archive 2003

 

The programme will also seek to bring together young people from different neighbourhoods and communities across England, breaking down prejudices and improving community cohesion. Volunteering opportunities will be offered to help engage young people in activities that will benefit the local community.

 

 

Estelle Morris said:

 

"School holiday schemes that allow disaffected young people to take part in high quality arts and sports projects have been proved to cut local crime rates, and help motivate them to return to school once term begins again. Now we are going further. Thanks to money from Government and the National Lottery, the new £25million Positive Activities scheme can go nationwide, running in all school holidays, and bringing young people together to everyone's benefit."

 

There will be a focus on supporting pupils who are most at risk of losing contact with education and training opportunities especially during the long summer break.  Summer activities can also help to ease the transition between secondary school and adult life and there will be opportunities for gaining accreditation for attendance and achievements.

 

 

Young people will be able to choose from quality arts, sports and cultural activities during their school-holidays and those who show a particular interest or talent will be encouraged to pursue the activities both on return to school and in subsequent holiday periods.                            

Positive Activities have been designed to meet local needs – often in close consultation with young people themselves – the schemes will offer a wide range of creative and development opportunities on which young people can build. Key workers will help to support young people with the greatest needs both in identifying and gaining access to suitable programmes and in subsequent transition back into education or training.

 

The impact of such schemes on youth crime alone is startling. Similar programmes run last summer were able to cut youth crime by up to 11%. The number of young people brought to the attention of the Youth Offending Teams for robbery offences was cut by 9%, and breaches of statutory orders declined by 16%.

 

Baroness Jill Pitkeathley, Chair of the New Opportunities Fund board, said:

 

"We are delighted that the Fund is able to contribute towards this vital programme that will give young people who may otherwise have limited opportunities in life the chance to fulfil their potential. The partnership approach will be key to the success of this programme in providing a joined up approach towards school holiday provision to ensure that vulnerable young people are less likely to fall through the net."  

 

The 'single pot' of funding for youth activities builds upon the expertise of the partners and the lessons learnt from precursors of the schemes, such as Summer Plus and Splash programmes. (See Notes to Editors)       

 

 

Young people will benefit from key workers who will support them in fulfilling their potential through education, training and employment opportunities.

 

Mark Perfect, Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Board, said:

 

"The Positive Activities scheme, which builds on the excellent work of the Splash and Summer Plus programmes running last summer, will ensure that young people at risk of offending are targeted before they enter the youth justice system. Providing young people with access to skilled workers, who can help them channel their energies into constructive activities, is fundamental to reducing youth crime and creating safer communities."

 

Young people who will particularly benefit from Positive Activities will include those who have a poor school attendance record or have been excluded, and those with a low level of academic achievement. Referral agencies will include the Youth Offending Teams, the Connexions Service and Behaviour Improvement Programme schools.

 

 

Anne Weinstock, Chief Executive of Connexions National Service Unit, said:

 

"Positive Activities will prove that vital to building better communities and helping vulnerable young people realise their full potential. I am certain that the scheme will provide the most impressive example to date of positive engagement with young people as a means to providing them with a clear and closely supported route away from crime and anti-social behaviour and back into education or training.     

                                                                                                                

The funding has been awarded to Government Offices based on a formula that takes into account the needs of young people living in the area, local crime 'hot spots', truancy rates and community cohesion issues.

 

Hazel Blears, Home Office Minister for Crime Reduction, said:

 

"Keeping young people in education and employment and stopping them getting into anti-social and criminal behaviour is Government's top priority. It is critical to our wider efforts to reduce crime and regenerate our communities.

 

There is no simple, single solution, but the Positive Activities programme will play a central role by providing young people with a worthwhile alternative to wandering the streets. It will help them develop interests, build self-respect and help them into further education or employment – key factors in preventing criminality. Positive Activities is extremely valuable in providing fresh chances for our young people to realise their full potential." 

 

 

 

A total of £25million has been allocated for the first year of the three-year Positive Activities programme from a partnership comprising government departments, the youth and charity sectors. Contributions comprise £30 million from the Connexions Service, £12 million of National Lottery money from the New Opportunities Fund (committed so far, for the first year of the programme) £2 million from the Youth Justice Board and £1.5 million from the Home Office's Community Cohesion Unit.

