Good behaviour by youngsters is rewarded by Dreamscheme

POLICE have praised the success of a scheme in Minehead which rewards youngsters for good behaviour on a housing estate.
Teenagers who act as ‘better citizens’ on the development off Seaward Way can enjoy activities such as fishing trips and days out at the Alton Towers theme park.
The Dreamscheme initiative was launched nationally last year with Home Office funding to help cut down youth crime.
Minehead police Inspector Carol Pearce said incidents of bad behaviour in Minehead had fallen greatly since the scheme started.
She said: “About 12 months ago, we were looking at 150 to 200 reports of anti-social behaviour for that period of the year.
“In the second period of the year since we started that process, we are looking at less than 10.
“It is demonstrating that if we do work with young people and the wider community on a one-to-one basis and people get to know who their beat managers are and who the young people are, if we work together and have community cohesion, we will have a better society for all of us to benefit from.”
‘Dreamscheme - Seaward Way’ celebrates its first anniversary this month.

• Our photograph shows some of the youngsters from the estate who were taken to see a Football League match at Plymouth Argyle in February of this year. Photo submitted.