Youth Crime Action Plan Street Team

The Youth Crime Action Plan (YCAP) Street Team consists of Police Community Support Officer Jamie Cree (Street Team Leader) two Youth Workers (Torbay Youth Service) and three YCAP Youth Workers. Each member of the team brings different qualities, skills and experiences gained through working with young people.

The main role of the Street Team is to target identified areas of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and youth crime and work with the young people in these areas to:

• Provide diversionary activities
• Provide support and advice
• Signpost in to clubs/activities/hobbies in the local area
• Challenge anti-social behaviour

Due to the work being carried out by the street team it has a great effect in the overall aim of reducing ASB and youth crime in the Torbay area.

Example of the Street Team Work

For the last Six months the Street Team has been working within the Foxhole, Paignton area on a Friday evening between 1900–2200hrs. We set up the Boxer Vehicle at the side of a large grass area, next to the old community centre. Due to the location this enables us to set up the football equipment and other sporting activities. During the session we engage with approx 30-35 young people from the immediate area with ages ranging from 12-17 years old.

Football is having the biggest effect on the young people with games of up to 22 youths, male and female engaging in the activity during the evening. The rest of the young people are either watching the game, on the Boxer or involved in other youth projects led by the YCAP workers. Recent statistics have shown a large reduction in ASB and underage drinking within the area on a Friday evening.