Southwark receives over £700,000 in funding for youth projects in the borough

12 December 2018

Southwark Council and its voluntary sector partners have been awarded £771,737 to deliver a number of youth focused schemes around the borough.

Southwark has received £441,737 in funding from the Home Office via the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime for Breaking Barriers Southwark, a voluntary sector led programme. This grant is also supplemented by an additional £330,000 of match funding secured by voluntary community sector partners. In addition to Breaking Barriers Southwark, the funding will support a micro grants programme.

Breaking Barriers Southwark is a targeted early intervention youth programme led by young people. The programme will target areas across the borough where young people are at risk of crime due to a range of factors largely driven by deprivation.

Southwark Young Advisors will be at the heart of the programme to ensure that each area of the scheme is beneficial for young people.

This scheme will bring together a range of voluntary sector organisations to deliver a range of interventions. One to one and group mentoring will be provided by Menitvity, Active Communities Network will support young people away from crime through informal education and highlighting pathways into meaningful employment and Millwall Community Trust will offer support through sports activities.

Thirty voluntary youth community groups in the borough will benefit from micro-grants co-ordinated by United St Saviours Charity to help these organisations develop and progress. It is estimated that this will help 1,000 to 1,500 young people.

The scheme will run from November 2018 until March 2020 and will support around 7,500 young people over the course of the programme.

Cllr Evelyn Akoto, cabinet member for community safety and public health said: “More funding is always welcome for services dedicated for young people as risk of getting involved in crime. This is a wide reaching partnership that will hopefully have a positive impact on the lives of many young people in our borough. This council believes that young people should be at the centre of the services that affect them so I am incredibly pleased that Southwark Young Advisors will have a key role in delivering this scheme. Youth crime is a multifaceted issue and there is no one size fits all approach to solving it. This scheme exemplifies the need for various organisations and authorities to share their knowledge and experience for the benefit of our young people.”

Oli Rahman, Director at Active Communities Network said: “Active Communities Network as a Southwark based charity is delighted to the lead partner with Southwark Council. Never has partnership been more important and we are delighted to be leading this borough wide early intervention programme with Southwark Young Advisors, Millwall Community Trust, and Mentivity.

“Our response is built on evidence and close consultation with young people and collectively we will provide new opportunities and alternatives to involvement in crime and violence.  

“We are also delighted to be working with London South Bank University who will evaluate the programme and United St Saviours Charity, who will be working with us to support other groups access much needed resources.”

Page last updated: 12 December 2018