News > Leeds YOS Inspection Report

The inspection of Leeds YOS took place in September 2007 and was undertaken in conjunction with the Enhanced Youth Inspection, the Joint Area Review of children's services and the Corporate Assessment.

Download a full copy of the report here
 

News > Life is local

The Yorkshire Evening Post has launched a series of free, all-inclusive community websites with a lot more to follow over the coming months.  On the websites you will find up-to-date news and sport updates, debate on community issues important to you, latest local planning applications, video, audio, TV, slideshows, and a whole lot more. And updated on a daily basis.  These are:

News > Leeds YOS News

The tenth and latest edition of the Leeds YOS PDF newsletter is now available for download.  It includes features on Lynda Campbell, Youth Justice Worker in the West Team, who has been awarded the MBE for her work with the Youth Offending Service, details of the RAP team who were awarded the prestigious award for ‘best arts project from a non-arts professional’ at Arts Council annual arts award ceremony,  young people from the Leeds Youth Offending Service who took part in an organised 5-a-side football tournament against other Youth Offending Teams (YOT’s) from across the region, a fantastic exhibition of artwork and sculpture submitted by Leeds YOS, Wetherby Secure College of Learning and Eastmoor Secure Unit and much, much more!

Download here
 

News > Volunteer News

The latest edition of the Volunteer Viewpoint PDF newsletter is now available for download.  See more here.
 

News > Leeds YOS Youth Justice Plan 2007-2008 - Executive Summary

The 16-page summary version of the Leeds YOS Youth Justice Plan for 2007-2008 is now available for download.  The full 70-page version is also  available.
 

News > Leeds Youngsters Pledge to Respect Life

Young people from Leeds are backing the Damilola Taylor Trust by pledging not to carry weapons.  To commemorate the sixth anniversary of Damilola’s death Leeds City Council’s Youth Offending Service is taking part in the Trust’s ‘Respect Your Life, Not a Knife’ campaign, by  encouraging young people to sign a ‘pledge wall’, in Damilola’s name, to declare that they will not carry knives or weapons.

Richard Taylor, Damilola’s father, who is supporting the national campaign, said:

“Losing my son is a tragedy impossible to describe. I know that Damilola would have wanted other families to be spared such sadness and grief and that is why his name is being used to highlight how carrying weapons is dangerous for everyone – especially those that carry them for protection.”

Young People using the service will be making pledges throughout the week and when complete, the ‘pledge wall’ will form part of a display in the reception area of the Youth Offending Service office in Sweet Street, Holbeck.

As part of the campaign Leeds Youth Offending Service will also be holding a weapons awareness group session for young people, to highlight the risks involved in  carrying a weapon.

Councillor Richard Brett, lead member responsible for Children’s Services, said:

“Young people need to recognise that carrying weapons jeopardises their lives and futures.  Equally, the adults in our community must also understand that many young people live in fear of violence so we need to give them the confidence to speak out against knife carrying and be there to provide solutions.”

Leeds Youth Offending Service works with young people from across the city in a range of prevention activities.  The anti-knife campaign will provide further activity for their work in keeping young people away from weapons and weapon-related violence.  Bob Ashford, Youth Justice Board head of prevention, said:

“Supporting the Trust in this campaign is a great way to remind young people that carrying knives is no way to resolve conflict or protect themselves. The majority of children and young people shun knives and the violence that goes with them. A locally supported pledge wall can encourage others to see that such activity is unacceptable.”

Evidence suggests that many young people who carry knives do so for their own protection. Such action is misguided and may actually result in an escalation of violence.  When a young person carries a knife, rather than protection they risk having it turned upon them.

The campaign is being run by the Damilola Taylor Trust with the support of the Youth Justice Board (YJB), Department for Education and Skills, the Home Office, Crimestoppers and KPMG.

The Damilola Taylor Trust was established in 2001 and aims to help young victims of crime, tackle problems – such as substance use – that can lead to crime and to provide ways to reach ‘at risk’ young people to help them be a part of society and gain successful career paths.  Visit www.damilolataylortrust.org to learn more.

News > Teenagers learn new art talents

Read about the first ever Summer College for the arts in Leeds organised and run by Leeds YOS and arts organisation Lifeforce Productions.

Click here for PDF
 

News > Leeds sees fall in Youth Crime and re-offending

Figures released today show an 8% fall in levels of youth crime in Leeds over the last year, and also a 4% drop in the numbers of young criminals who re-offend.

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News > Project to help angry young people slashes re-offending rates

D’Fuse Anger Management Programme - an award-winning project to help angry young men and women keep their cool is helping slash youth reoffending rates, according to research figures published today.

Click here for more