1. SOMETIMES YOU
DON’T KNOW
WHAT YOU’RE GETTING INTO
UNTIL IT’S TOO LATE
Hit the bu:on:
text HELP to 80808
to reach your nearest open support service.
2. Service Description
A text messaging service to help young
offenders at moments of crisis.
3. The Opportunity
Points of crisis are times when youths can reoffend and also
times when they are most receptive to help. We want our
service to be an easy entry point for them to access the most
relevant local support service available at that time.
4. Why Mobile?
• Immediacy of the answers, wherever, whenever
• Location-based (nearest to you) and time-based (“open now”)
• SMS is the default means of communication for young people
• Personal and confidential nature of using your own mobile handset
5. Crisis Points We Address
Over two-thirds of 16-20 yrs in prison
1. Alcohol & Drugs had a hazardous drinking problem,
10 Alcohol and over half had a dependence on a
11 Drugs drug, prior to entering custody
2. Abuse & Violence 2 in 5 girls and 1 in 4 boys in custody
20 At Home report suffering violence at home
21 On The Street
22 In A Relationship
3. Mental Health 85% of children in prison show signs
30 Depression of a personality disorder
31 Hearing Voices
32 Paranoia
33 Self Harm 40% of children in custody have
34 Need To Talk previously been homeless
4. Emergency Accommodation
Source: Bromley Briefings Prison Fact File, June 2009, PRT
6. Live Demo
To: 80808 Text HELP to 80808
Re: HELP
7. Live Demo
What help do you Type “2” for abuse and violence
want? For confidential
help nearest you, text 1
for Alcohol & Drugs, 2
for Abuse & Violence, 3
for Mental Health, 4
for Emergency
Accommodation
8. Live Demo
Text 20 for At Home, Type “21” for on the street
21 for On The Street,
22 for In A Relationship
9. Live Demo
Shows nearest support centre to you
Brick Lane Youth now (given where you are)
Development
Association. Open Until Shows support centre that is open
9pm. Vallance Road, now (given when you texted)
London E1 0207 375
0389. Nearest Tube:
Liverpool Street. Ask for Shows address, phone number,
Mike. Map at http://
bit.ly/cikHhV. Text
nearest tube, map.
MORE 21 for additional
help contacts. Gives name of person to reach.
Shows alternative 24 hour phone
support number.
10. How To Reach Youths In Crisis
• “80808” short code saved in youth’s mobile phone address
book (under any name) – in their pocket at time of need
• Made aware of service by Youth Offending Teams, People
Referral Units, Probation Services (as part of their outgoing
personal comms strategy)
• “80808” short code is pre-loaded by individuals in advance
during these interactions with YOTs etc
11. Pilot Project With YOT
• Pilot project with Hackney Youth Offending Team (example)
• 6 months
• £1,000 project running cost (funded from existing budget
of £933,000 for prevention services)
• Hackney YOT to provide access to database and promote
80808 to their service users
• 80808 to maintain service, provide Needs Analysis and
build Case Study for roll-out
12. Funding & Sustainability
• Approx £3,000 innovation grant required for backend
infrastructure set up (i.e. dedicated server for database,
mobile short code)
• Local YOT teams reallocate funds from existing ‘prevention
services budgets’ (£2,000 set up and maintenance cost per
year per area team)
• Service is self-funded by each area team
• Localised text help “80808” used as a complementary tool by
YOT teams as part of their existing comms strategy
14. Next Steps?
• Consultations with youths at risk to validate pathways, language,
feedback, etc
• Seek Innovation Grant to kick-start service set-up
• Secure agreement with relevant sponsor to pilot project, e.g. YOT
• IT help to develop demo service to market readiness
15. SOMETIMES YOU
DON’T KNOW
WHAT YOU’RE GETTING INTO
UNTIL IT’S TOO LATE
Hit the bu:on:
text HELP to 80808
to reach your nearest open support service.
