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Aims To reduce anti-social behaviour amongst young people in Kent and Medway’s coastal areas through sailing and water-based activities. To give disadvantaged and ‘at risk’ young people constructive activities that will provide them with alternative choices to anti-social behaviour, boost their self-esteem and encourage good citizenship. To encourage young people in coastal areas to take ownership and responsibility for their unique environment.

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Categories

  • Animals Animals
  • Community Support & Development Community Support & Development
  • Education/Training/Employment Education/​Training/​Employment
  • Health/Wellbeing Health/​Wellbeing
  • Poverty Alleviation/Relief Poverty Alleviation/​Relief
  • Sports/Recreation Sports/​Recreation
  • Beneficiaries

    • Children (3-18) Children (3-18)
    • Young People (18-30) Young People (18-30)

    Situation

    With more than 250 miles of coastline, 33% of Kent’s 1.6 million population lives near the sea. The coast area is also the location if some of the most deprived wards in Kent. Despite the rich potential of coastal activities, in particular water sports, many local residents never participate As in many areas, the incidence of crime maps closely to the incidence of deprivation, and coastal areas in the county suffer from high incidence of criminal activity; seafronts in particular are subject to criminal damage, substance abuse, drag racing, burglary and arson of beach huts and other properties. Lack of occupation is one of the major causations. Seven out of ten parents and young people think that young people commit crimes because there is not enough for them to do. Having identified these links, Government want to expand the role of sport, constructive activities and volunteering as positive routes to nurture a culture of respect amongst young people, particularly those from deprived backgrounds. The coastal inclusion project will specifically focus on disadvantaged young people, and young people ‘at risk’ of anti-social or criminal behaviour offering them constructive and purposeful activity. It will enable them to access a sport, which due to costs or perception may have seemed beyond their reach. It will also attempt to connect those living in a coastal area with the opportunities in their own locality. An initial training course will be followed by access to on-going sailing activities, which will encourage their on-going participation in the sport, rather than a one-off experience. Improving relationships with parents and carers is vital. Poor parenting and lack of parental engagement is a major risk factor for anti-social behaviour. We want to encourage parents to be involved in their children’s activities. Parents will be invited to take part in sailing activities with their children, as well as being encouraged to attend prize-givings and regattas. We will also promote the volunteering opportunities to parents. Positive role models form an important part of this project; working with the Sea Scouts and RYA schemes, we will be able to offer positive peer and adult role models from the outset. Through their involvement in the project, we hope that the young people we recruit will also become positive peer role models within the project and in their own schools and communities.

    Solution

    100%
    Categories

  • Animals Animals
  • Community Support & Development Community Support & Development
  • Education/Training/Employment Education/​Training/​Employment
  • Health/Wellbeing Health/​Wellbeing
  • Poverty Alleviation/Relief Poverty Alleviation/​Relief
  • Sports/Recreation Sports/​Recreation
  • Beneficiaries

    • Children (3-18) Children (3-18)
    • Young People (18-30) Young People (18-30)