Commissioning Partners
I first Met Youth Ink at the Youth Justice Convention and was ‘blown away’ by the enthusiasm, commitment and drive of the young people who are really committed to making changes in the lives of other young people. Youth Ink provides opportunities to inform the sector about the lived experiences of children and young people and provides real opportunities to raise the aspirations of children and young people. I believe that all organisations working with children should strive to implement this model.
Hazel Williamson Head of Staffordshire Youth Offending Service and Chair of the Association of YOT Manager.
Youth Ink has set up the infrastructure and support network that is so important to a grassroots, user-led organisation.
Assistant Director of Family Early Help and Youth Justice.
Youth Ink continued to support the general work of the YOS. They staffed the YOS Junior Attendance Centre, delivered inputs into the YOS’s knife prevention programmes at local schools. Youth Ink also delivered several sets of group work interventions to young people; focussed on identifying trauma and devising mechanisms to address trauma in a healthy manner.
Southwark YOS Head of Service
The peer navigators have bought a different dimension to the intervention they are involved within YOS whereby challenging and encouraging discussions with other young people as well as adults demonstrating that it was ok to take risks in a safe environment.
The peer navigators are an inspiration to our service users many of whom can relate to the peer navigators lived experienced and recognise them as achievers.
The peer navigators bring positivity and led by example when working with young people whether it is on an individual or group setting. I have worked with the peer navigators delivering group work where they have modelled positive participation with enthusiasm by volunteering themselves for activities and supporting others to engage.
Having the perspective of the peer navigators within the criminal justice system can only be positive where they can influence changes at a local and movement level. The peer navigators are a true asset to Southwark YOS and an inspiration to our young people. YOS Team Manager
The Peer navigators took charge of the Junior Attendance Centre. It was impressive how they encouraged young people to engage and communicate with young people with respect and helpfulness. The Peer navigators used their own experiences to encourage young people to talk about their lives and promoted a positive message throughout the session that resonated with the young people attending. At the end of the session, we gave the young people a choice of what topic to study in their final JAC session next week; they chose to have the Peer navigators return. Southwark Junior attendance centre (JAC) Team manager