Fylde CAP won the accolade of the CAP of the Year (England) at the 2025 CAP Awards. This innovative partnership is located in the North West of England.
Previously funded projects in the area highlighted an increase in underage drinking within specific target areas. This accompanied a worrying trend in local young people taking part in risk taking behaviours.
Recognising that disengagement and anti-social behaviour often go hand-in-hand, Fylde CAP prioritised youth engagement from the start. Working with local schools, the CAP developed a mentorship programme for young people at risk of exclusion. Pupils who were spending the school day hanging around parks and open spaces and on the cusp of being expelled from school were referred to the programme and were actively encouraged to take part.
Fylde CAP really highlights the critical importance of youth voice and agency. By empowering young people to be active participants in shaping their own futures, they have shown that lasting and positive changes can be created.
This innovative programme combines dynamic learning with engaging physical activities, equipping young people with essential life skills such as communication, conflict resolution, and decision-making.
By actively involving young people in the design and delivery of local initiatives, the CAP fostered a real sense of ownership and empowerment amongst the group. This collaborative approach has not only reduced instances of anti-social behaviour – a 27% decrease in youth anti-social behaviour in Ashton Ward alone –but has also strengthened relationships between key stakeholders which include the local authority, police, trading standards, schools and youth organisations, housing groups and local charity foundations.
The programme was linked to community outreach work which was vital in building trust with young people and partners with a range of experience within youth provision worked together to offer volunteer opportunities, youth projects and sporting activities. This meant that the young people were engaged in the long-term and limited the time they had to engage in risk-taking behaviour.
Fylde CAP really highlights the critical importance of youth voice and agency. By empowering young people to be active participants in shaping their own futures, they have shown that lasting and positive changes can be created.
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