the profile and background of perpetrators and victims of gun, knife and gang-related crimes report
5. Section Three
Recommendations for DIUS Action Plan
Strategic aim:
To increase opportunities for and participation in further education and skills development for those involved in or at risk of involvement in gangs, with a focus on college-led partnerships in identified priority areas supported by allocated LSC funding and working through a range of programmes to engage learners and their parents, including family learning and using expertise from offender learning programmes.
Recommendation / Action/Outputs1. To produce guidance for all post-16 providers on dealing with guns, gangs and violence in a similar way to that produced on tackling extremism. / Action
· Further Education College Principals within the four regions (covering the “hotspot” areas) to establish a project group of key colleges, including the AoC, and others with known expertise on the issue, to develop effective strategies and partnerships to tackle this issue, in collaboration with the most effective Third Sector programmes.
· Best practice Further Education colleges to champion this, and act as a benchmark to challenge those providers not yet tackling this effectively in the hot spots, which could form the basis for a methodology to be scaled up in future years.
· To take forward the NRDC research data on the educational profile of young people and parents likely to be at risk of gang-related activity, by working with local partners, including the LSC, in building up a clearer profile of the target group; understanding the data in planning and delivering provision.
· To increase joint working with local VCS groups which specialise in re-engaging the most marginalised members of those at risk of involvement in gang related activity and their parents. Where appropriate to jointly plan and deliver employment and skills provision.
· LSC to ring-fence funding for key wards to support these college partnerships in the main 15–20 target areas, including the possibility of using adapted E2E schemes as a vehicle, and ensuring flexibility to bring together support for those working most effectively in this area, including VCS.
· To capture and co-ordinate good practice from the four areas, with a view to complementing Home Office and DCSF good practice databases.
· To work with further education colleges in developing guidance to build on and develop the Tackling Extremism model that forces partners to work together and be accountable for promoting and reinforcing shared values including:
1. Providing opportunities for students and parents to discuss the issues arising from gang related activity and the use of weapons.
2. Providing students and parents with the skills to challenge gang related crime and develop resistance to peer pressure which results in illegal and anti-social behaviour.
3. Challenging gang-related activity and the use of violence and/or weapons.
4. Encouraging the formation of student groups to debate the issues and develop strategies to encourage responsible behaviour.
5. Working with student representative groups, governors and community groups to develop a code of practice within the FE Colleges’ environment.
Output
Consultation document on The Role of Further Education Colleges in tackling gun, knife and gang related crimes (June 2009)
Scaling up successful activity in target areas
1. Using available mechanisms such as the AOC network and conference to share best practice and promote a flexible model which can be used in areas with differing issues and learning and skills needs.
2. To draw on lessons from a) the LSC funded priority areas above; and b) DCSF and Tackling Gangs Action Programme (TGAP) guidance currently being developed.
To produce guidance for all post-16 providers on dealing with guns, gangs and violence which encompasses the following strands of work.
Multi-Agency Working / Action
2. To ensure FE colleges seek out a greater role in contributing to Local Strategic Partnerships' education and training targets, taking a leading role and coordinating with other VCS groups and relevant organisations in terms of engagement and support / · Further Education colleges to develop their communications strategies with all key stakeholders so that there is consistency and coherence in tackling the problems arising from gun, knife and gang related crimes; including consulting more with community groups and raising awareness of the issues to all students within its remit.
· Further Education colleges to work with others within the FE sector, including Ofsted, to understand better what more can be done nationally on community cohesion and widening participation for those at risk of gun, knife and gang related crimes.
· Further Education colleges to work closely with local partners in identifying where it can contribute more to Local Area Agreements (LAA) and Local Strategic Partnerships in tackling gang-related crime; making best use of available data on educational profiles of those at risk.
· Further Education colleges to identify ways in which they can work with relevant partners (including Police, Local Authorities, Schools, Youth Groups, VCS Groups, Community Groups, Local Businesses, Youth Offending Teams) in tackling gun, knife and gang related crimes.
Output
Local Area Agreements (LAA and Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) which include Further Education Colleges’ contribution to tackling gun, knife and gang-related crimes, particularly around education and training for those at risk.
