Targeted youth support: neighbourhood wardens reduce crime and fear of crime

A team of 14 neighbourhood wardens are reducing crime, particularly anti-social behaviour, and the fear of crime in Halewood, Liverpool. Set up in 2003 by the local authority, the wardens' work includes collaborating with community members to make the environment safer and cleaner, working in partnerships with other services and agencies to support at-risk people (young, adult and old) and supporting community development.

Why change was needed

Young people were hanging around on the street and had nothing to do. While most were behaving themselves, incidents of anti-social behaviour and petty crime were high and local residents felt threatened by their presence.

Action taken

Knowsley local authority extended a pilot warden scheme, set up in nearby Stockbridge in 2001, into Halewood. The wardens who, unlike community officers, have no direct link to the police, quickly developed the trust of the community as they came from the area and spend the day (8am 10pm) walking the neighbourhood and talking to residents, including, of course, young people. The wardens are paid and full-time and wear a high-visibility uniform. They are based in a local primary school.

We know the area and residents intimately, so we know first-hand what individual young people get up to as well as their backgrounds and their needs. As well as this helping to make us effective, we also liaise with and inform some 80 other agencies and services to ensure at-risk young people get all the support they need when they need it.

Steve Roberts, Assistant Warden Manager

One big issue in the area was a lack of things for young people to do. This was a particularly acute problem on Friday nights when a lot of anti-social behaviour occurred. To counter this, the wardens set up 'The Hustle', a Friday evening multi-sports club, in the Halewood leisure centre. For just 50p, young people between the ages of 8-19 can access any and all of the facilities, including boxing, football and weights between three and 10pm.

The wardens also organise regular cross-generational groups which help build understanding and trust between young people and adults. Their other duties include often undervalued tasks such as checking on the elderly and isolated, organising the removal of fly-tipped rubbish and the replacement of faulty street lights.

Results

Anti-social behaviour and crime has reduced in Halewood and residents, young and old, feel safer and better supported. Young people feel able to open up to the wardens as they don't come with the 'baggage' of the police and many other established agencies. Most of the local authority's contact with young people is through the wardens.

'The Hustle' is a great success and has been rolled-out to sports centres across the borough. A regular 50-80 young people turn up each week to take part in Halewood alone.

The Deputy Prime Minister sees Halewood and Knowsley wardens as a flagship scheme. In recognition of this, a wardens' resource centre one of just three in the country has been set up in the area and is used for training by all other wardens in the North West.

Click to read more good practice case studies related to the targeted youth support change process.