SCHEMES designed by young people in Bere Alston and Tavistock to tackle anti-social behaviour were recognised last week at the Devon Crimebeat Awards.
The Bere Alston and Tavistock College projects were among those receiving runners-up awards in the four award categories.
A group of Tavistock College upper-sixth students taking part in a peer education programme have been recognised by the awards. The SHADE group designed and produced a student helpline card to issue to the 2,000 pupils at the college, and are looking at expanding the scheme to other young people in the West Devon area.
The card features local and national helpline numbers offering advice on issues such as drugs, sexual health and bullying, and other useful numbers. Copies of the card are being printed this week and will be distributed to college pupils.
The peer education programme equipped upper-sixth students to attend year eight and year ten personal, social and health education lessons to deliver drugs and health education in a way younger teenagers could relate to.
Carolyn Tossell from Tavistock College said: 'This is a superb opportunity for students to continue developing their ideas with the support of Crimebeat. This will be a very useful card for young people in the college and in the local community.'
The Berey Skaters, a group of youngsters from Bere Alston, who worked together to win the support of the local parish council to build a skateboard ramp at the back of their parish hall, also picked up an award.
The skateboard facility aims to tackle the problems of young people growing up in isolated rural areas by giving them somewhere to meet and have fun, and diverting them away from possible causes of anti-social behaviour.
Youth to Youth chairperson Deborah Helps, who helped facilitate the project, said the young people thought the half-pipe skate ramp was 'amazing'.
She said the skate ramp had improved safety for skaters as well as for road users, and had benefited the community as a whole.
She said the project could not have succeeded without the co-operation and hard work of the parish council, the police, youth organisations and the young people themselves.
Tavistock policeman and Crimebeat co-ordinator PC Simon Dell said: 'The young people have put a lot of hard work into their schemes and they all deserve to be praised.
'They have taken a very positive attitude to improve their environment for themselves, their peers and other members of the community.'
Members of the Tavistock and Bere Alston projects received awards and gave presentations about their work during the awards ceremony at Exeter University, last Friday).