Our Young People’s Service is growing…
Funding from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and TNL Community Fund is exciting news; it means the expansion of our Young People’s Service (YPS) and the chance for us to help more young people in the south west region.
As our YPS expands across the region, we are now accepting referrals for a younger cohort in some areas, from 10 years upwards. All Circles of Support and Accountability for young people are match-funding dependent.
To date we have facilitated 24 Circles for young people 14 years+. Our first Circle for a young person under 14 years starts in February.
Our Circles for young people have been positively evaluated by Research in Practice https://www.rip.org.uk/, the charity promoting evidence-informed practice
“Overall we have shown a marked difference in a balanced measure of dynamic risk between the start and end of circles. In other words, during the time that circles have been active, perceived risk due to dynamic factors has reduced for core members. Further evidence from across the evaluations suggests that the circle has had a large contributory effect in this reduction of risk” Final Evaluation Report, Research in Practice, March 2019 – p57
The full report can be accessed here https://circles-southwest.org.uk/making-a-difference/
Our Circles for young people have also been positively evaluated by the University of Cambridge (2018)
“The Circle offers support, social interaction and positive role models…… Circles constituted a space where they [young people] could talk and discuss problems, and where they were heard. Relationships within Circles were often (although not always) characterised as trusting, warm and friendly. The activity element of Circles built relationships and enabled the young men to try new leisure pursuits. Circles also offered practical help and guidance in areas such as housing, money management and employment.”
For more information check out our YPS introductory film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIEyXoT4_D8
And the young people’s section of our website here https://circles-southwest.org.uk/services/young-peoples-services/
We’re grateful to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, TNL Community Fund, Friends Therapeutic Community Trust and other local funders for supporting this important work.
