ST PAULS — A ground-breaking community-led outreach partnership between Avon and Somerset Constabulary, local grassroots youth mentors, and neighborhood elders in St Pauls has delivered a 31.4% reduction in recorded youth antisocial incidents over the past twelve months, according to official police performance statistics.
The initiative, titled Project Unity St Pauls, was launched in late 2024 to move away from adversarial enforcement models towards proactive, community-anchored mentorship, positive youth diversion, and sports-led education programs.
Mentorship and Sports-Led Youth Diversion
At the core of the project’s success is a daily collaboration between neighborhood policing officers, the Malcolm X Community Centre, the St Pauls Community Trust, and local sports clubs, including the Broad Plain Boxing Club.
Key pillars of the outreach model include:
- Proactive Youth Mentorship: Direct referral of over 180 vulnerable young people into one-to-one mentorship programmes led by trusted local community elders and former youth workers.
- Evening Sports Academies: Fully funded evening basketball, boxing, and football sessions operating five nights a week across local community halls, providing structured, safe recreational environments during peak hours.
- Restorative Community Panels: Low-level youth misdemeanors are diverted away from criminal courts into community-led restorative justice panels, where young people make direct amends through community service projects.
Rebuilding Trust and Community Confidence
Avon & Somerset Police East Bristol Area Commander Superintendent Mark Higgins praised the transformative impact of the collaborative approach: “For true community safety to take root, policing must be done with the community, not to the community. The leadership shown by St Pauls elders, mentors, and youth leaders has been phenomenal. By listening, collaborating, and providing positive opportunities, we are building lasting trust and safer streets for everyone.”
Local community leader and youth coordinator Marcus Green echoed the sentiment: “Our young people have boundless talent and energy. When we give them opportunity, guidance, and respect, they excel. This project proves what South West communities can achieve when authorities genuinely listen to grassroots community voices.”
Avon & Somerset Police confirmed that the St Pauls collaborative model will now be expanded to Southmead and Hartcliffe over the coming financial year.
