Background & Evidence

The thinking behind Positive Futures UK.

Discover the background to Positive Futures UK, including the programme's development, previous testing, research and the learning that continues to shape its approach.

A police officer listening to participants at a Positive Futures UK session

Programme background

Positive Futures — what is it?

Positive Futures puts young people at the heart of Community Problem-Solving.

Positive Futures UK empowers young people aged 11–15 to identify and fix quality-of-life and antisocial behaviour problems that matter most to them in their local communities.

Young people lead the work alongside local policing, councillors and other stakeholders. Police provide tools, training and support to help identify problems. Councillors and local stakeholders help provide the resources and support needed to implement solutions.

Youth club leaders, managers and local residents support young people in improving their communities. The approach has been tested across four areas of Surrey, and this website brings together the information, evidence and practical resources needed to deliver it elsewhere.

Supporting research, economic evaluation, planning frameworks, delivery materials and participant pathways help communities understand the programme and the resources available for implementation.

Eight weeks: Identify. Pitch. Solve.

Identify
Young people identify the issues that matter most in their communities.
Pitch
They develop solutions and present their ideas to local stakeholders.
Solve
They work towards implementing solutions and planning further action.

Explore the eight-week programme

A new, innovative partnership approach, which means adults take notice of our young people locally, include their views, suggestions and efforts in solution of problems that affect the whole community.