Young Offenders Help Children's Centre to Make amends

Young offenders are 'doing their dues' for the harm they have caused by helping the Sure Start Children's Centre in Barnstaple with painting, gardening and singing songs. Working with the Barnstaple Youth Offending Team, Sure Start Barnstaple ensures suitable young offenders are found to help out at the Centre. Offenders are all risk assessed and required to meet Sure Start staff before approval is given for them to start work.

"Working under supervision, the young offenders have also been helping out in the creche and washing and sorting out toys," says Carol Claydon, Sure Start Senior Administrator and North Devon Referral Panel volunteer. "They have been a real help and this integrated way of working means the young offenders can put back something into the community."

Youth offending (reparation) work involves young people aged 10-17 years and is about involving them in something they understand which will make up for the harm they have caused. It is also about involving them in things which will mean they can get something positive from the project.

"We look at the community the young person has affected and make their payback as relevant as possible to that community," says Ameet Nathwani, Reparation Organiser at the Youth Offending Team. "It's also important for young people to take responsibility for what they have done and to realise that the work they are doing makes a difference. Some young offenders show more confidence as a result of the reparation work they are involved with and they become more able to interact with staff. This helps improve employment prospects for young offenders who have often just made some bad mistakes."

"Some young offenders express an interest in actually working at the Children's Centre following their period of payback," says Carol Claydon" or they see it as taster work experience. We benefit as the young offenders are really willing and happy to do whatever is asked of them including those jobs that don't always get done as everyone is so busy in the Centre."

Safer North Devon has been working with Barnstaple Youth Offending Team over the last ten years to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. "Working together means we can provide better solutions for our young people and the communities in which they live. Reparation and community payback is a vital project locally and needs wide community support and involvement to ensure we remain a safe place to live, work and visit," says Amanda Palmer, Safer North Devon Manager.

For more information contact: Ameet Nathwani, Barnstaple Youth Offending Team on telephone: 01271 388150.