Barnsley teen thanks Street Smart team for turning his life around

A Barnsley teenager has thanked a PCC-funded street smart team for helping him turn his life around when he was displaying ‘challenging behaviours’.
Danielle Andrews
By Danielle Andrews
Published 25th Jan 2022, 11:07 BST
Updated 25th Jan 2022, 14:02 BST
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Reece, aged 15, became involved in the Youth Association’s Street Smart team through their detached team in Locke Park.

The team’s youth workers engaged Reece in sessions to manage emotions, as well as encouraging him to take up sports and team games.

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The StreetSmart service, supported by funding from the South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit, supports young people at a street level, when parents, schools and other services struggle to reach them.

Reece became a regular at the street smart sessions, and would often bring friends from school along to the group.

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Reece went on to get involved in his school’s YouTube channel, and helped spread the word about the service at a community football tournament at Doncaster Road playing fields.

Since then, youth workers say his confidence has soared, and he now supports other youngsters in the project.

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Youth workers have also built a relationship with Reece’s mum and grandparents, and helped him access SEN support.

As a result of his work with the group, Reece attended the launch of the South Yorkshire Community Foundation’s Vital Signs report.

Reece sat on a panel alongside his youth worker and spoke about his experience of the StreetSmart project and the benefits he has experienced.

Reece is set to join The Youth Association ambassador programme in which young people sit alongside the Board of Trustees and make decisions for the organisation as a whole.

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Graham Jones, head of the South Yorkshire violence reduction unit, said: “It is fantastic to read Reece’s story, and to hear about the positive impact that The Youth Association’s StreetSmart programme has made on his life.

“As a Violence Reduction Unit, we are determined to support projects like this, which make a real difference in the lives of people and communities across South Yorkshire.”

To find out more about the Violence Reduction Unit, see: https://southyorkshireviolencereductionunit.com/

Related topics:BarnsleyPCCYouTube