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Mobile teen village cuts aggro
Antisocial behaviour rates in Sunderland are plummeting thanks to the UK's first "mobile youth village."
The unprecedented success of the travelling club for teenagers is now set to become a blueprint for other parts of the country.
Since the pioneering 13-week pilot programme was introduced in July, there have been no Antisocial Behaviour Orders (Asbos) given out on the estates around Grindon and Farringdon, where the events take place.
Disorder rates on Thursdays to Sundays are down by 34 per cent on the same period last year, with 184 incidents this year compared with 280.
The project, which runs from 5.30pm to 8.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays and operates a strict no-alcohol and drugs policy, has proved extremely popular with 13 to 19-year-olds and been welcomed by the community.
Jackie Clark, Northumbria Police's neighbourhood inspector for Sunderland West, said: "The events are attracting a combined 300 young people, and you have to ask yourself what would those young people be doing if it was not for this?
"We've has no Acceptable Behaviour Agreements and no Antisocial Behaviour Orders, it's been a big success."
The idea of the youth village is to bring activities to young people to prevent them hanging around on street corners and being tempted into antisocial behaviour.
The events, which are being delivered by the A690 Youth Initiative on behalf of Sunderland City Council's youth development group, are held on Grindon Park extension on a Friday night and North Moor in Farringdon on a Saturday night and are only open to young people from the surrounding estates.
Activities on offer range from a street dance tent and music area for teenagers to try their hand on the decks, to a truck equipped with a Wii console and a football cage.
There is also a caravan on site where young people can get advice, support and information on stopping smoking, alcohol and drug misuse and be screened for the common sexually transmitted infection chlamydia.
The programme also aims to get young people involved in positive activities on other days of the week, and many have gone on to take part in activities with the A690 such as football, street dancing, canoeing and kayaking.
When young people sign up to the events they also agree to not to get involved in antisocial behaviour during the week - or risk not being allowed into the weekend events - which police say has further decreased youth disorder rates.
Lee Ferry, A690 project coordinator, said the idea for the youth village came from consulting with teenagers - and its success is down to giving them what they wanted.
He said: "From our side of things we are engaging with 175 to 200 young people per night, which is an overwhelming success.."
TEENAGERS say the mobile youth village gives them a safe place to go on a Friday and Saturday nights.
Sandhill View School pupil Adele (CORR) Jones, 15, from Grindon, said: "I heard about it through school, there were lots of people talking about it.
"It's so much better than just hanging about the streets, I love the music tent and the street dancing."
Darren Ferry, 15, of Hastings Hill, said: "If it wasn't for this we would just be hanging about on the street because there's not much for young people to do around here."
Teenagers have welcomed the event's stringent safety measures, including a photo ID system, which ensures young people register for the events beforehand and get parental consent.
Young people are also screened when they come through the doors with alcohol breath tests and metal detectors.
And at the end of the events A690 staff chaperone teenagers back to their estates to ensure groups of teenagers to do not hang around afterwards.
Chloe Laing, 15, of Thorney Close, said: "You feel protected in here and you know if there was ever any trouble it would be sorted out quickly."
SUNDERLAND is leading the way for other youth projects across the country.
Chiefs from the Government's Department for Children, Schools and Families believe the mobile youth village could form a blueprint for other parts of the country and are due to pay the city a visit soon.
Keith Moor, deputy director of children's services at Sunderland City Council, said: "We believe this is a ground-breaking initiative which has caught the imagination of young people and has been positively received by members of the public."
The pilot ends this weekend (Saturday, September 27), but organisers say they would like it to continue and be extended to other parts of the city.
Mr Moor added: "We are absolutely committed not only to repeating it but also looking at additional funding to see if we can roll it out in a broader sense in the community."
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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