Our Boy’s development programme is delivered at the next life cycle point through partnerships with primary schools. The intervention has changed its name through its development since 2007.
Originally Uncut was the brand name for what was in effect our conflict resolution programme.
Over the years and through a process of revision and evaluation we now call it the Boys development programme. It was originally called Uncut because it was developed through a funded programme that was trying to prevent knife crime 2007 to 2010 Fear and Fashion, but became a conflict resolution intervention . We retained Uncut as this is how the Realising Ambition programme recognises the intervention. Once that programme ends we will drop the name altogether. For most purposes we refer to it as Boys Development Programme.
The logic is based on evidence that boys at risk of moving into secondary schools, facing either exclusion, placements in Alternative educational provision, or life on the streets, run a high risk of becoming involved in anti social/criminal behaviour. If schools lose them at this transition point and families are not able to prevent it, they are on a negative trajectory. We target the intervention in Years 5 and 6. It comprises five group sessions with a clear selection criteria combined with one to one sessions with the boys identifying a need for individual support. This work can also include whole school assemblies to de stigmatise our service and After School groups with an open door policy to achieve the same.
