A youth project funded by PCC Rupert Matthews has been able to support up to 40 young people at risk of falling out of education.

A youth mentorship project has been able to support 40 young people at risk of exclusion since obtaining funding from the PCC.

Somali Development Services received £9,750 from the Commissioner’s Safety Fund for its ‘Intervening Before Crime’ project.

The scheme has been providing sports activities from a high school in Leicester as well as offering a range of educational, extracurricular classes and mentoring sessions. Parenting support and intergenerational conflict resolution have also been made available to adults.

The scheme has been funded for 12 months.

PCC Rupert Matthews said: “The evidence shows that young people who drop out of education face a higher risk of being drawn into crime and anti-social behaviour so resources like this, which deliver timely intervention, are desperately needed.

“The project has reached a significant number of young people already including those who have previously been reluctant to engage with diversionary activities. Sport is a medium than transcends all boundaries and I’m really impressed that the team is making an impact and seeing notable change through its work.”

The PCC’s funding enabled the project to recruit a specialist Youth Worker – in cases where specialist help is needed, the individual will be referred on to the project’s mentoring and support programme (funded independently).