News
Re-launch of Youth Justice Community Services Falls (30/11/2006)
The Youth Justice Agency today re-launched their Community Services office on the Falls Road, Belfast.Youth Justice Community Services is tasked with the delivery of effective locally based intervention services targeted at young people who are at risk within the community. It aims to protect the public by preventing offending by children and encouraging the young people to recognise the effects of their behaviour and to take responsibility for their actions.
The project is one of 24 community based projects acrossNorthern Ireland operated by the Youth Justice Agency’s Community Services directorate.
Each project works with children aged 10-17 with a view to furthering their personal, social and educational development through tailored services that meets their individual needs and helps them to reduce the risk of re-offending, whilst allowing them to make a contribution to society.
Programmes offered to young people may include individual work, family support, supplementary education support (reading, writing, maths and IT), group work, diversionary activities such as Duke of Edinburgh Award, Craft, Design and Technology, outdoor pursuits, and links to other services. The programmes offered are innovative and varied in order to provide an effective service.
Artie O’Neill, Acting Chief Executive, Youth Justice Agency, said, “Support is provided at varying levels. The work undertaken by the Falls project will attempt to address the underlying causes of offending, through motivating the young people, challenging their abilities, stimulating their interests and building up their self esteem.
“The programmes often address development issues or difficulties in a child’s life, such as family relationships, education, training, employment, drug abuse, anger management and social skills.”
Franziska Ewald, Project Manager,Youth Justice Agency Community Services Falls, adds; “Most of our work is directed by the Youth Court, through for example, Reparation Orders, Community Responsibility Orders or Attendance Centre Orders and we are a designated attendance centre.
“We have also developed a partnership approach with a number of local and national statutory and voluntary organisations that has allowed us to build relationships with local young people to implement early intervention programmes with effective results. We also work with children and families on a voluntary basis.”
Youth Justice Community Services is one directorate of the Youth Justice Agency, which also encompasses Youth Conference Service and the Juvenile Justice Centre forNorthern Ireland. The services are often delivered in partnership with others, to help children address their offending behaviour, divert them from crime, assist their integration into the community, and meet the needs of victims of crime.
The Agency has a vision of having the lowest youth offending rates in the European Union by 2011.
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