Help to choose a different life

• Edinburgh first part of a UK-wide roll-out for internationally recognised project diverting young people away from a life in serious organised crime
• Former young offenders act as ‘peer mentors’ to help children escape from a life of serious organised crime
• Analysis shows fewer than one in 10 young people reoffended after involvement in the programme
• Run by Action for Children and funded with £4.6m from The National Lottery Community Fund, the project will target ‘high-risk’ 11-18-year-olds in Edinburgh.

Action for Children’s Serious Organised Crime Early Intervention service has been running in Glasgow since 2013. As part of a roll-out to areas across the UK, funded by £4.6 million from The National Lottery Community Fund, it will now support young people in Edinburgh on the cusp of organised crime.

The internationally recognised project uses ‘peer mentors’, many themselves former young offenders, to support young people on the cusp of organised crime. Analysis into the programme has showed that out of 49 young people supported over a year, just four offended after receiving support.

Now launching in Edinburgh, the service will offer targeted support to 11 to 18-year-olds through intensive one-to-one support, peer mentoring, education and employment training.

Since launching in Glasgow in 2013 the project has worked with more than a 150 young people. The service was created by Paul Carberry, the charity’s Director for Scotland, after he was invited to join the Scottish Government’s ‘Serious Organised Crime Task force’. There, he chairs the ‘Divert’ strand which has the objective of diverting young people from becoming involved in Serious Organised Crime and using its products.

In 2017/18, a study from Glasgow City Council showed that by diverting four ‘high risk’ young people from secure care, the project represented a saving of over half a million pounds for the council over a six-month period. (see Notes to Editors).

In November 2019 the project won the ‘Young People’s Project of the Year’ at the Herald Society award and this was followed up with the ‘Excellence’ award in December at the prestigious European Social Services Awards.

Councillor Alison Dickie, Education Vice Convener of Education, Children and Families for the City of Edinburgh Council, and one of the two elected members on the Public Protection Committee, said: “There is absolutely nothing more important than protecting our children and the success Action for Children have achieved with this project cannot be under-estimated.

“Serious organised crime has a significant impact on the lives of young people, their families and local communities. This project works by intervening early and helping vulnerable young people who risk getting dragged into a downward spiral of crime which they then can’t escape.

“It is right that Edinburgh has been chosen as the next city to benefit from the service and I’m convinced it will have a positive impact on turning some of our most vulnerable young people’s lives around. As part of this work, it is essential that we raise awareness and increase training for professionals in this area so that they can spot the signs of young people being exploited before it’s too late.

“The Council works really closely with police, schools and other partners in tackling and preventing crime and this new project will significantly build on the positive work already taking place in Edinburgh.”

Paul Carberry, Action for Children Director for Scotland and chair of the ‘Divert’ strand of the Serious Organised Crime Task Force, said: “We are very proud to be launching our Serious Organised Crime Early Intervention service to Edinburgh.

“Each year, we will be working with 80 young people in Edinburgh. Many of these young people are heavily embedded in organised crime, growing up in families where organised crime has been a generational thing. So, for them, it isn’t a quick fix, they require a prolonged period of work and have previously refused to work with other statutory services. We recognise the need to give young people alternatives, we need to get them into employment and get them the right support and help.

“We believe that the best way to do this is by example and giving young people role models who have been on the journey themselves and our ‘Peer Mentors’ are our most powerful tool.

“Since 2013, this project has worked intensively with more than 150 young people across Glasgow, diverting them away from a life in serious organised crime and into positive opportunities including education, training and employment. The role of Peer Mentors has been critical to that.

“We are proud to be now working in partnership with Edinburgh City Council, Police Scotland and the Scottish Government to deliver this ground-breaking work. When it comes to dealing with serious organised crime, Scotland is leading the way. Now, thanks to funding from The National Lottery, we are able to deliver this work in Edinburgh.”

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf MSP said: “It is essential to do everything possible to prevent children and young people being drawn into serious organised crime and to stop the cycles of lifetime offending. 

“The fact that fewer than 1 in 10 of those supported by this project went on to reoffend is testament to powerful role that peer-mentors play in encouraging young people to make positive life choices. I congratulate Action for Children, the National Lottery and other partners in extending this life-changing and potentially life-saving project to Edinburgh.”

Neil Ritch, National Lottery Community Fund Director for Scotland, said: “The Serious Organised Crime Early Intervention service is a great example of a successful service which began in Scotland and is now being replicated in other areas of the UK, thanks to £4.6 million of National Lottery funding.

“I’m delighted that Edinburgh is one of the places that will be able to benefit from this expansion which will give many more young people the opportunity to make positive life changing choices.”

The project will also be rolled out in Newcastle and Cardiff in April.

Case study:

Kieran* (19) has been supported by Action for Children’s Serious Organised Crime Early Intervention service. Life is a lot less volatile for him now, he lives with his girlfriend and has a full-time job in a kitchen. But life was very different growing up.

He grew up in a Glasgow estate, rife with drugs and drug dealing. It was almost natural for Kieran to fall into a criminal way of life. “When you live where I did, you didn’t really have a choice,” he said. “Up and down the stairs in the flats I stayed in there were people injecting into their arms. I saw that from the age of five.”

Not long out of primary school, he came to the attention of organised crime groups in the area and was given drugs to sell. “By 11, I was selling drugs and being paid in cigarettes. It started with cannabis then moved to valium and harder stuff including heroin.”

As he grew older, the nature of the crimes became more serious. “I was involved with gangs, battering people, stealing cars to order and selling drugs – it was all about making money. As I got older, if people didn’t pay us, we were sent to their door. It was out of control however, that’s what we were told to do and if we wanted money, we did it.”

Eventually, as the crimes got more serious and violent, the police became involved. Kieran knew he needed to make a break away from his criminal ties and hasn’t looked back since being referred to the Action for Children project.

“I couldn’t go back there now – the same people are still in control of that estate. It would have been a lot easier to stay where I was and making the money I was, but it was made through violence and drugs. That’s my old life and I’m glad it’s not the life I have now. It’s not the future I want for my family.”