Front row from left, Henna Zaroof, Lema Waziry, Isra Abdalla and Alarna Shufflebotha, all aged 11.
A Stoke-on-Trent project that provides activities to girls and young women has been awarded £3,771 from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Proceeds of Crime Fund.
Stoke-on-Trent Youth Team has been given funding to continue to run Cobridge Women’s Group that offers activities to ten to 19-year-olds in the area.
The funding has meant the young women can participate in sports, art and craft making and educational activities. The girls keep a journal each week and after the 12-week period they evaluate what they have done and how they have developed.
Giving young people a chance to engage in numerous activities will help to reduce anti-social behaviour and gives participants opportunities for personal growth.
The Proceeds of Crime Fund is made up of assets and money seized from criminals in Staffordshire.
Mr Ellis said: “I am determined that 100 per cent of funding that comes back to Staffordshire Police from proceeds of crime seizures is going directly to local communities.
“After talking to a number of young girls involved in Cobridge Womens Group it was really good to see the benefits and how much they enjoy all of the activities they do.”
“It is important to engage with young people which means we can intervene early to tackle the problem of anti-social behaviour.”
Nicola Johnson, youth development worker for central Stoke-on-Trent, said: “We have a really good group of women who we are helping to develop at Cobridge Women’s Group.
“The girls are really enjoying the range of activities and they want to continue to do more cooking and want to learn how to knit.
“We also provide educational exercises such as information on self-esteem and how to handle stress at school. They complete a weekly journal of what they have been doing each week to look at their progression and evaluate themselves.”
As part of his commitment to local communities, the Commissioner is providing £250,000 in 2014/15 through the fund in the form of the Proceeds of Crime Fund grants between £3,000 and £15,000.
Smaller grants, of between £100 and £3,000, are also available through the Commissioners People Power Fund. For more information visit www.staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk/fund
Successful projects in all three funding streams will deliver what’s important to local people based on the four priorities set out in the Commissioner’s Safer, Fairer, United Communities Strategy – tackling the root causes of crime through early intervention, supporting victims and witnesses better, reducing reoffending and increasing public confidence.
The next round of funding opened on 1 March and closes on the 14 April.
For more information on funding visit www.staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk/fund.
