Targeted Youth Support team

The Targeted Youth Service is made up of youth workers and youth support workers who are aligned to areas within Luton. However they also work across the borough on specific initiatives. Their work is divided into three main areas:

Detached

This work includes engaging with young people in their community, either on the streets or at a community venue.

Youth workers can respond to hot spot areas for antisocial behaviour (ASB) and child sexual exploitation (CSE). They will work with partners to target specific young people and areas of need. This work also includes engaging with young people at the school gates.

Schools (high schools only)

This work includes the delivery of:

• workshops
• group work programmes
• assemblies particularly around topical subjects

The availability and subject areas are agreed with each school individually.

One to one work

Referrals can come from a range of professionals or young people can self-refer. Our three main priority areas for one to one work are:

• CSE
• ASB and youth offfending
• gangs and weapons

Youth workers will work on a one to one basis with a young person (aged 10 to 18), around an identified subject area. This work can include young people across all tiers of need, there will usually be a lead professional assigned, which may or may not be the youth worker.

An assessment will be conducted with the young person in order for them to ascertain the areas that they would like support with and a plan agreed. This plan will be reviewed regularly and progress will be monitored.

The importance of full participation in school and college life for young people's personal and social development cannot be overestimated.

This along with the attainment of the vital skills and qualifications for employment are widely recognised as major protective factors in preventing children becoming offenders, and in reducing the longer term risks of reoffending.

Although education and training is delivered direct in custodial establishments to the small minority of young people who go to custody, the vast majority of young people who offend or who are at risk of offending are dealt with in the community.

So the real challenge is to ensure that young people are sustained and supported in their education when they enter the system, or re-engaged if they were not accessing provision before they became known to the service.

The key to re-engagement is working with mainstream providers such as schools, colleges and training providers to ensure that young people can access and sustain learning.

Sometimes, and where resources within the service permit, we will, at the request of schools, undertake one off presentations or other work with pupils in the school environment to:

• raise awareness
• help prevent children d& young people becoming involved in antisocial behaviour and crime

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