activities.
• This year we have also received a visit from Comic Relief to view the excellent work that the project is undertaking. Streetwise has been made possible by generous funding from Comic Relief and more recently Children In Need as well as a number of trusts and foundations to which we are immensely grateful

"Streetwise have proven to be an excellent partner in helping to address issues at a local level". Lewis O’Rourke Sutton Coldfield Safety coordinator.


Contact: Heidi Bentley - 0121 354 5614

Enquiries: [ HERE ]

Sutton Coldfield YMCA
George Williams House, Watson Close, St Bernard's Road, Sutton Coldfield,
West Midlands   B72 1LE, England
  0044 (0)121 354 5614 - or -   0044 (0)121 321 1582

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Updated December 11th, 2009 Published by: Lichfield Web Design