Deputy Commissioner Visits Senghenydd Youth Drop In Centre

6th August 2013

SYDIC is a charity that engages with local youngsters to encourage them to make positive contributions to their community. Working together with partners including the Local Community First, Local Authority, schools, police and voluntary sector groups, SYDIC offers a wide range of services and activities for young people 12 hours a day most days of the week.

The funding of £3380 is being used to employ a Youth Worker to build on the on-going partnership work to promote young people's awareness and understanding of how criminal and anti social behaviour impacts on individuals, families and the community.

The Gwent Police Property Fund is raised from the sale of property and cash seized from criminals, as well as the disposal of unclaimed lost property. Organisations receiving the funding have to show that the funds will be used to help prevent crime and anti-social behaviour or divert people away from crime.

Youth engagement is an area of significant interest for the Commissioner. He recently welcomed the Welsh Government's announcement that extra funding is to be allocated to prevent young people from committing crime and looks forward to the opportunity to discussing, with them and partners, how it might support the commissioning of services for Gwent in the future.

Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Paul Harris said:

"Youth engagement and crime prevention are priority areas for the Police and Crime Commissioner. We strongly believe that giving youngsters co-ordinated support at an early stage will prevent or break the cycle of offending and provide young people, who have an extremely valid contribution to make to local communities, with the best opportunities to reach their potential."

Dave Brunton, Project Manager, SYDIC said:

"This is a great opportunity for SYDIC and the Police to work together over an extended period of time, in order to effect positive change in young people and allow them to make meaningful contributions to the safety and well-being of their community."