Sunderland City Council
Civic Centre
Burdon Road
Sunderland
SR2 7DN
Tel. (0191) 520 5555
Calls may be recorded for quality and
training purposes
Positive Futures
How Positive Futures works
Positive Futures is a long term programme and aims to build
relationships with young people – recognising that there are no
quick wins.
Positive Futures is delivered locally through partnerships
consisting of agencies such as charities, local authorities,
schools, police.
Positive Futures projects are moving beyond sport to deliver
substance misuse interventions and education - as well as improving
staff knowledge and understanding of substance -misuse, projects are
continuing to offer young people a wide range of opportunities to
access advice and guidance on this issue.
Positive Futures makes a difference to young people’s lives: it
respects young people, helps them widen their horizons and achieve
their potential with opportunities to gain accreditation across a
wide range of schemes, expanding their personal and vocational
horizons.
For young people who cannot reach their full potential within a
traditional classroom based environment Positive Futures is playing
a crucial role in providing them with support for their development.
Locally, Positive Futures in Home Office (via Crime Concern),
Safer Sunderland Partnerships (Safer stronger Communities),
Police Basic Command Unit Funding and Connexions PAYP (Positive Activities for Young People).
Our partners are:
Northumbria Police
Sunderland YOS
Sunderland Council Sport and Leisure
Neighbourhood Relations Unit
BEST
Sunderland AFC Foundation
Southwick Neighbourhood Youth Project
Sunderland North Alternative Curriculum Group
Youth Drug and Alcohol Project
Local Schools
Main thrust of activity is delivered from Southwick Sports Hall,
which offers free access to sport and physical activity, alongside
issues and arts based workshops, volunteering, and accredited
courses.
Additionally, every holiday period an activity programme is
provided, which involves the young people in all aspects of the work
from choice of activity to time and place activity held. Many of the
young people also contribute to planning sessions and delivering
them.
Additionally short programmes of work are put on for different
referred groups, e.g. PALS (Positive Active Learning Support) is a
targeted programme for year 6 pupils prior to them moving to
secondary School. Activities for Young People – targeted at those
leaving school at 15-16yrs with no fixed place in training,
employment or education.
Football Friday – informal football league set up at a time of
high reported youth disorder (underage drinking). Linked nicely with
young people telling us they had nowhere to go on Friday night, and
a survey carried out regarding what young people want – football
nearly always top!
