Community safety services fund 2019/20

Humankind Women’s Diversion Project (WDS), Countywide

£19, 784 funding awarded

£6,575 (in addition to £19,784 awarded) funding awarded

Funding will support the continuation of this countywide diversionary scheme for a further 12 months, enhancing and developing links with Liaison and Diversion services and other key partners across the county to reduce reoffending and protect vulnerable people within the North Yorkshire community.

The WDS has two clear objectives;

• Reduce offending by women within North Yorkshire by diverting them away from the Criminal Justice System.
• Reduce the number of women re-entering the Criminal Justice System by providing alternative effective interventions, informed by assessment.

The assessment tool is designed so Women’s Diversion Project Workers can devise an action plan and deliver appropriate interventions to achieve a positive outcome. This includes; five mandated 1:1 session with further support available via women’s groups that are delivered in community venues. Outreach work is available for those that are unable to travel to the sessions.

Women can continue to access group activities on a voluntary basis when they have completed mandatory sessions with their worker, to support long-term positive change in behaviour.

North Yorkshire Police Offender Management Unit, Polygraph Testing for Registered Sex Offenders

£17,000.00 funding awarded

One-off funding will enable the purchase of the polygraph, which will be used on a voluntary basis for Registered Sex Offenders, to encourage disclosure of breaches and prevent further offending.

During a home visit a Public Protection Officer will introduce and explain polygraph to the Registered Sex Offender. As part of the Registered Sex Offender’s risk assessment there will be rationale as to why a polygraph test is required. Approximately 25 Registered Sex Offenders will be targeted each year.

Where an Registered Sex Offenders agrees to undertake the examination, a referral will be made to the polygraph officer and the Registered Sex Offenders will be contacted to arrange a suitable time/location to undertake the examination. The process, consent, areas of questioning and risk areas will be determined prior to the examination taking place. Following the examination, an update will be provided to the offender manager on the day, the final polygraph report will be submitted within five working days.

The polygraph testing will highlight cases where risk areas are identified and where no further risk areas are disclosed. These examinations can be considered in the risk assessment for the Registered Sex Offenders, to support defensible decision making as well as ensuring resources can be allocated where they are most in need to support public protection.

Street Angels and Safe Haven – Kingdom Faith Yorkshire Trust

£5,766.00 (July-Sep) and £14,861.00 (Sep for 12 months, supported by Public Health) – Scarborough

Street Angels and Safe Haven support vulnerable people in the night time economy (NTE) in Scarborough to stay / feel safe, provide a safe place (including if assaulted or frightened) to go, act as a signpost for the emergency services, to help reduce crime and ASB.

The project provides emergency aid, defibrillator and a calming presence in the centre of Scarborough, acting as Ambassadors for the town. Facilities at the Safe Haven include an area allowing people to sober up, café enabling people to escape the NTE drinking culture and a quiet place for police to see people who have been a victim of crime.

This funding will enable the continuation and further development of the project for the next 12 months.

Anger Management Service – Arch Resolution

£10,000 funding awarded – Countywide

The aim of this Anger Management service is to provide the Community Safety Hubs with a service that supports their objectives, sees an improvement in the referred clients’ behaviours as defined by the Community Safety Referral Matrix and impacts positively on the community.

For all referrals, the provider will offer the delivery of an Anger Management service that:

• Helps the client(s) recognise/identify what makes them angry (triggers or catalysts for anger)
• Enables the client(s) to best respond to these triggers without being aggressive
• Enables the client(s) to learn skills/techniques to help manage triggers for anger effectively
• Helps the client(s) learn how to be assertive
• Helps the client(s) develop/learn problem solving techniques.

Anger Management can be used as an effective approach to dealing with antisocial behaviour. It enables people to understand the impact of their behaviour on others.

Achieve Phase 2 – Prince’s Trust

£10,000 funding awarded – Countywide

Building on the successful Achieve Phase 1, this funding will enable further development and expansion of the Achieve Programme.

The programme will target young people who have completed the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s LIFE course, providing follow-up to support their continued engagement in a positive, diversionary intervention.

Achieve is a flexible programme based on need and run by identified partners. Activities include:

• Active citizenship
• Personal, Social Development
• Enterprise
• Life Skills
• Preparation for work
• STEM
• Literacy, Language Numeracy skills (LLN)

Skill Mill – North Yorkshire Youth Justice Service

£5,000 funding awarded – Countywide

Skill Mill is a supported entry-to-employment project for high-need, risky and challenging young offenders, aged 16-19yrs. A Skill Mill crew comprises a professional supervisor and four trainees, with an equipped working van.

Each Skill Mill crew undertakes labour contracts for local customers, for example property maintenance, forestry, landscaping, environmental clearance and dry-stone walling etc, earning income which partially offsets project costs.

Trainees are given close support to develop good working skills, to find a field of work which interests them, and to move to a long-term job or college course. They also receive training to boost literacy & numeracy, and obtain workplace entry qualifications (eg CSCS card).

Building on a successful pilot project in Scarborough, funding will support the continuation of this programme for young people most at risk of re-offending.

Women’s Wellness Centre – Changing Lives

£15,000.00 funding awarded – York

Funding will support delivery from the WWC in York, focused on improving support for vulnerable female offenders and women at risk of entering the criminal justice system.

The centre responds to the distinct needs of women and brings together a range of partners to provide family-friendly support packages that aim to reduce the risk of vulnerability and offending in the city.

Services include female-centred, trauma informed services and expert support around domestic violence, risk of sexual exploitation, and emotional health, wellbeing and resilience.

The CSSF will continue to provide £15,000 on an annual basis to the WWC to ensure this support is continued on a long-term basis.