a teammate like no other
Kent Police Child Centred Policing Team joins Dame Kelly Holmes Trust to offer young people a teammate like no other
The team, brought together by Sergeant Sheena Maclean-Bell from Thanet’s Community Safety Unit, is thrilled to launch a unique new way of supporting local young people, which started this week , and targets those who most need a champion in their corner. Sheena, who is aiming to reduce the risk of young people becoming involved with crime and instead give them the confidence and skills to have a brighter future, has worked with local partners to enable the programme delivery. With support from funders Southeastern Railway, Virtual School Kent, and Kent Community Foundation, the unit has partnered with Dame Kelly Holmes Trust to become the first police team in the country to engage with young people in this way. The Trust’s athlete mentors work with young people facing adversity in their everyday lives, delivering transformational programmes designed to boost wellbeing, increase confidence, strengthen resilience and build self-esteem so individuals can fulfil their true potential.
Young people today are facing a perfect storm – crisis after crisis. Research shows more than half of young people believe the cost-of-living crisis will have a worse impact on their life than the pandemic. This goes up to 60% amongst those from a poorer background. Those who come from poorer backgrounds, are not in education, employment or training, and young women are more likely to feel worried about the future.*
Young people remain positive, but they need help: 64% of young people feel they can overcome the challenges they face but need practical support to build their confidence and skills. The Trust’s programmes deliver just that.
Bringing about positive change
Sgt Maclean-Bell, who heads up the newly-established Child Centred Policing team in the district, was aware of the Trust’s work and wanted to introduce one of their programmes into a local school. She said:
‘A priority for Kent Police is to keep children safe and as a team we focus on the welfare of vulnerable young people. We work with schools and organisations to provide intervention and support those who might find themselves at risk from becoming involved in crime.
‘The work that will be beneficial to the community will completely depend on the children. They will be asked to come up with their own ideas of a social action project, such as tidying up an area to reduce the risk of ASB. Supported by the trust and our officers, they will work in teams to understand how their actions can bring about positive changes and over the school year will aim to bring that plan to fruition.
‘I am looking forward to my team working with the young people at St George’s School and our partners and seeing what ideas the pupils will have that will benefit the wider community.’
Claire Bennett, who will be mentoring the Thanet-based pupils, said:
‘We are so lucky to be able to go on a journey with a young person and support them to achieve their goals and ambitions. It fills me with pride and joy to see the positive impact athlete mentors have on the lives of young people and the best bit is following their progress and success in their lives beyond each programme.’
Working together
Adam Mirams, Headteacher said:
‘We are hugely grateful for being given the opportunity to work in collaboration with Southeastern, Kent Police and Dame Kelly Holmes Trust to take a part in a mentoring scheme that will support with the personal development of some of our pupils.
‘This scheme is an indication of the ability and desire of organisations to work together for the development of young people in the area and we hope that this will prove to be the start of initiatives that will touch many more pupils over time.
‘We are hugely privileged as a school to work with such dynamic and forward thinking organisations for the benefit of young people.’
The programme will run throughout the school year, with the young people delivering their social action in the new year.