News
Inspirational Speakers Highlight Barriers to Young Offenders. (21/02/2008)
Two inspirational speakers were in Northern Ireland recently to highlight the barriers and problems facing young offenders when they try to reintegrate fully into society.Sharon Cooper and Earl Simister came to take part in events organised as part of Criminal Justice Week where the Youth Justice Agency and the Prince’s Trust Northern Ireland teamed up to present a series of events which highlight the barriers facing young people who have gone through the Criminal Justice system.
Criminal Justice week took place in Northern Ireland from February 18th – 23rd and centred on listening to the concerns and challenges about the criminal justice system as well as highlighting the work that is being done to reduce crime in Northern Ireland.
Sharon Cooper has life experience of homelessness from a very young age, substance misuse, criminal activity and prison. She has dealt with having her children taken into care. Through the support of the Quinton House Project , she has overcome substance misuse and the cycle of offending and resettled in Bournemouth. Sharonis involved in voluntary work, especially with the Prince’s Trust on the project – “Working One to One with Young Offenders.”
Earl Simister has also life experience of substance misuse, criminal activity and prison. he has overcome substance misuse and the cycle of offending. He has resettled in Bournemouth. Earl works part-time at the Quinton House Project and is a full-time student at Southampton Universitystudying Addiction Counselling. He also volunteers for The Prince’s Trust - “Working One to One with Young Offenders.”
The “Working One to One with Young Offenders” programme is a programme of support for young offenders which starts while they are in custody and continues throughout their re-integration into society.
Speaking of the events Prince’s Trust Northern Ireland Chairman, David Dobbin, said “ We are delighted to be able to work with the Youth Justice Agency on these events. Both organisations have common goals and are committed to helping young people, prevent them offending and give them a second chance. We will jointly be preparing a paper based on the findings of the three events which we hope will be of use to practitioners and decision makers alike.”
Bill Lockhart, Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Agency was delighted to work alongside the Princes Trust in hosting the 3 events aiming to reduce the stigma associated with those who have offended. "The personal stories Earl and Sharon kindly shared were inspiring for others to hear and their journey through the criminal justice system to the other side is encouraging for those who feel trapped in that environment. Through the events, we have built the necessary foundations for voluntary and statutory agencies and the business sector working together in harmony to create positive outcomes for those young people involved in the criminal justice system."
The first of the high profile events was held in HillsboroughCastle where around 50 key decision makers and practitioners in youth offending from both sides of the border met to focus on preventing and reducing offending and sharing lessons learnt in the area. The event was chaired by Ellie Roy from the Youth Justice Board of England and Wales. This was followed by a dinner where employers from the private and public sector as well as those involved in the voluntary and criminal justice system were able to discuss the barriers to ex-offenders gaining employment.
The highlight of the joint events was undoubtedly the chance for young people who have been through the criminal justice system to share their experiences with Earl and Sharon and a wider audience.
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