Case studies of best practice in a format which is flexible in terms of dissemination to the wider Further Education Sector and relevant partners.
Positive engagement strategies / Action
3. To ensure that FE providers are working more with local partners to encourage participation in provision. / · Further Education colleges to undertake a mapping process of VCS groups involved in working with those at risk of gun, knife and gang related crimes involvement and identify what preventative work is being undertaken.
· Based on local data on the educational profile of those at risk of gun, knife and gang related crime involvement, Further Education colleges to work with VCS groups to widen participation for hard to reach groups, with provision including:
1. Advice and guidance
2. Progression to mainstream provision
3. Providing relevant taster courses for young people and parents
4. Develop bridging courses for those not engaged in education and training
5. Mentoring provision for young people and parents
Output
Information and case studies on designated areas demonstrating and indicating how partnerships can be further developed and sustained.
A relevant curriculum / Action
4. To ensure that the curriculum is tackling the underlying values for promoting social cohesion and addressing the issues of gang-related crime through the delivery of relevant parenting, family learning and citizenship programmes. / · Further Education colleges and DIUS to work with DCSF on existing parenting policies and use NRDC research on profiles of victims/perpetrators to identify best practice as a basis for developing the curriculum.
· DIUS to agree with DCSF on use of £30m Family Learning budget to support parenting classes around dealing with guns/gangs/knives and instilling values that mitigate against peer pressure to get involved (for parents whose children are involved and for parents who themselves are involved).
· Further Education colleges to build on existing practice in developing a curriculum framework which recognises the need to tackle the issues for those at risk and embeds good practice into all relevant aspects of provision, including:
1. Provision for parents which goes beyond literacy projects and recognises the importance of value-based parenting skills, including provision for behaviourial management and effective negotiation skills.
2. Extending Adult Citizenship provision into relevant programmes; at the same time embedding citizenship throughout all programmes, including diplomas as part of tackling values. Ensuring that the serious nature of possessing weapons and gang related activities are addressed across all areas of college life.
3. Making good use of the expertise of Offender learning providers (OLASS) in working with young people and adults within the criminal justice system and also at risk of re-offending, particularly in the area of motivating and engaging disaffected learners, managing behaviourial problems and ensuring relevance to their lives in terms of curriculum content.
Output
Guidance on relevant Further Education provision which includes Citizenship, Parenting and Family Learning as a means of promoting social cohesion and reinforcing shared values for responsible citizenship.
A safe environment for all learners / Action
5. To ensure that Further Education colleges develop and maintain a safe environment for all learners. / · Further Education colleges to explore the potential scope of their local involvement on the Be Safe Campaign (DSCF), working with voluntary organisations, aimed at young people about the dangers of carrying weapons.
· Further Education colleges will ensure that students are aware of their rights and responsibilities; the illegality of possessing weapons and the implications of gang-related crime activity.
· Further Education colleges will ensure that relevant complaint and incident procedures are in place and that both students and staff are aware of the procedures.
· Further Education colleges will ensure that support for those at risk of gang-related activity is clearly signposted and delivered to high standards.
· Further Education colleges will ensure that backing for support and safety includes:
a) proactive ways of managing anger and violence in learning environments;
b) referral to role of youth workers and other support staff,
c) links with community police officers;
d) security systems and practices;
e) codes of behaviour;
f) mentoring schemes;
g) Access to diversionary activities through links with community groups.
h) Further Education colleges to develop a risk assessment path in identifying and tackling gang related activity
Risk Level 1 / Universal / Proposes a set of minimum activities which positively enhance community ideals adopted by all colleges.
Risk Level 2 / At Risk / Colleges which identify particular risks take action with the aim of avoiding these becoming incidents.
Risk Level 3 / Incident Management / Colleges plans for dealing with emergency situations, including defining how they work with relevant authorities and measures to limit damage to individuals and the wider community.
(reference: AOC Consultation The Role of Education Providers in Promoting community Cohesion 2008)
Output
Clear guidelines for Further Education college practitioners, students and parents on providing a safe environment for young people and adults.