 

The allocations for each Government office for 2003 follows:

Eastern  £641,640
East Midlands  £1,113,331
London  £7,392,995
North East  £930,010
North West  £5,106,190
South East  £1,468,477
South West  £1,025,255
West Midlands  £2,327,474
Yorkshire & Humberside  £2,394,627

 

Allocations for Government offices are for the first year of the Positive Activities for Young People programme only and excludes an additional £50k to fund a post co-ordinating the distribution of funding in each region. This programme is for England only.  However, the New Opportunities Fund has made additional funding available to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

 

 

Building on previous years' youth activity programmes

 

Youth Justice Board Splash programmes, Connexions' Summer Plus and Community Cohesion schemes will be mainstreamed into the Positive Activities programme. The programme will cater for young people between the ages of 8-19 but there will be a particular emphasis on the 13-17 age group.

 

Projects have been devised by providers from the education and youth sector, such as the Connexions Service, Youth Justice Board and other voluntary and community sector organisations. The Local Education Authorities will play a role in tracking young people at risk and linking them to local Positive Activities activities. Positive Activities builds on the success of previous youth activity programmes, such as Summer Plus delivered by Connexions and the Splash and Splash Extra programmes run by the Youth Justice Board.

Notably, at of last September, 71% of young people who participated in Summer Plus had returned to education and 6% to employment or training.  The number of young people brought to the attention of Youth Offending Teams for robbery, in Summer Plus areas, declined by 9%, compared with the previous quarter. The numbers of breaches of statutory orders increased by 12% in non - Summer Plus areas and decreased by 16% in those areas with Summer Plus.

 

 

New Opportunities Fund distributes National Lottery money to health, education and environment projects across the UK. We intend to support sustainable projects that will Improve the quality of life of people throughout the UK, address the needs of those who are most disadvantaged in society, encourage community participation, complement relevant local and national strategies and programmes.  Funding for programmes is divided between England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales on the basis of population weighted to reflect levels of deprivation.    

                                                                                     

The Fund has committed £12million to the first year of Positive Activities for Young People. The Fund's involvement in this cross-organisational initiative shows a commitment towards addressing the needs of young people who are at risk of social exclusion by providing sports, educational and creative opportunities that will enable them to fulfil their potential.

 

NOF Press office:           020 7211 1888
Mobile for this release:    07867 500 572
Public Enquiries Line:      0845 0000 121

 

Full details of the New Opportunities Fund programmes and grant awards are available on our website: http://www.nof.org.uk/

 

 

 

The Connexions Service National Unit will be a key partner in the national roll-out of the Positive Activities for Young People programme between 2003 – 2006.
Connexions is the Government's new co-ordinated support service for young people aged 13-19 in England, helping them to make a smooth transition from adolescence to work and adult life.   All young people will have access to a Personal Adviser and there will be a sharp focus on supporting young people at risk.

 

Connexions provides integrated advice, guidance and access to personal development opportunities.  Information and access to personal development opportunities will help young people to broaden horizons and develop talents, including volunteering, community service activities, sports, arts and recreational activities. The Summer Activities programme is one of the options available through Connexions. Others include Millennium Volunteers and the Neighbourhood Support Programme.  47 Connexions Partnerships deliver a nationwide service for England. 

 

For further information please contact Tim Watkinson, DfES Press Office, on 020 7925 5893 or visit http://www.connexions.gov.uk/

 

 

 

The Youth Justice Board is the public body established to monitor the operation of the youth justice system. The Board is responsible for promoting the most effective ways of meeting the primary aim of the young justice system – preventing offending by children and young people. Sir Charles Pollard is the Acting Chair.

 

Youth Offending Teams and Connexions Partnerships share a target to ensure 90% of young people in the youth justice system are in education, training and employment by 2004. For further information please contact Katie Martin, Youth Justice Board Press Office on 0207 271 2988

 

 

The Home Office Community Cohesion Unit (CCU) was established in April 2002 to implement the recommendations set out in the Ministerial Group report published in 11 December 2001 and to co-ordinate policy across Government and to mainstream community cohesion. The CCU works closely with the ODPM's Neighbourhood Renewal Unit (NRU) and other Government departments to develop policy and provide practical support to areas experiencing tension (including Bradford, Oldham and Burnley).

 

For more information please contact Simon Steele at the Home Office Press Office on 0207 273 3736.    

 

Press Enquiries: 020 7211 6276/6264
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