News
Second chances for young offenders through the Award
20 November 2007"I did have a dream, but when I got arrested I thought that my dream had shattered before my eyes. The Award made me realise that there was still hope. Without a dream there is no way that you will reach your goal… even in prison your goal is still there."
The Award can change lives, particularly those of young people who are on the margins of society. Many young offenders have been transformed by doing the Programme, yet it could be reaching so many more. A unique conference in South Africa brought together Award operators and those from the youth justice field to focus on this vital area.
Over 40 delegates from nearly 20 countries convened in Johannesburg in August for A Second Chance: The Award & Re-Integration Strategies. Together they shared best practice, met young offenders doing the Award, and heard evidence of the Award's impact in the youth justice field. They were privileged to hear from experts in young offender rehabilitation and reintegration, including South Africa's deputy minister of correctional services, Loretta Jacobus, and HE Paul Boateng, British High Commissioner to South Africa.
For any intervention with young offenders to be successful, it needs to demonstrate that it works. Delegates heard compelling evidence from some specfic case studies on the Award's impact. For example, in one project in Scotland, reoffending was reduced by 75%.
The conference represented the first formal opportunity for those from both the Award and correctional services to share their experiences. They soon discovered that the challenges of running the Programme for young offenders are the same the world over.
However, they were able to inspire each other to extend the Award to more young people in custody. As a direct result of the conference, 70 young offenders in Ghana have embarked on the Programme. Their journeys are just beginning, but there is every possibility that their 'second chance' will come through the Award.
For more information about this conference, please contact our Africa Regional Office.
