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ITACA | Reaching Out

Purpose and Aims of the "Reaching Out" project

1. Abergele Youth Action and Local Community Police working in partnership to engage young people that are on the verge of disaffection, anti social behaviour, young offenders and those at risk of offending and possible alcohol and substance misuse.
2. To encourage participants to reflect on their behaviour and identify alternatives, resulting in increasingly socially acceptable behaviour through a series of workshops held in the digilab and a variety of activities.
3. To encourage positive relationships to develop between groups of young people, local businesses, statutory and voluntary youth provisions, and the local police force.
4. To address issues of crime prevention, community safety, drugs misuse/prevention and social inclusion.

Objectives

1. To engage young people within Abergele and the surrounding area including the coastal strip from Pensarn to Towyn and Kinmel Bay that are at risk of alcohol and substance misuse, offending and anti social behaviour.
2. To engage with those in the target age range (14-25) that are at risk of social exclusion, disengaged from education/training or unemployed and encourage them to continue to further education, training and/or employment.
3. To encourage meaningful participation by young people in their local communities.
4. To encourage a return to education, further training or employment by using the digilab facility and staff.
5. To improve relationships between groups of young people, the local police and various youth agencies.
6. To encourage participation in various sport and outdoor activities.
7. To encourage participants to reflect on their behaviour as well as consequences and effects on others.
8. To encourage the development of trust between young people and the partner agencies that are in place to support them.
9. To encourage 'shared' experiences.

Methods

1. AYA will support the local community police team one evening per week to identify and engage with groups of young people that are not currently accessing any form of youth provision and are at risk of social exclusion.
2. To identify those young people that are involved or at risk of becoming involved in substance misuse, under age drinking, criminal activity and anti-social behaviour.
3. To develop relationships with these targeted young people and encourage them to become involved in a series of activities and structured workshops addressing relevant issues such as:
   • Healthy living
   • Consequences of alcohol and substance misuse
   • Possible career routes
   • Effective team work
4. To develop a series of workshops in partnership with relevant youth and community agencies to take place in the digilab using IT as a tool.
5. To develop sustainable activities and encourage new experiences including:
   • Paint balling
   • Mountain biking
   • Hiking
   • Drama workshops
   • Camping expeditions
   • Go-carting
   • Environmental art
   • Digital photography and editing including digital story telling

Outcomes

1. Participants will be offered the opportunity to accredit their work with the Open College Network.
2. There will be a significant reduction in incidents of anti social behaviour.
3. There will be improved relationships between young people, the local Police, partner agencies and the wider community thereby contributing to social regeneration.
4. Participants will develop improved self image, confidence, roles within a team, effective communication, problem solving and practical experiences.
5. Participants return to education, training or employment, including self employment this will contribute to the economic regeneration of the area.

Graffiti Art

A recent project has involved learning the art of graffiti under the instruction of Kieran Gorman of Zap Graffiti Art of Liverpool.

For a long time, the pedestrian underpass which links Pensarn with Abergele from Queensway to Ffordd y Morfa, has been an eyesore and when a motorbike was set on fire in the underpass in February that was the last straw! During the summer school holidays the tunnel was closed to the public to allow the council to repair the damage before the young people moved in to begin work on applying the graffiti mural.

The aim is to educate the young people to use the art form responsibly and within the realms of the law and it is hoped that the finished project will discourage further damage to the underpass.

Funding has also been received from Conwy Community Arts Council as well as Abergele Round Table who have made a contribution to the cost of materials. The group are grateful to Tesco and Somerfield who have generously supplied food and drink for lunches and breaks while the young people worked hard to complete the project.

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