At the recent Community Partnership Awards, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, Gosport Community Safety Partnership (GCSP) picked up the award for the Community Youth Initiative, for their outstanding ‘Passport Scheme’.
Co-ordinated by Gosport Council’s Community Safety Team, in partnership with around 30 agencies including Gosport Police, Fire & Rescue Services, Motiv8, SECHO and Solent Youth Action, thieir aim was to utilise exsiting leisure resources and communal spaces to provide diversionary activities for 11 to 17 year olds, to deter instances of anti social behaviour.
"Holding activities at different locations meant everyone had the chance to attend an event close to where they lived" said Cllr Mark Hook, Leader of Gosport Borough Council. "But the Passport Scheme also encouraged youngsters to travel to their locations to take part in different activities with other young people. Those that did had their passport stamped; entitiling them to attend a free BBQ organised to mark the end of the scheme."
Announcing the winner of the Community Youth Initiative. Comedian Rufus Hound said "The winning project is driven by palpable enthusiasm of the core team. This project created something out of nothing, taking a town with almost no provision for young people and creating an annual scheme that provides free activities for local young people and also promotes intergration of young people from different neighbourhoods. The judges felt the motivation of the team was inspirational and the project could be replicated in other locations".