Youth Justice befriending
COVEY was involved, in partnership with South Lanarkshire Social Work Resources Youth Justice team, in piloting an initiative to provide a befriending service for young people involved in offending behaviour.
Evidence from other projects indicates that when young people are given one to one support; someone who is there for them; someone who can listen to them and provide the encouragement to try out new activities; this can give them the motivation to make some positive change in their lives.
We aimed to:
- allow young people to make positive choices and be supported in pursuing them
- maintain the progress which the young person has made through Youth Justice services
- to enable young people to do things that they would not normally do on their own
- encourage the young person in the positive use of leisure time
- divert young person from offending behaviour and develop social skills.
Essentially young people who were experiencing additional challenges and difficulties in their lives needed a caring, fun loving and supportive adult, with infinite patience to befriend them.
Additional training was given to volunteers who would consider becoming a Youth Justice befriender. This training covered some of the aspects that are particular to this type of work.
Befrienders can find the experience challenging, frustrating, rewarding and fun... all at the same time! We needed some special people who could make a real difference in the life of a young person.
Outings could be as varied as visits to the car market, trying on hats on shopping trips and fishing trips in the rain. Planning was sometimes more difficult and flexibility and creativity was required.
Some quotes:
My befriending is going brilliantly! I feel that I have found a real friend. (Young Person)
Every week is a new week... a different challenge. (Befriender)
Once he has been out with befriender I feel I can communicate far better with him. (Parent)
It's a great service. (Social Worker)
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