Electric Storm Youth has received a grant of £4,000 from the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner’s Community Safety Fund. 

The Fund provides grants up to £5,000 to local organisations and projects that deliver a lasting and positive impact on the local community.

John Randall, ESY’s fundraiser, who accepted the grant award on behalf of the youth charity, explains how the funding will help improve community safety in the Lancing area of Sussex:

He said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this grant from the Commissioner’s Community Safety Fund, which will support our detached youth work to undertake regular community street-based youth outreach work in key locations within Lancing.

This will be achieved by the use of ESY’s mobile van which is fitted out to provide space for young people to sit down out of the cold and have a hot drink and snacks.

Through this work, we will engage with the young people in a non-judgemental manner , talk about issues that are affecting them and their community and encourage them into making positive behavioural choices. In addition, we will signpost and encourage them to attend our other youth activities.

Commending Electric Storm Youth on its successful bid Katy Bourne said: “As Police and Crime Commissioner I have a statutory responsibility for commissioning county-wide community safety and crime prevention programmes.

“The charity’s community street-based youth outreach programme is a great example of an innovative local project that aims to make our communities safer.

“Since launching the Safer in Sussex Fund in December 2013, nearly £1.5 million has been allocated to support over 300 crime reduction and community safety initiatives.

“This money makes a real difference to local people and neighbourhoods. The high numbers of bids each time shows organisations and community groups are committed to keeping Sussex a safe place in which to live.”

ENDS

About Electric Storm Youth

Founded in 2007, Electric Storm Youth (ESY) is a youth work charity based in Lancing, West Sussex. We run a full range of youth-based programmes, including young carers support, mental health counselling, general youth sessions, LGBTQ+ sessions, street-based (detached) youth work, mentoring and work-experience.

ESY currently support around 200 young people by working to improve their personal and social development, teaching them new skills, and improving the quality of their lives.

The charity’s main challenge is the increasing demand for its services, especially from the more marginalised groups such as young carers and those with mental health problems.

Lancing contains areas that are in the 20% most deprived wards nationally and in the 10% most deprived areas in terms of education, skills and training. All of this means that many local young people come from low-income households and as well as financial constraints placed on families, young people report they face other challenges growing up in the area such as drugs, alcohol and smoking, mental health problems, boredom and a lack of things to do. Young people also report low self-esteem, low self-confidence and a lack of belief in themselves.

About Police & Crime Commissioner funding

The Police & Crime Commissioner currently has two types of funding. The Safe Space Sussex Funding Network has been set up to assist the delivery of projects which support victims and witnesses of crime, while the Safer in Sussex Community Fund (SiSCF) assists community groups that help reduce or prevent crime in Sussex.

To find out more about the funding made available to community groups by the Police & Crime Commissioner visit: www.sussex-pcc.gov.uk/apply-for-funding