Comments from workshops participants (collected bullet points...)

What is young people's experience?:

Need to consult more with young people.
Fear of crime (particularly mobiles)
Policy makers need to take action on young people's views.
Young people are not listened to
Young people are stereotyped
Young people are victimised
Get poorer services than adults
Standing with friends on the street is seen as unacceptable / threatening
When poorer educated there are bigger issues
Young people don't feel safe - deprivation, crime, poor lighting, alcohol, fear of adults (high streets)
Detached youth work - cuts in services / gaps in provision
Dispersal orders - impact puts young people in unsafe positions (youthworkers are not consulted on this process...)
Perceptions of young people - perceived as a threat
CCTV - criminalising young people - no communication - arms-length viewing
Many of the current policy responses to community safety (e.g. Cameras, dispersal orders, "mosquito" devices) are perceived by young people as making their communities *less* safe for them...
Huge variety of experiences
Many young people feel unheard
Many young people feel judged

Where are we falling short for children and young people?:

Not listening / asking
Often when asked - young people don't see a result. Not following through.
Not respected enough
Not giving feedback.
Not giving them positive role models and displaying positive images
When something is reported in the media we don't go to young people for comments - we go to adults.
We're not listening and consulting enough
Not providing enough qualified staff
Lack of youth provisions
Lack of positive role models and images for young people

Why are we falling short?:

Adults (mid age range) often not on the streets (using cars)
Young people and old people only ones left on the streets - not surprising - older ones are scared
Government targets push to criminalise and stigmatise young people
We think we know what's best - we were young once
Organisational excuses - not enough time and money
Not involving young people in design / delivery / policy
Politicians scared of young people
Adults don't, on the whole, like young people
Don't have the institutional norms that involve and consult young people
Sometimes only consulting the 'easy to reach' - not the hard to reach...

What needs to be changed or put in place?:

Need to research into the health effects of mosquito systems or just ban them! Look at alternatives. Invite MP's with kids under 17 to make their child to an are with mosquito device... It's age discrimination against human rights!
Police targets counter-productive for young people. Police targets contradict youth offending targets
More funding for local projects
Training in youth work for P.C.S.O.s
Proposals in youth matters implemented. Standards need to be set high and we need to develop a culture that expects exceeding the minimum.
New police/PCSO recruits to have training session from young people about what it's like to be young & police and young peoples relationships
Sharing of what has worked in authorities
Intergenerational work
ASBOs/CCTV - consultation with young people and youth service providers
Consultation - listen and act
Look at roles of personal and detached youth workers - where do we need investment...

If young people identify "boredom" as the key factor of anti-social behaviour, in areas where a comprehensive and accessible youth service is in place, /and/ anti-social behaviour still exists: *what more can be done?*

We understand that PCSOs can be good in different areas - but the quality is not consistent in all places. We discussed ideas such as young people training policy and more education on adolescence for PCSOs but *how can we ensure such programmes and quality standards are applied around the country*.

Young people want to be respected
Demand for consultation (e.g. Mosquito / CCTV)
Judgement being made with limited knowledge
Need to engage with "credible" adult.
Listen to young people locally and nationally
Involve them as integral par of strategy/policy/devlivery and development as equal partners - not as token involvement / consultation...

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Added by tim at 06/25/2007 - 15:14

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