Hartlepool project hopes to prevent young people from entering a life of crime
The Wharton Trust says it is utilising its barbers and hairdressers
A charity in Hartlepool is hoping barbers and hairdressers can help prevent young people from entering a life of crime.
The Wharton Trust on the Dyke House Estate say the mentors are building one-to-one relationships to find out just what is happening in the lives of the area's children and teenagers.
They will be able to give the youngsters an insight into the consequences of their behaviour as well as where they can go for support if they want to turn their lives around.
Caroline Robinson, Big Local Development Worker, said: “We won’t tell them to stop what they are doing but if they want a way out, we will offer support. If they don’t, we’ll prepare them for what’s to come.”
Jade Bramby, Lead Youth Worker, is a trained hairdresser and nail technician. She uses this approach to talk to the girls, with whom she works.
Now volunteers with lived experience will offer a similar barbering service to boys and men.
One of the volunteers has spent most of his adult life behind bars. His life started to spiral out of control when he was excluded from mainstream education at 14-years-old.
He is now working hard to change his life – thanks to support from the Wharton Trust – and willing to share his experience with others.
He said: “Fast money (from crime,) you spend in a day or two and it’s gone but when you work for it properly, you appreciate it more. This organisation gave me a chance, they believed in me and now I want better for myself and my daughter.”
In addition to one-to-ones in the hairdresser’s chair and at drop-in sessions, the Wharton Trust will also be offering talks and working with groups.
Staff and volunteers will work with at-risk individuals identified by schools, the Probation Service, Youth Offending Service, youth clubs, Cleveland Police, defence solicitors based in Hartlepool and Cleveland’s Custody Navigators.
As the project progresses, the Trust will measure the scale and rate of the re-offending of those involved.
The project has been kick-started with a £8,450 grant from Cleveland’s serious violence reduction unit CURV’s small grants fund.