History

A Youth Crime Audit, undertaken on behalf of Wycombe District Council by Crime Concern in June 1994, highlighted the problem of car crime in High Wycombe and revealed a number of areas of concern. These included the high cost of car crime locally, the numbers of young people involved in crime and their concentration in particular estates and streets, rising youth unemployment and the lack of opportunities within existing youth provision for skill development in mechanical and driving skills.

The Youth Service was becoming increasingly concerned about the alienation of some young people - particularly on the Castlefield Estate. Comments received from young people on the estate included "There's nothing to do and there is lots of vandalism in Castlefield. People are bored and that's leading to crime, including joy riding and car related crime." They indicated that a motor project would encourage them to learn basic car maintenance and how to drive legally; "I'd like to learn how to maintain cars and have courses on how to drive safely" and "It would be really good if there was a motor project, it would keep us out of trouble."

The Probation Service was also acutely aware of increasing numbers of young offenders receiving custodial sentences for car crime. Thus statutory agencies within the town were identifying similar needs from which they could all benefit. The Wycombe Garage Project became part of the Action Plan developed by the District Council following the Crime Audit.

A Deprivation Audit of High Wycombe, published by the Social Policy Research Group at Bucks College, confirmed the evidence of the 1994 Crime audit. It particularly highlighted evidence of high rates of recorded crime, especially amongst young people in the wards of Booker and Castlefield, Marsh and Micklefield, when compared to other areas of Wycombe. Rates of unemployment of 20% for young males and 40% for young black and Asian males were linked to these high crime rates.

The original idea for the project was put forward by a Youth Worker in the summer of 1994 as a response to the needs of the young people he was working with in the relatively deprived estate areas of Micklefield and Castlefield. In the subsequent months an inter-agency group met to carry these ideas forward and to draw in support from the public and private sector.

In March 1995 the idea for the project was launched and that summer a 6-week pilot project took place. At that stage it was proposed that a dedicated project development worker should be appointed to co-ordinate activity and to develop the embryonic proposals. In the Autumn of 1995 an advert was placed for a part-time worker, this failed to attract interest and the project stagnated. The arrival of two seconded staff in 1996 gave new hope to the re-launch of the project.

These two staff applied for and secured funding from the Castlefield Regeneration Budget, which was part of the Single Regeneration Budget of the Government Office South East. Funding for three years was also secured from the National Lottery Charities Board for a project manager's salary. Local businesses were contacted and Volvo, Kawasaki and Cavewood Transport came forward as supporters. A second advertisement resulted in the employment of a Project Manager in November 1997.

A search for premises was undertaken and after many setbacks the present location at Leigh Street was secured. With help from the Wycombe District Council Planning Department plans for conversion were drawn up to incorporate two workshop bays for cars, two workshop bays for motorcycles, three classrooms including an IT room, offices and storage. In April of 1998 two part-time mechanics were employed both to help fit out the workshop and as tutors.

SKIDZ was officially opened on the 1st of October 1998 by Emma Steadman of Bruce Forsyth's 'The Price is Right'. The ceremony was well supported by over seventy people, including the Chairman of Wycombe District Council, Funders, Sponsors, Partners, Community members and local businesses.

Since that date the project has expanded still further to meet the growing demands of local schools and our community. In September 2004 a new wing was opened, next to our existing workshop in Leigh Street. This virtually doubled the workshop area, and gave us four extra classrooms, enabling us to offer many more young people from local secondary schools, the opportunity to enrol on the Entry Level Course in Road User Studies, which can lead on to Health and Safety Level 1. Schools welcomed the course as an option for students under the Increased Flexibility Programme. Some 400 students a week visit our workshops. Our staff numbers have grown to 14 to deliver the courses and we have 25 volunteers working with us. Between the 14 members of staff at SKIDZ there is over 250 years of experience in the motor and allied trades.

SKIDZ has gained national recognition with similar projects being replicated in Aylesbury and Banbury, and feasibility studies to develop more centres across Thames Valley and the whole country.