Crime Prevention

How are we helping to reduce crime in Berkshire?

We are working with our partners to help tackle crime in identified areas in Berkshire. We use sport and physical activity as a tool to provide children and young people divergent opportunities and steer away from or prevent criminal behaviour.

Through working with Thames Valley Police, Secondary Schools, Local Authorities and our fantastic sport and activity deliverers we are able to work with the right participants and tackle pressing social issues. We use holistic methods to ensure we provide support around topics such as employment, mental wellness and the acquisition of transferable life skills.

Get Berkshire Active have also been able to provide Neighbourhood Police Teams the opportunity to engage with young people via our sports and activity sessions in a positive and fun way.

Facts and Figures

According to the Youth Justice Board / Ministry of Justice report 2018 the number of the offences committed by children and young people has increased by 11% since the year ending March 2012, while the number of these offences committed by adults has fallen by 10% over the same period.

While the number of children and young people in custody from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background has been decreasing, the proportion has been increasing, accounting for 45% of the custodial population in the latest year, whilst only making up 18% of the 10 – 17 general population.

Tackling Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)

What are Adverse Childhood Experiences?

ACES are extremely stressful events that occur in childhood that have an impact on the health behaviours in adulthood. This can include a severe one-off event or prolonged stress over the course of a childhood. The main ACES include;

• Abuse (physical, emotional, sexual abuse)
• Neglect (physical and emotional)
• Mental Ill Health
• Substance Misuse
• Criminality
• Domestic Violence
• Parental Separation or Divorce

Why are GBA targeting those living with ACES?

Get Berkshire Active are working with key organisations and groups that work with young people living with ACES because of their clear links to health inequalities.

Growing up with ACES have been found to have lifelong impacts on health and behaviour that impact and are relevant to all sectors.

An ACE survey with adults in Wales found that those with 4 or more ACES are

• 2x more likely to binge drink and have a poor diet
• 3x more likely to be a current smoker
• 4x more likely to have low levels of mental wellbeing
• 5x more likely to have underage sex
• 6x more likley to have an unplanned teenage pregnancy
• 7x more likely to have been involved in violence
• 11x more likely to have used illicit drugs
• 11x more likely to have been incarcerated

Although we cannot stop these things from happening we all have a part to play in preventing adversity and raising awareness of ACES. Community resilience (found in sport and leisure) has an important role in reducing these health inequalities.

Find out more about ACES here

What are GBA doing to help Tackle Adverse Childhood Experiences?

RBWM Targeted Sport Intervention Programme

This programme is aiming to bring Community Sports Providers and Community Safety, Youth Services and Education closer together, providing a robust referral pathway for any young person involved or at risk of being involved in crime or anti social behaviour to engage in sport and positive prosocial behaviours.

To find out more information about our delivery, click on the links below.

If you would like any additional information about our current work, please contact Ryan Gordon ryan.gordon@getberkshireactive.org

How Can You Help Tackle ACES?

We are working with multiple organisations and delivers to ensure more people are becoming 'Trauma Informed'.

There are multiple ways you can support both young people experiencing ACES and adults living with ACES.

Here are some of the things you could do;

Resources

Street Games: Using sport to change lives, change sport and change communities

Government Press Release: Harnessing the power of sport to help tackle youth violence

National Crime Agency: 'County Lines Violence, Exploitation & Drug Supply'

Sported: 'Reducing Youth Violence: The Role of Community Groups'

_#KnifeFree

Street Games: 'Community Safety and Sport'

Loughborough University: 'Safer Together - Creating Partnerships for Positive Change'

Ryan Gordon

Lead for Workforce and Network Resilience

Ryan is the Lead Officer for Workforce and Network Resilience. His role involves coordinating and delivering GBA Resilience Support to organisations around Berkshire as well as developing and implementing GBAs Workforce Plan. Originally from Zimbabwe, he moved to the UK when he was 15 and went on to complete a degree in Sport and Exercise Sciences, with a specific focus on Psychology. Prior to this role, he worked in Cricket Development, and is an ECB Coach Developer, mentoring and tutoring future coaches and an Advanced Coach (Level 3) in Cricket. His personal passion for sport has allowed him insight into the impact physical activity can have, and he specifically enjoys delivering sessions to help boost self esteem and enjoyment. Outside of his role, he plays cricket, golf, swimming, rugby and enjoys watching football.

Telephone

07702 892518

Email

ryan.gordon@getberkshireactive.org