Targeted youth support: fire service multi-agency work with vulnerable young people
Contact
Gill Edwards, community safety manager, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue service
gedwards@hwfire.org.uk
| Provider | Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue service |
|---|---|
| Topics | Youth Matters; Multi-agency working; Targeted youth support |
| Type | Emerging practice |
| Date | May 2006 |
| Region | West Midlands |
Hereford and Worcestershire fire service is collaborating with a range of youth agencies to run projects to support vulnerable young people. The strong fire service brand disciplined, uniformed, respected, and without the negative connotations which some young people associate with the police offers young people role models and experiences that complement work done by the Youth Offending Team (YOT), schools, the police, social services and others.
The projects help the fire service hit its preventative targets, e.g. reduction of arson and serious injuries from car crashes, while helping the other involved agencies hit their targets too.
Dragon Project
The Youth Offending Team (YOT) nominates young people, typically aged 15-16, who have committed car offences such as stealing cars or speeding. These young people attend a hard-hitting series of activities demonstrating the consequences of car crime, including graphic pictures of car accidents and the experience of being cut out of a car after an accident.
Work Experience project
Schools nominate individual pupils typically aged 15-16 who are disaffected, are truanting, have low self-esteem, etc. This week-long course is held on-site at a local fire station, and finishes with a formal passing out parade.
Hot Squad
Hot Squad involves agencies such as the Substance Misuse Action Team, St John's Ambulance, anti-car crime groups, the police, the health service, YOT and the Princes' Trust, and addresses issues such as fire, home, water and road-safety, healthy eating, crime, stranger danger, anti-social behaviour and low attainment. The agencies take this club out to schools (once a week over half of a school term) in the most deprived areas.
Click to read a case study about Hot Squad.
Juvenile Firesetter Awareness Programme
When a family support worker identifies young people with issues or problem behaviours around fire, they can refer them to this programme, which demonstrates the impact of fire. The programme takes place in a fire station and its intention is to make young people aware of the consequences, for both fire service resources and the public, of making hoax calls.
Fire Break
The fire service are currently planning to deliver an interactive, multi-agency, multi-safety style course for disaffected pupils nominated by teachers at local schools. The aim of the programme will be to increase self esteem and raise expectations and so improve school attendance for the involved pupils.
Click to read more good practice case studies related to the targeted youth support change process.
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Targeted youth support: fire service multi-agency work with vulnerable young people
