Testimonials

Kostas Panagiotou, Senior Service Delivery Manager, Victim Support Thames Valley
'Our ongoing collaboration with the Youth Empowerment Crime Diversion Scheme has been both fruitful and inspiring. In a time when the public and voluntary sectors are facing a deep financial crisis, it is very important for us to strengthen our links of collaboration, to learn from other agencies and groups and to put that learning into practice.'

Dr Maggie Atkinson – Children's Commissioner – Has 'congratulated Youth Empowerment for their hard work and dedication and has conveys her very best wishes for the future of the scheme.'

Brooke Kinsella of The Ben Kinsella Trust – Has said of Youth Empowerment -' I'm sure it has an amazing impact especially as you have been able to reach out to so many young people.'

Tracy Hellier – CRED - 'We found that bringing the two female ex-offenders extremely useful as the female students really respected what they had to say and could relate to some of their experiences. Hearing what the facilitator and his guest speakers had to say made some students determined they did not want to go to prison.'

Trish Colbeck: Reigate Valley College
A year 11 boy has been empowered to evaluate his own experience of father in jail, own criminal behaviour the impact on family and school, he can now reflect and make informed choices, one being he does not get involved in any anti social or criminal behaviour another is how he will cope now his father in prison. as Program Manager I have never been involved in such a powerful lesson for our young people, ex prisoners who genuinely know first hand what they are talking about, a hard hitting essential experience that I and my managers value and will continue to work with.'

Sammy Hexter-Andrews Anti Social Behaviour Interventions Officer Community Safety Hart District Council - 'I found you and your team so helpful and any request was never too much for you. Your passion for the young people and their futures was so refreshing to see'

Tricia Colbeck - Program Manager: Sidlow Bridge PRU - 'Some of our young people are already known to the police, some have spent time in prison and the remainder are at risk of offending, so the hard hitting informative style of the Youth Empowerment session really hit home to our young people'

Silverbanks Pupil Referral Unit - 'The young people could really relate to the facilitators experiences and some felt as if it was their destiny to end up in prison, it highlighted these problems to us as a school and has led us to do more work on aspirations and changing paths and life goals.'

Frederique Posnette - Teacher of PSHE Ed at The Challenger Centre, Sittingbourne - 'Very often with sessions such as these you don’t see an instant impact on the children's, however the feedback they gave was wonderful and I have been in contact with many of the parents and they have said that they have seen a notable change in their children and their attitudes to life.'

Lesley Burnand- Manager – The Ridgewaye2e Centre - 'Without Youth Empowerment we would not have been able to afford such in-depth input, and I am confident that our young people will continue to remember what they learnt and believe it will have a positive impact on their future.'

Carol Sissons. St Simon Stock Catholic School‘ - The students who you having been working with are particularly vulnerable being they are very young. I think you have managed to allow them to see how life changing the decisions they make can have on them and their families. One girl in particular has said I am never going to steal again; I couldn’t face my Mum if I was brought home in a police car. The whole group have really engage with you have enjoyed you sharing your life experiences’

Youth Empowerment Crime Diversion Scheme Ltd. Registered charity in England (1136013). A company limited by guarantee, registered in England company number 7142210. Registered office: 84 Coleridge Road, Cambridge, CB1 3PJ