Design against crime initiative

Irwell Valley ‘Design Against Crime Initiative’ gets green light from councillors  – and the red light on BBC

Youngsters from Salford and Manchester who took part in an Irwell Valley initiative to design out crime have secured a commitment from the leaders of their local councils to improve their neighbourhoods.

Irwell Valley’s Neighbourhood Manager, Heather Mullins and Norman Lloyd, Catch22 National Programme Manager for Prudential 4 Youth enlisted support and sponsorship from Manchester Arndale, University of Salford, Greater Manchester Police and Salford and Manchester local authorities to devise a community programme with groups of young people from Manchester and East Salford to come up with their own design ideas to help tackle crime and anti-social behaviour issues in their local community.

For 2 months, four groups of youngsters aged 12-18, from Albion High School, Cheetwood Against Crime, Manchester Youth Inclusion Project and Salford Youth Forum, researched their ideas before presenting their plans in front of a panel of judges at a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style Showcase event in Manchester.

All of the groups’ ideas were taken on board by the councillors and community safety leaders judging panel who pledged to make improvements in all the areas highlighted, but Albion High School ‘Achieving Living Safely by Innovation for Outstanding Neighbourhoods’, won the challenge for their campaign ‘A Safer Subway’.

They identified that the underpasses from Salford Shopping City running underneath the very busy A580 road, were hot spots for anti-social behaviour and crime. They demonstrated that fear of crime, lack of cleanliness and access for local residents, had led to many people being too afraid to use the subway.

The group proposed that the subways are always kept clean and inviting, better lit and patrolled and made to be more interesting and engaged with their surroundings. The simplicity of their ideas and the relatively small investment required to turn the area around, was praised by the Deputy Mayor of Salford, Cllr George Wilson who said:

"Albion High School in Salford has shown itself to be a credit to the city. The pupils excelled themselves with the simplicity of their ideas to improve the subways in their area which required a relatively small investment."

Heather Mullins, Neighbourhood Manager at Irwell Valley said:

"Together with Norman Lloyd from Catch22, Irwell Valley approached Salford and Manchester local authorities to consider the benefit of a cross partnership agreement to create diversionary projects for young people.

I'm delighted with how those early proposals have taken shape through the expertise and invaluable support of the Design Against Crime Solution Centre, Manchester Arndale and Prudential 4 Youth. Engaging and involving young people in imaginative and creative projects that will improve their environment leads to sustainable solutions and benefits everyone."

13-year-old Irwell Valley resident Cameron Hardacre, a member of the Salford Youth Forum, spoke to Radio Manchester earlier in November about his past involvement in anti-social behaviour and how the Design Against Crime Youth Action Challenge has changed his attitudes.

Cameron will also be featured alongside Mike Redford, Irwell Valley’s Deputy Managing Director –Neighbourhoods, about the Challenge on BBC North West Tonight in late December.