HUNDREDS of new holiday schemes called Splash Extra, keeping thousands of nine to 17-year-olds off the streets and involved in innovative arts and sporting activities, go live this summer.
Thanks to £12 million funding from the New Opportunities Fund, Splash Extra will run in 300 locations, catering for thousands of young people on the highest crime estates in England during the holidays.
Splash Extra will run alongside the existing Splash schemes, funded by the Youth Justice Board, which kept 30,000 young people off the streets and in constructive activities last year. In total, the two schemes will run in 370 locations.
An independent evaluation of the 2001 Splash schemes, published today, found that compared to the previous August, juvenile nuisance fell by just under a fifth and drug offences by a quarter in the areas where the schemes were run. Motor crime also dropped by 11%, compared to an increase of 39% in high crime areas.
Communities also played a big part in their success, providing volunteers, and feedback was consistently good from young people, local residents and professionals alike.
Splash Extra will be run specifically in the 10 worst street crime areas and aim to engage young people most at risk of offending through the provision of sports, arts and other personal development activities.
Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell launched Splash Extra on Monday in Bow, east London.
"Splash schemes stop crime. We know that's true, from the success of last year's schemes where crime fell last year where Splash schemes were set up. This is not rocket science. If you give young people something to do, somewhere to go, something to aspire to, they will spend less time on the street or on the sofa. And these schemes have an important role in providing arts and sports facilities in areas which have traditionally been deprived of them. This is an excellent scheme which tries to prevent crime by cutting it off at the root. I'm delighted we can help to extend them across the country."
Lord Norman Warner, chairman of the Youth Justice Board, said: “Targeted prevention work with the most at risk youngsters in high crime estates cuts youth crime and disorder substantially, and raises the quality of life for those communities.”
“It costs so little money to run schemes like this, but their impact can be immense.”
Baroness Jill Pitkeathley, Chair of the New Opportunities Fund, said: "The Splash Extra programme will provide young people who might otherwise drift into trouble, with a range of exciting activities to develop their skills and abilities and provide them with new options to channel their energy positively."
Feedback from Splash 2001
“In summers past, kids could be seen hanging round the neighbourhood getting into trouble….but this summer, none of that was to be seen.” (resident, Washwood Heath Splash, Birmingham)
“Splash is something to do. Beats hanging round on the streets doing nothing.” (young person, Kingstanding Splash, Birmingham)
“The CV writing and interview skills course will really help me get a job. I feel more confident now and hope this will be a step forward towards getting some money in my pocket.” (young person, Darnell Splash, Sheffield)
“100% of the Youth Offending Teams’ referrals (young people on Splash) had not offended during the project and more encouragingly, 100% had not reoffended since.” (local policeman, Torbay)
Ends
Notes to the Editor:
1. The Youth Justice Board is a national body charged with spearheading the reforms of the youth justice system.
2. Splash schemes have been providing constructive activities for young people on deprived estates to keep them out of trouble over the holidays since summer 2000.
3. The target group for each Splash Extra scheme is 100 13-17-year-olds and 60 9-12-year-olds who are “at risk” of offending. All young people attend on a voluntary basis. Activities address individual risk factors that cause young people to get into trouble, as identified in YJB research, such as lack of social commitment/alienation. These range from team sports and arts to personal development and residentials.
4. The headline findings from the evaluation are available from the Youth Justice Board press office on 020 7271 3076/2988
5. The New Opportunities Fund is funding 298 new Splash Extra schemes. The Fund is the biggest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, providing Lottery funding for health, education and environment projects across the UK, with a particular focus on improving quality of life, particularly in disadvantaged communities. To date the New Opportunities Fund has committed over £1.3 billion in funding to schemes across the UK. The Fund supports 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. Further information about New Opportunities Fund can be accessed at www.nof.org.uk http://www.nof.org.uk Press Office 020 7211 1888 email pressoffice@nof.org.uk mailto:pressoffice@nof.org.uk
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