Over 1,300 young people aged between 8 and 17 registered for a wide range of positive activities as part of the Staffordshire Space Programme achieving over 4,700 attendances and equating to over 14,200 hours of free events.
Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire and Rescue and Crime, Matthew Ellis provided over £90,000 in his determination to see Space return between August and October in 2020.
The programme received positive feedback from young people, their parents, guardians or carers, activity providers and teachers who have praised the scheme for helping turn pupil’s lives around by providing a lasting effect on young people since returning to school.
Teachers have reported improved attendance records, more positive attitudes, a renewed focus on future career plans and an increase in confidence.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the programme was unable to offer the same variation or volume of activities provided in previous years.
The reduced amount of activities for smaller numbers of participants was commissioned using local organisations with an excellent track record of supporting Space in previous years, all of which adhered to Government Covid-19 health and safety protocols to ensure the safety of all participants.
The Staffordshire Commissioner relaunched the scheme in 2015 to bring together public, voluntary and private sector organisations to help nurture, support and guide Staffordshire’s young people with an additional aim of reducing levels of anti-social behaviour (ASB).
Mr Ellis said: ‘Despite an extremely difficult year and the pandemic having a significant impact on all community events, Space safely went ahead with over 500 activities reaching over 1,360 young people.
‘The positive activities that Space provides were needed this year more than ever before as the detrimental impact of lockdown on young people’s physical and mental health was clear for all to see.
‘I’m thankful that my office, activity providers and local authorities all worked incredibly hard to ensure that all activities were put in place in line with Government Covid-19 Guidance.
‘These activities are all about providing an opportunity for partners to engage with young people to help nurture, support and develop them. I hope that Space will return in 2021 and be as big a success as it has been over the last 5 years.’
Teachers have provided anonymous accounts of how young people’s lives have been turned around since attending the Space programme:
‘This boy and 5 siblings attended every day of the Summer School. He is a bright boy, but he has always struggled to engage with school. Attendance was below 80%. Several members of staff have commented on the change in his attitude since returning to school in September; he has remained in all of his lessons and has completed all work set.’
‘This girl has lived in over 5 different care homes in the last 12 months and has been a missing person. She has attended several high schools and would often go missing during the school day.
‘She was initially really anxious about starting the Summer School, but has built a fantastic relationship with the leader who has helped her to realise that she loves football. She has now changed her GCSE options and is studying PE.
‘She has 100% attendance and is engaging in all lessons. I wish that you could see her face because she is absolutely beaming! She is happy, safe and is making academic progress. She is a huge summer success story.’
‘This girl was anxious about the transition from primary to secondary school. She was reluctant to attend on the first day, but as the week went on she grew in confidence. She has said that the Summer School made her feel much more confident about starting school. She is engaging in the work and says that it helped that she had already met some of the teachers and made friends prior to September.’