Values-led leadership / Action
6. To ensure that professional development for senior managers addresses the importance of values-led leadership in the context of tackling gun, knife and gang related crimes. / · Further Education colleges working with the Centre for Excellence in Leadership to ensure that FE Leadership Courses are including the key issues involved in them promoting of community cohesion.
· Further Education colleges will identify current leadership programmes, including those for senior managers, aspiring principals and governors within the FE Sector, to determine what adaptations can be made to focus on the issues arising, promoting community cohesion and preventing the gang-related activity.
Outputs
Further Education Leadership provision, for senior managers and aspiring principals, to include an emphasis on addressing and tackling gun, knife and gang related crime activity which impacts on young people and families.
A trained and confident workforce / Action
7. To ensure that all FE providers are well equipped to deal with the GGK issues, in terms of provision, advice, guidance and support. / · FE providers and partners (including LSC and AOC) to work with others in the sector to identify best practice as basis for training and CPD.
· FE providers, working within the new requirements for 30 hours continuing professional development (CPD) each year for FE college teachers, trainers and tutors; and from September 2008 for all other LSC funded providers to design appropriate CPD.
· FE providers to explore how national bodies such as Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) and/or the Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) may be able to respond to specific training needs of staff, with the support of DIUS.
· FE providers to ensure that staff are trained to deal with the issues of gang related crime activity; working with those at risk of gang involvement and developing the necessary skills to be able to influence learners' values and help them see relevance of their learning.
· FE providers to ensure that guidance staff are able to provide appropriate advice to students and parents about local youth services and family support.
Output
A staff development programme for those involved in FE provision to increase awareness and skills; ensuring staff are trained to understand their learners and build relationships, so that curriculum and delivery of it links to their reality and addresses their real issues as part of the learning process.
6. Section Four – Project Delivery model
Purpose:
To produce guidance for consultation to all post-16 providers, on dealing with guns, gangs and violence within the FE Sector.
Project Activities / Responsibilities / Output and timingMeeting of key further education college principals in August 2008
Agree and allocate roles and responsibilities for the lead FE principals, (based on strands, each principal to take a lead on one or two strands in each of the four areas, responsibility to research and develop best practice locally). / Further Education colleges / Appoint a Project Co-ordinator
July 2008
Project Team meeting September
Agree a project plan (nine months) including communication and consultation strategies. / Project co-ordinator establishes the project plan and supports/agrees with
Further education colleges; draw up deliverables and targets for each of the four partnerships. / Project Plan September 2008 to June 2009
Best practice
Further Education colleges to champion allocated strands, and act as a benchmark to challenge those providers not yet tackling this effectively in the hot spots, which could form the basis for a methodology to be scaled up in future years.
Further Education colleges to take forward the NRDC data on the educational profile of young people and parents likely to be at risk of gang-related activity, by working with local partners, including the LSC, in building up a more local profile of the target group; making good use of the available data in planning and delivering provision.
Further Education colleges to increase joint working with local VCS groups which specialise in re-engaging the most marginalised members of those at risk of involvement in gang related activity and their parents. Where appropriate to jointly plan and deliver employment and skills provision. / Further Education colleges
Project Co-ordinator attending regional meetings and sharing work with each region. / October/November
2008
Supporting and coordinating writing of the guide, monitoring the running of the local projects, to provide the links with relevant bodies and agencies including LLUK, Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) Offenders’ Learning & Skills Service (OLASS), DCSF and DIUS / Project Co-ordinator / Draft guidance sections February 2009
Sharing project findings and emerging guidance with all College Principals, considering how best to scale up activities and make recommendations. / College Principal Forum / February 2009
Producing draft guidance document for consultation with the FE sector and including other relevant partners in the process, including VCS groups and other stakeholders. / Sharing results of the Project with the Minister and agreeing next steps / Ministerial meeting March 2009
Disseminating consultation document with the wider FE sector, including partners.
Running regional events on consultation. / Project Co-ordinator
College Principals
AOC / Consultation March – April 2009
Production of final guidance for FE sector and ministerial launch. / DIUS to support production / Final document June 2009
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