The Transition to Adulthood Project in Worcester, delivered by youth charity YSS, received a visit from Rob Flello MP.

The Shadow Minister for Justice and MP for Stoke-on-Trent South heard first hand from young adults on the project and their key workers. Dan, aged 23, said of being of the project, “I am more confident now, and my life has change for the better, and this is thanks to the work with my T2A worker.”

Mr Flello commented:

‘After speaking with young people and their key workers at the YSS project in Worcester, there is a clear message which emerges about the best approach to help young people avoid cycles of offending. It was really encouraging to hear how YSS gives young people the confidence and knowledge to enable them to move forward with their lives and overcome the challenges which they may have faced in the past. The approachable and friendly atmosphere at YSS breaks down the barriers between service users and staff, motivating young people to engage in activities and opportunities which they may have been reluctant to access in the past. The YSS approach clearly works and the benefits which it brings to the young people that it supports cannot be overestimated.’

David Chantler, CEO West Mercia Probation Trust, Phil Kendrick, Head of Commissioning for West Mercia Youth Offending Service with YSS Senior Managers and YSS chair of Trustees Lady Macfarlane had the opportunity to discuss the forthcoming national changes to the probation services with the MP, as well as the locally planned changes the develop T2A on a permanent basis following the Barrow Cadbury Trust funded project.

In light of the newly arranged tendering arrangements of Probation Services, they also discussed the future role of the voluntary sector in criminal justice interventions. Rob Smith, CEO of YSS highlighted his concerns that the pioneering work of T2A in West Mercia, which had evidenced a significant reduction in re-offending (9% compared to a cohort of 48%) was at risk. The role of the voluntary sector in being both engaged and innovative could be severely restricted if the tendering specifications for these new services were not designed accurately.