SUSSEX CENTRAL YMCA RECEIVES £1 MILLION FROM THE BIG LOTTERY FUND

The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) has awarded Sussex Central YMCA almost £1 million to help young offenders in Sussex get back on their feet. The awarded grant of £990,615 has been provided to use over 3 years to work specifically with young people leaving young offenders’ institutes to help minimise the risk of re-offending.

Chas Walker, Deputy Chief Executive at Sussex Central YMCA said “This is a unique opportunity for a partnership of statutory and voluntary sector organisations to work together to make a real difference in the lives of young people who find themselves on the wrong side of the law. We’ve already worked on a pilot project in Sussex which saw an almost 40% drop in re-offending rates amongst young people, so we know our approach works.”

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The project will work with Sussex-based young people aged 15-18 years of age who are about to leave custody and will provide them with individual action plans and activities that will improve their confidence and increase their life skills. A panel of young people will have direct involvement in deciding what activities and services are needed, such as help with accessing employment, education, training, or family support.

John Barradell, Chief Executive at Brighton and Hove City Council, said “Sussex Central YMCA have a track record of delivering innovative services for the benefit of disadvantaged young people, so I am delighted to hear they will be working so closely with our Youth Offending Service to deliver this life-changing project for young offenders. I am confident that this project will deliver results and that we will see a reduction in youth re-offending rates.”Climbing Wall

Peter Evans, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Children and Families said "I welcome the extra support this funding will provide, because giving young people leaving custody assistance as they move towards independent living can only be of benefit in helping them turn their lives around for the better."

The project will be delivered in partnership with the Youth Offending Teams in Brighton and Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex, and with Eastbourne YMCA and Sussex Nightstop, a charity offering accommodation to homeless young people.

The grant application was written in consultation with young ex-offenders who put forward ideas to make the project relevant to young people about to leave a Young Offenders Institute. John aged 19, from Brighton said: “I wish there was a service like this when I came out of prison when I was 17. I was seriously worried about having nothing to do and nowhere to go. My biggest concern was working things out with my family. It would have been amazing to have support and advice on where to start.”