The Wise Group will begin 2020 with three new programmes to reduce crime by supporting people in, or at the fringes of, the justice system.
Each programme will support successful initiatives already having a positive impact on the lives of people across Scotland.
The Wise Group’s early intervention work with young people, New Routes No Limits – which has already seen success in Springburn – will now be offered to young people at St Mungo’s Academy in Glasgow’s East End from January 2020. Mentors from the Wise Group, many with personal experience of the justice system, will work with young people (aged 11-14) to empower them to make positive life choices by hearing from others who have personal experience of anti-social behaviour, crime and addiction.
Young people who take part will leave with the tools to make better choices, improve their understanding of offending, and stay away from anti-social behaviour and crime.
Hamish Robertson, from the Wise Group, said: “Empowering our young people to make informed choices upstream will prevent them from being caught up in a current of crime, changing the course of their lives and leading to fewer victims of crime.
“Bringing together partners, our experienced mentors and over 10 years’ experience working with people in the justice system, these programmes will lift people out of poverty and transform the lives of our young people, their families and their communities.”
Further support for 30 young people will be offered through the expansion of the successful Get the Life You Want programme in Scotland’s HMYOI Polmont from January. Commissioned by the Scottish Government Youth Justice Team, Get the Life You Want is delivered to groups of young people approaching liberation or on remand and focuses on empowerment through goal setting, mindset and achieving success through making the right choices.
The Wise Group will also be supporting Children 1st by providing one day training to their team of Safeguarders, who can be appointed by children’s hearings or sheriffs when they think there is a requirement to safeguard the interests of a child in proceedings. The Wise Group will provide contextual training around working with families affected by the justice system, supporting Safeguarders to make informed recommendations in the best interest of children and families where justice has played a part.
These exciting developments follow a hugely successful year for the Wise Group that saw an expansion of its national mentoring programme, New Routes Mentoring – meaning nearly any male serving a short–term sentence can access this proven service – and a place on the shortlist at the 2019 Scottish Public Service Awards for the work on this programme.
To find out more about the Wise Group’s work in justice, visit www.thewisegroup.co.uk/community-justice
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If you’d like to work with the Wise Group to support people in the justice system and help reduce the number of victims of crime, then get in touch.
