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Warwickshire Youth Offending Team| Warwickshire Youth Offending Team | Warwickshire Youth Offending Team
Age Range Min: 0
Age Range Max: 0
| Method of Access: Through the criminal justice system or third party referrals from schools, youth agencies, parents.
| | Description | The Warwickshire Youth Offending Team is a multi-disciplinary team working in partnership with other agencies including workers from the Young Persons Substance Misuse Service Social Services, Education, Connexions, Probation, Health, and Police with remand fostering and bail support services commissioned through Barnardo’s. The team has two offices, the Rugby office covers Coleshill, Atherstone, Bedworth, Nuneaton and Rugby areas and the Leamington Spa office covers Warwick, Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon areas. A new Substance Misuse worker was assigned to post in June 2004 and will have direct links with the Warwickshire Young People's service for any treatments and interventions required by any young offenders.
The Youth Offending Team provide services from the point of arrest through to court ordered interventions, they are also partners in the Rugby Positive Futures Scheme, providing sporting activities for at risk young people alongside drugs awareness education, and a partner in the Warwickshire Positive about Young People Scheme. This scheme is part of the Warwickshire CHARM initiative – an early warning scheme for any young person up to the age of 13 deemed at risk of offending. Early interventions are put in place to divert young people away from Drug and Alcohol misuse.
The YOT run two Motor projects for those assessed by ASSET and shown be having difficulties in society with drink, drugs or employment. The Driving Group is a 10 week course for young people aged 16 to 24 and is run with Connexions. As well as getting practical experience relating to cars and driving, 2 of the sessions on the course are related to alcohol and drug usage. The Motorbike course also includes practical experience as well as drug and alcohol sessions. This course also accepts referrals from schools for young people at risk of exclusion. Participants can complete a worksheet under supervision related to an understanding of substance misuse which leads to an AQA qualification.
For offenders with alcohol or drug misuse, specific activities are used to encourage them to change their behaviour. For example, one person who had been drunk and aggressive undertook a project exploring the impact of aggressive behaviour which proved very useful. Another person with a heavy cannabis and drug use researched, under supervision, the effects of drug use and produced a young person friendly document which helped him with a family member who had encouraged his drug use. This leaflet is now being used by other young people. One young offender would like to produce a leaflet for young people on alcohol and it is hoped to obtain a 'Crimebeat' grant to enable this. Crimebeat is part of the CHARM initiative which awards grants to young people between the ages of 5 and 25 who have project ideas that could make their community in Warwickshire a safer place. | | Mission Statement | Warwickshire Youth Offending Team has a commitment to provide services and support with sensitivity and awareness of the issues associated with oppression, and social exclusion.
We hold the belief that everyone has the right to equality and individual respect. We will endeavour to promote this through knowledge, understanding, and where appropriate, advocacy. | | Objectives | | All interventions with children and young people aim to prevent further offending. | | Staff Profile | | 1 Substance Misuse Worker | | Linked Organisations | | Connexions and the Young Persons Substance Misuse Service, Social Services, Education, Probation, Health, and Police with remand fostering and bail support services commissioned through Barnardos. |
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