EXTRA funding has been secured to put more Outreach workers on the streets of Bridport to work with young people.

Funding has been received for the first time from the Western Dorset Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership to support the work going on in the town.

Experienced youth worker Phil Lathey will be joined by new recruit Christine Poole.

Dorset County Council senior youth worker for West Dorset Arthur Woodgate, said: "Outreach does just what is says - rather than wait for young people to come to you, some of whom will, and some of whom, for various reasons, won't, you go out to them.

"Without getting in their face, because they of course need their personal space as much as anyone, you meet them on common territory - the streets, playing fields, generally public areas where they have as much right to be as anyone else.

"The same rules also apply as for everyone else, of whatever age - anti-social behaviour simply isn't wanted. It's no good for those on the receiving end, and it's frankly in no young persons' best interests to get into any kind of trouble with the law."

The Outreach programme will endeavour to deliver two major outcomes. The first: to reduce the number of incidents of actual or likely crime involving young people.

Mr Lathey said: "We have tried this approach very successfully some years ago. There was a great deal of vandalism going on, particularly around the St Mary's Playing Fields. Some of it, much to the annoyance of most young people, was undoubtedly being caused by just a few.

"The result of our Outreach programme was quite dramatic, with both the town council and the police showing a hundred per cent reduction in cases of vandalism. We couldn't take all the credit for this, but we know we had a considerable impact, often by being at the right place at the right time. We're looking at something different here, and our first priority will be to get to know those young people we don't already know and, we hope, get to earn their trust."

With public perception an issue, the Outreach team will also be working with young people and others in the community towards presenting a clearer picture of exactly what is happening as regards anti-social behaviour, based on fact rather than fear or rumour.

Mr Woodgate said: "We mustn't forget that youth workers initially appeared on the streets in response to the wishes of concerned young people expressed at a town hall meeting of the Bridport Youth Assembly.

"Any issue involving, or potentially involving young people must include young people in the process of creating positive and realistic solutions."

Mr Woodgate thanked Police Inspector Stephen Davenport and the West Dorset Community Safety Office for their support in gaining the commission to deliver this work.