Repairs make reparations for young offenders

10.19.33am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 7th Jun 2007

A special weekend which gave young ex-offenders the opportunity to give something back to the community was held recently.

The ten youngsters got hands-on as part of their rehabilitation in a project run by Richmond Council's Youth Offending Team (YOT) and the Teddington Safer Neighbourhoods Team. They helped repair and decorate the Teddington home of a disabled woman who had fallen victim to a cowboy builder. Her house required emergency attention as she faced the threat of eviction by her landlord if the work was not carried out. Paint and other materials were supplied by the Council's recycling team. The following day the young people removed graffiti and tidied up a park in Church Road, Teddington, after it had been vandalised.

Cllr John Coombs, Cabinet Member for Youth, Culture and Leisure, said:

"The Youth Offending Team works closely with the police and the community to offer support and help to young people between the ages of 10 and 17 who have either become involved in offending or are at risk of offending. This project was a valuable part of the young people's rehabilitation, enabling them to understand the effect of their actions and make amends. Positive activities like this also help young people who may not be spending their time productively, learn new skills and get a real feeling of achievement."