What is The Breakout Programme?

The Breakout Programme is a 12-week initiative aimed at preventing vulnerable young people from engaging in knife crime and gang activities. It combines mentoring, classroom sessions and outdoor education to bring about positive changes in the lives of at-risk youths.

How does The Breakout Programme address knife crime?

The programme addresses knife crime by educating young people about the risks and consequences of carrying knives, including the increased likelihood of becoming victims themselves. It also tackles underlying issues such as poor mental health, which is often linked to violent behaviour and gang involvement.

How does The Breakout Programme identify and support young people at risk?

Schools collaborate with Action4Youth to identify students at risk of criminal behavior based on indicators such as poor attendance, behavioral issues or previous encounters with law enforcement. The programme then tailors its interventions to meet the individual needs of these students, helping them re-engage with education and make healthier life choices.

What outcomes has The Breakout Programme achieved?

The Breakout Programme has demonstrated significant impact in preventing at-risk youths from engaging in criminal activities. Feedback from schools and participants indicates that the programme not only re-engages students with their education but also equips them with the skills to avoid crime, potentially saving lives.

The Breakout Programme

Name: Action4Youth
Address: 5 Smeaton Close, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 8UN, GB
Telephone: 0300 003 2334

Early intervention programme for education settings

The Breakout Programme is a 12-week programme helping young people make more positive choices, build confidence and understand the impact of their behaviours.

The Breakout Programme is a structured early intervention programme for schools, PRUs and alternative provision settings, supporting young people at risk of disengagement, exclusion, exploitation or harmful choices.

“We were delighted with the turnaround from Jonny* who was on the edge of exclusion, with really challenging, disruptive behaviour. He would have ended up in a Pupil Referral Unit but he is now more settled in class with less frequent outbursts.”

An Aylesbury-based secondary school

Talk to us about your setting

Contact Davie Johns, E: davie.johns@action4youth.org, T: 0300 003 2334

At a glance

12-week programme
Structured early intervention combining mentoring, classroom sessions and outdoor education.

Small groups
Around 10 young people per group.

Bespoke delivery
Adapted to meet the needs of your young people.

Early intervention
Reach young people before risk escalates.

Who is Breakout for?

Education settings identify and refer the young people they feel would benefit most from the programme.

Breakout may be suitable for young people who are:

At risk of exclusion or disengagement from education
Struggling with poor attendance or low aspirations
Displaying disruptive, challenging or at-risk behaviour
Vulnerable to gangs, exploitation or negative peer influence
Showing signs of anti-social behaviour
Involvement in criminal justice system
Having negative contact with the police
In need of early intervention before behaviours become entrenched

Breakout is not about labelling young people. It is about giving them the space, structure and support to recognise that they have choices.

What students gain

Across the 12-week programme, young people are supported to:

Build confidence, self-belief and motivation
Develop emotional regulation and mental resilience
Understand risk, consequences and personal responsibility
Make safer, more considered decisions
Improve teamwork, communication and leadership skills
Reflect on their behaviour and future direction
Develop tools to make more positive life choices
Learn practical life-saving skills through street first aid

How The Breakout Programme works

The Breakout Programme is a 12-week early intervention programme for schools, PRUs, alternative provision settings and other education providers supporting young people at risk of disengagement, exclusion or harmful choices.

Delivered to groups of up to 10 young people, the programme combines weekly half-day sessions with 1:1 mentoring, classroom-based learning and outdoor education. Young people are supported to reflect on their choices, build resilience and confidence, and develop practical tools to help them make positive decisions.

Sessions explore themes including personal goals, county lines, drug and alcohol awareness, street first aid, teamwork, leadership and self-belief. Progress is reviewed throughout the programme, with ongoing mentoring helping each young person build trust, reflect on their behaviour and recognise their potential. Each young person’s progress is supported and reviewed using Outcomes Star.

The programme costs £4,800 for a group of 10 young people. We understand that budgets across education settings are under pressure. To help make the programme as accessible as possible, limited bursary funding may be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please contact Davie Johns to discuss your needs.

Action4Youth delivers The Breakout Programme across Bucks, Milton Keynes, Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead, Reading, Herts, Beds, Oxon and Northamptonshire

Over 20 years ago I led a programme that aimed to help young people who were on the cusp of criminality and to provide them with the skills and support needed to make better life choices. I am therefore delighted to offer my endorsement to the Breakout programme being run by Action4Youth. Not only does it offer the outdoor challenges and mentoring that were so important in my programme, but it also adds classroom sessions that help young people make better decisions, prevent criminality and build self-confidence.

Investing in young people who are approaching a crossroads in their lives and helping them to make healthy choices is of benefit to them, their families and to wider society. There is nothing better than seeing a young person grow and start to realise their potential – programmes like BreakOut really do make a difference.

Sir Francis J S Habgood QPM DL

The impact on young people

Please browse the case studies to see, in their own words, how young people have changed their thinking and their lives for the better, following their time on The Breakout Programme. They tell of improved engagement in school, positive attitudes to the future, changes in their peer groups and much more.

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What young people say about the programme

“Before The Breakout Programme, I wouldn’t always talk to people or open up about things. The programme has helped me with my communication and made me more willing to speak to staff and other people. I’ve learned that you never really know what someone else is going through, and it’s helped me think differently about myself and others. It’s been fun as well – you get to try new things and meet people you wouldn’t normally spend time with.”

Breakout Programme participant

“The Breakout Programme has helped me think more about the choices I make and where they could lead, especially things like smoking and cannabis. Hearing from people with lived experience made me realise how things can affect your future. I’ve also done activities I hadn’t done before and pushed myself with things I thought I couldn’t do. It’s opened my mind and given me things that will help me in the future.”

Breakout Programme participant

The Inspiration Programme

The Junction

Additional Needs and Disabilities