Police Commissioner Funds Youth Club to Address Crime Increase

A youth outreach initiative has been granted £20,000 by a police and crime commissioner, in response to an increase in youth-related criminal activity. This funding will enable Warminster and Westbury Youth Club to double the time it dedicates to young individuals within the town. Police reports indicate that Warminster town centre has experienced a rise in youth-related crime over the past eight months. Philip Wilkinson, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, stated: “Youth workers provide preventative measures to either help guide young people back onto the right path, or stop them from going down the wrong path in the first place.” His office supplied the financial support to expand the youth club’s sessions to four per week. Mr Wilkinson further commented: “It’s important we recognise that only a small percentage of young people are involved in anti-social behaviour, but we have seen how seemingly low-level criminality can create patterns of behaviour which lead young people into trouble later on in life.” He continued: “By targeting our funding to the areas where we can demonstrate it will have the most positive effect, we can work with our partners towards a common goal of creating safe spaces for young people, and making our communities a better and safer place to live for all.” These sessions are facilitated by seasoned youth workers who offer support and mentorship to young individuals, assisting them in overcoming difficulties and acquiring vital life skills. Beth Mullins, the manager of Warminster and Westbury Youth Club, stated: “Over the last four months the detached team has built up some positive relationships with the young people. “These relationships have allowed us to be able to defuse situations before any police involvement and it has also led to us working closely with some shops in the town where they have seen a reduction in youth anti-social behaviour with our support and intervention.” BBC Wiltshire can be followed on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas may be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. This content is Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external sites. Details of our approach to external linking are available.