STEER

The STEER project - Supporting young people affected by gangs and organised crime.

The STEER project began in summer 2017 to prevent and desist young people becoming involved in organised crime groups (OCGs). It is funded by Salford City Council - Project Gulf and Programme Challenger.

Fifteen young men, aged 12 to 17, have already completed work with the project and another 13 are currently being helped. The project is also open to young women.

The project offers help with finding new, positive interests, anger management, support with school issues and one to one mentoring.

Among its successes is one young man who had been arrested for stealing a car and anti-social behaviour and whose school attendance had dropped to 28%.

Since working with the project he has gained a place on a pre-apprenticeship course achieving 90% attendance and winning praise from his tutors. He now plans to pursue a trade apprentice and says the project has hugely improved his life and prospects.

Referrals are made to the project from a wide range of services (eg. police, schools, locality teams). The main intervention delivered is coaching, using motivational interviewing to enable young people to understand and change their behaviours and attitudes.

Key facts: 

• 92% of those referred are involved in anti-social behaviour
  
• 84% have associates or family members involved in organised crime
  
• 30% are experiencing violence in the family and 30% exhibit evidence of overt coercion
  
• 38% are demonstrating a sudden loss of interest in hobbies / school and are staying out unusually late
  
• Referrals have been generated by seven schools in the city, family support workers, children's services, social workers, Project Gulf and young carers
  
• 100% of the young people who have had a three month review have committed no offences and no intelligence logs have been recorded about them (GMP data)
  
• 100% of the young people who have had a three month review have demonstrated improvements in taking responsibility, motivation and problem-solving, engagement with education and minimising risk taking behaviour 
  

To refer a young person to the Steer Project visit www.salford.gov.uk/worriedaboutachild and complete the online referrals form.

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