Youth Inclusion Programmes are to get government funding to ensure their continuation for the next three years. The Home Office has announced it is making 21 million pounds available.The existing 70 Youth Inclusion Programmes have been set up in the most deprived areas of England and Wales. Each targets 50 young people, aged from13 to 16, who are identified as being most at risk of social  exclusion. The programmes provide structured activities and assistance to steer the  young people away from crime and anti-social behaviour.

Home Office Minister, John Denham, said, ” YIPs are very important youth crime prevention schemes. They have had a substantial impact on the level  of youth offending and have helped many vulnerable young people.”

The Home Office says independent studies have shown that YIPs lead to a 30% reduction in arrests following a young person’s involvement in the programmes and significant falls in crime in areas where the schemes are  running. YIPs improve the young people’s school attendance and cut the  number of exclusions from schools.

Mr. Denham said, ” YIPs programmes are part of a range of measures that the Government has introduced to address the factors that leave young people vulnerable to crime. Other programmes include working with families, schools, neighbourhoods and tackling street crime.”

The schemes are managed by the Youth Justice Board and can be adopted by local partnerships, such as local Youth Offending Teams, as part of broader strategies for reducing youth crime.

The Youth Justice Board is presently running 70 schemes, funded by the Home Office until March 2003. This funding announcement will allow these schemes to continue, with guaranteed funding until April 2006.