Achievements, Learning and Outcomes

Overview

• Partnership with Addaction• Six month project to training youth workers

to deliver Motivational Interviewing to vulnerable young people

• Delivered in Brent, Bournemouth, Cornwall, Halton, and Lancashire

• Funded by Home Office

Innovation

• Screening, and outcome measurement via Android App– Young people friendly– Ability to follow up– Security of data– Real time management

information– Enhances accessibility

by authorised staff

Achievements

• 150 youth workers trained and supported to deliver Brief Interventions

• Over 2,000 young people screened for substance misuse

• Over 800 young people assessed as requiring a brief intervention

Young People Screened

Aged 10- 15 Aged 16- 18 Aged 19- 21 Aged 22- 250

100

200

300

400

500

600

516

454

118

64

463443

8652

Young menYoung women

The Young People

No risk Low risk Medium risk High risk Severe risk0

100

200

300

400

500

600 571

325292

358

157

Numbers of young people and the level of risk of substance misuse

807 eligible for intervention

Disclosure of Substance Misuse

Female Male0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

752811

355

493

83122

Alcohol disclosureCannabis disclosureOther drug disclosure

35% of young people disclosed poly substance use

Crime and Anti-Social Behaviours

Steali

ng fr

om S

hops

Selling

Dru

gs

Vehicl

e The

ft

Oth

er T

heft

Fraud

/Sto

len G

oods

Assau

lt/Viol

ence

Loud

in P

ublic

Car T

heft

Neighb

our C

ompla

ints

Carrie

d a

Wea

pon

Gra

ffiti

Racist

Com

men

ts

Troub

le with

Frie

nds

0

20

40

60

80

Non Intervention Group Intervention Group

Risky Behaviours

Car driven under the influence

Using to relax

Using when alone

Forgetting

Family/friends concerned

Getting into trouble

0% 10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

56%

74%

45%

61%

43%

49%

Where can I get support if I need it?

Pre-Intervention

Knowledge of where to get support

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

SomeNeutralNone

Post-Intervention

Knowledge of where to get

support

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

IncreasedNo ChangeDeteriorated

How confident am I about making an informed choice?

Pre-Intervention

Confidence in ...0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

SomeNeutralNone

Post Intervention

Confidence in making an in-

formed decision

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

IncreasedNo ChangeDeteriorated

Intention to Change

Disagr

ee

Neutra

l

Agree

01020304050607080

Intention for Future Safer Use

Disagr

ee

Neutra

l

Agree

01020304050607080

Future safer use preferable

Disagr

ee

Neutra

l

Agree

0

20

40

60

80

Significant Others Ap-

prove of Safe / In-

formed Use

Disagr

ee

Neutra

l

Agree

0

20

40

60

80

Confident About Fu-ture Safer

Use

Key Findings

• Street Talk led to youth workers being able to identify and provide an effective early intervention with young people taking risks with drugs and alcohol.

• A large majority young people who took part in Street Talk described having a positive desire to deal with these risks, and had a better understanding of how to do so following the intervention.

Additional Findings

• A significant proportion of young people in touch with youth services are taking considerable risks with substances. Almost all of these would not be eligible for treatment services.

• Local youth services and organisations that work with vulnerable young people, properly trained, may be a highly effective means of reaching this group.

• Brief interventions, in particular Motivational Interviewing, can be used effectively by youth workers to help young people to reduce risky behaviours.

• Smartphone Apps and web surveys are an effective medium for researching young people’s behaviours and evidence change over time.

Next Steps

• Street Talk has shown immense promise as a route to tackling the early misuse of drugs and alcohol, in order to progress we need to:– Replicate the findings from this project– Measure the effect on behaviour over time– Develop the programme so that Street Talk

can be rolled out nationally