Gloucestershire Police Authority

My name is Matthew Wicker, I come here from North Devon where I practiced as a Youth Worker in schools and Youth Centres for 5 years. I recently qualified from Exeter University, gaining professional status (post grad diploma) and working toward a MA in Youth and community Studies.

I applied for the post of Police Youth Participation Worker because the relationships between the Police (Authority / Constabulary), Young People and the Youth Service are important and equally fascinating. It seems that the roles of each group may be misunderstood by the others, though ultimately they are all working toward providing opportunities for Young People to succeed.

As outlined by the 5 Every Child Matters (ECM) Outcomes. The Government's aim is for every child, whatever their background or their circumstances, to have the support they need to:

Gloucestershire Police Authority recognised that Young People are under represented in the policing process. Young People make up a large percentage of the population in communities around Gloucestershire, each with individual values and opinions. The Authority has also nominated a Member,Cllr Charmian Sheppard, to act as a lead for progressing the Every Child Matters agenda - please see the enclosed action template for details of current work in progress.

The appointment of a full time Youth Worker is recognition of the specific skills and work of the Gloucestershire Youth Service. The Police Authority and Constabulary are serious about working together with other agencies and Young People across the county for the benefit of local communities and Young People. Youth Work Strategy.

Employed by Gloucestershire Police Authority and based within the County Youth Service in Cheltenham. My main responsibilities are:

To raise awareness of the work of the Authority and the community liaison role of the Constabulary
To deliver training opportunities for police officers and young people that enhances understanding and co-operation between both parties
To work with young people from varied communities, (urban and rural, from diverse background), on specific projects
To identify opportunities, appropriate for Young People, to participate in events influencing policing strategy.
To raise young people’s awareness of their rights and responsibilities if they are stopped and searched by the police.

My role as a Youth Worker is about engaging Young People and enabling them to participate in processes, specifically police processes, which may have an impact on their lives either now or in the future. Although I am very much part of the Police Authority team, my role is independent and I bring to it the professional values of Youth Work and my own personal values. The rights of Young People and the opportunity for Young People to exercise these rights will be entrenched in all the work I do.

As you can imagine engaging with Young People, representing all backgrounds from within the county is a huge task and building relationships will not happen overnight. It has been decided that I will assign myself to Safer Community Teams (SCT) and the Youth Provision in these areas. Initially making contact with Barton St SCT, in Gloucester and then two further SCT's, one in each division as outlined by the Constabulary.

Initially, my time was taken up with meeting colleagues from the Gloucestershire Police Authority, Gloucestershire Constabulary and Gloucestershire Youth Service. I received a very positive reception from all parties and am now working with the Young People of the county. This is where I am most comfortable and am sure is where I will learn the most from.

Keep checking this site for regular updates of projects, stories and news of previous and forthcoming events. For a summary of the key objectives of my role, please click here.