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Fixing the future - an open letter from David Sidwick, Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner

All too often, many of the problems in society are attributed to young people. Young people are seen by some as having nothing better to do and are regularly vilified as being responsible for causing nuisance and disorder, as well as other issues.

I know this perception is incorrect, and young people should never be lumped together as a group to be feared. Indeed, teenagers are more likely to be victims of crime than perpetrators. When it comes to youth, it’s incredibly important we get it right. It’s vital we tap into the enormous potential our young people have and steer them towards making better choices. Thankfully, there are several organisations across Dorset which are already doing an incredible job of providing them with this guidance.

Dragon’s Den

I’d been invited to sit on the judging panel for a Dragon’s Den style event, in which police cadets were asked to deal with an anti-social behaviour scenario, very similar to those ones which police officers and council staff have to respond to on a regular basis. It was fascinating to hear their suggestions and to see them bounce ideas around as they attempted to come up with solutions. The teenagers I met were fulfilling useful roles in their communities, as well as developing confidence and life skills such as communication and team building. But good as the police cadets is as a youth organisation, it will never be for everyone.

Excluded kids get a breath of fresh air

Future Roots is an organisation that uses one of Dorset’s greatest resources – the rural environment – to offer young people the chance to boost their wellbeing and reach their potential. I visited the service at their farm near Sherborne earlier in the summer to see how the hands-on farm-based activities they provide, help young people become more comfortable with who they are, build confidence and identify their strengths. It’s led by Julie Plumley, a farmers’ daughter who went on to have a long career in social work and decided to create an organisation that combined the best of both worlds. She stresses that young people don’t go there because they are ‘naughty’ or ‘bad’ but because they need a safe and secure learning environment.

School’s not always the answer

The traditional school setting doesn’t work for every child, and Julie told me about many examples of families and young people who have found the solution they were looking for at Future Roots. This includes teenagers who had been excluded from school, who had become known to the police, as well as those who were just

unable to cope with lockdown. Their lives had been transformed simply by working among animals in the fresh air. “teenagers are I also visited the Dorset Youth Association in Dorchester more likely recently. It enabled me to to be victims connect with a wide range of of crime than perpetrators” people in the voluntary and community sector, to find out more about some of the challenges they face.

Equipping our young people

I am making commitments not only to cutting crime and antisocial behaviour, but to putting our community first. That means making sure young people are not left behind, and that by working with a wide range of partners we provide proper support for those who are struggling. Fixing the future by addressing the problems our young people face is a big challenge which goes far beyond policing. But it’s important we do what we can to give them the right tools to make the right decisions. PCC David Sidwick