Youth Safety

As part of the work to increase Youth Safety in the borough we have implemented interventions which are supporting young people in Newham:

Mentoring 4 Success

Currently on offer to a number of secondary schools in Newham, the Mentoring 4 Success programme provides 1-2-1 mentoring for young people who are/may be:

• Involved in or at high risk of criminality, exploitation and violence;
• At risk of involvement in criminality, exploitation and violence;
• Black boys across the spectrum of need or just at risk of exclusions; and
• Girls & Young Women across the spectrum of need.

The mentoring 4 success programme promotes early identification, intervention and support, to prevent problems escalating and divert young people from risk. It also raises awareness about, and changes perceptions of youth safety among parents, carers and members of the community. It will help professionals, families and the wider community to recognise risk factors and equip them with the skills to divert young people being drawn into violence and criminality.

Transitions Support Pilot

This Year 6 to Year 7 transition support intervention is offered to 2 primary and 2 secondary schools in the borough. Young people who may find the move from primary to secondary more difficult than others are provided with support during their transition. As part of the intervention, parents and staff benefit from support and training.

Weekly group and one-to-one mentoring for students will cover all aspects of the transition process, taking a person-centred view, including:

• The transition process and how this relates to each young person
• Positive sense of self and own identity and developing emotional and behavioural regulation and resilience
• The importance of self-care
• Developing social and communication skills
• Positive choice and decision-making
• Peer influence
• The role of education as a key life skill
• Developing support network and accessing services

Parents and Staff are being  provided with therapeutically themed, person-centred, holistic, relational and culturally competent workshops and will cover areas, such as:

• The transitions process and potential impact upon young people
• The role of parents
• The role of the school
• Accessing additional support and developing networks
• Communicating with school
• Criminal exploitation and risks to young people
• Risk and protective factors
• Supporting positive mental health and emotional wellbeing
• Spotting risks/hotspots in young people
• Disrupted education as a risk factor

The programme will support and build resilience of young people during their transition giving them a strong start to their secondary school journey. It will also support parents through the transitions process and will raise awareness of the challenges young people may face during this transition period with staff and parents.

Youth Safety Schools Offer

Working with the Metropolitan Police schools engagement team in Newham we are working in partnership to raise awareness of and increase up take in the delivery of a number of youth safety workshop delivered by our police partners.

Workshops include:

• Make Peace (Youth Safety) Programme
• Homicide: Joint enterprise and consequences
• MO7 Taskforce TSG: Stop and Search
• Violence against Women and Girls and Consent
• Knife Crime
• Effective Searched – Powers and Policy (for school staff)
• Gangs Awareness
• Drugs Awareness