Issue details

STEER provides one to one mentoring for young people aged 10-17 at risk of serious youth violence and child criminal exploitation across Salford, Bolton, Wigan, Trafford, Tameside & Manchester. Utilising specifically designed interventions and positive activities, it aims to “steer” young people down a legitimate path helping to improve resilience, motivation and reduce risk taking behaviours. Mentors support each young person to create their own plan and set goals. They also help young people to improve pro-social skills and develop coping mechanisms.

STEER transitioned from a pilot study to an efficacy study in 2023, a positive progression through the defined stages of YEF that all YEF commissions are subject to. Progression is not guaranteed and was a marker of the project’s success. However, almost all YEF programmes are subject to a cessation of funding for a period of 12 months or longer at the end of the efficacy study before transition to an effectiveness stage is approved. The STEER programme reached the end of its efficacy stage on 31st March 2025, and despite engagement between the Deputy Mayor and YEF to highlight the dangers of ceasing funding for any period, YEF will cease funding until they confirm the effectiveness stage can begin. YEF ceases funding for programmes at the conclusion of the efficacy study to allow for results to be collated and assessed to inform and influence the effectiveness stage. Therefore, this £84,000 grant funding seeks to match fund contributions from Salford Foundation’s own reserves to continue the STEER programme in all 6 districts in which it currently operates until the effectiveness stage can begin. The VRU’s contribution includes £7,000 from the devolved funding budgets of each of the 6 districts in which STEER operates.