YMCA National Conference to focus on young offenders

The YMCA, noted for its work with young people, will be hosting its national conference 'Growing Out of Crime' on 11-12 October at The Emmanuel Centre in Westminster, London.

Organised by the YMCA Offender Services Unit, the Growing Out of Crime Conference will aim to look at the broad range of issues, challenges, and organisations associated with young offenders.

According to the YMCA the conference, hopes to be "a challenging, practical and solutions-orientated conference, that provides delegates with useful information and workable ideas that will help them continue to provide a quality service for the young people they deal with".

Subjects to be covered during the two day conference include crime prevention, resettlement of former inmates, community chaplaincy, housing, race, and alternatives to custody.

Guest speakers include the Rt Hon David Hanson MP, Minister of State for Justice; Angela Sarkis, National Secretary of YMCA England; Juliet Lyon, Director, Prison Reform Trust: Mark Johnson, Special Adviser for Policy and Development, The Princes Trust and Beverley Thompson, MBE Head of Racial Equality Action Group, HM Prison Service.

There will also be input from young people who have personal experience of the criminal justice system.