In response to antisocial behaviour by young people in a local park in Exeter, the local council, police, Neighbourhood Watch group and residents set up a Parks Watch Group. The Watch met with the police and the council, who provided statistics on the crimes and damage caused in the various parks. The issues faced by the group included vandalism; underage drinking; graffiti; people breaking into tennis courts and the bowls pavilion; the use of motorbikes on the bowling green; broken bottles being left in the children’s paddling pool and play area; and other park users being subjected to verbal abuse.

A second meeting brought together members of the community, representatives of statutory agencies and young people. The young people explained that they did not have anywhere to go or anything to do. Funding was obtained and a consultation exercise was carried out to establish their needs. It was agreed to make the tennis courts free of charge to use and to remove the padlocks to provide unrestricted access. A BMX bike area was created and a pilot project set up to positively engage young people, who designed and helped to build the BMX course. The level of vandalism in the park dropped.

Eight months later the Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator sought the assistance of a ‘life experience facilitator’ and an application for funding was made for a project to build a youth shelter and to also include a woodland camp for young people to develop social and life skills. The shelter was to be built by the young people in oak wood from a local fallen tree.

They were given health and safety training and encouraged to have a positive respect for the tools and their use. The group gathered after school to work on building the shelter, learning to become inclusive and to work as a team. The rapport between the young people, residents and agencies improved dramatically.

This project is based in Exeter and was nominated for a European crime prevention award.