In summer 2016 Y2K received funding from Foundation Scotland Express Grants to run a 6 week programme of diversionary workshops and activities aimed at young people involved in anti-social and risk-taking behaviours. Y2K staff worked with community police officers and the local fire safety team to devise short-term initiatives to reduce offending and harmful/risky behaviours.
In summer 2017 Y2K staff carried out a survey of young people (11-18) accessing InvolveU drop-ins. Among 50 completed responses all had some experience of criminal behaviour. Causes cited were “unemployment”, “no money”, “nothing to do” and “peer pressure”.
In Nov 2017 Mayfield Community Council called a public meeting in response to an unprecedented spike in youth offending and anti-social behaviour across the local community. Y2K was approached during and after the public meeting by a number of community stakeholders asking for help to tackle the problem. Project staff worked with young people and community justice partners to determine how best to proceed with fundraising and to plan services to reach those most in need of effective intervention.
Funding awarded by the Garfield Weston Foundation in Jan 2018 enabled creation of a new InvolveU/180 post at Y2K, offering ‘pop up’ workshops and targeted inputs to young people self-identifying as being involved in low level offending and anti-social behaviours.
In March 2018 a £5,000 award from Edinburgh University Community Grants enabled Y2K to run a 6month InvolveU/180 pilot, which was evaluated and used to provide evidence for a 12 week programme to deliver youth work in schools, as well as at Y2K’s premises (for those not engaging in school).
Additional funding from a range of grant makers including the Scottish Children’s Lottery, the Silverhill Trust, the Charles Hayward Foundation, and the Gannochy Trust has enabled Y2K to develop a full-time 180 service.
A range of other professionals and external organisations are involved with 180 programmes. These include Fire Scotland, Police Scotland, Midlothian Young People’s Advice Service, Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, Alcoholics Anonymous, Health in Mind and Aid & Abet, each delivering inputs relevant to the young people’s experiences and concerns. This approach has allowed young people to build more positive relationships with the police and other professionals. For more info you can download our process report.
Youth Justice & Prevention Award 2020
The National Youth Work Awards celebrates youth work that makes a difference in the lives of young people across Scotland. The awards are a mix of universal, targeted and specialist youth work provision. On Thursday 12th March 2020 at one of the last large gatherings before the coronavirus pandemic 42 outstanding youth workers and youth work projects were celebrated at the awards dinner in Glasgow.
180 at Y2K was proud runner up in the Youth Justice & Prevention category sponsored by the Scottish Community Safety Network.
Developed in 2018, the only service of its kind in Midlothian, 180 promoted ‘empowerment assessment’, an approach that encouraged longer-term engagement and improved outcomes for individuals. Young people accessing this service had the opportunity to take part in fun, participative and educational programmes of activities, as well as drop-ins and 1:1 support. In two years, 180 had already established itself as an example of outstanding youth work in practice, bringing community stakeholders together to address local priorities for young people, guided by the ethos: “Support for our young people means support for the whole community”.
