A prototype of the new visual communication tool Shifting Journey Cards has been introduced to policymakers and practitioners at the Youth Justice Board’s Youth Justice Convention in Birmingham. The resource was constructed by young people in Cheshire and Frozen Marrow Design to support practice conversations about journey problems.

Why is a tool needed in youth justice?

Underpinning research led to the production of this new resource, with key findings suggesting:

• Children and young people are not equally well placed to undertake journeys.
• The youth justice population disproportionately experience multiple and complex needs, with limited literacy, learning disabilities and poverty impacting journey making capabilities.
• Currently very limited youth justice policy guidance on timekeeping and absence means practice responses remain discretionary, with support highly varied.
• Everyday youth justice journey problems can seem normal, making their identification harder.
• Children and young people with communication difficulties can find it hard to express problems. Engaging, interactive visual tools can support conversations.
• Poorly understood journey problems can result in punishment.
• During a visual methods pilot, young people found icons to be popular and supportive of clear communication. Practitioners also expressed an interest in resource development to support meaningful practice delivery.

What does the tool aim to achieve?

The tool is designed to support effective practice and positive outcomes for young people by:

• Encouraging conversations about journey making
• Supporting timekeeping and attendance
• Limiting service disengagement, service withdrawal and punishment as a consequence of journey problems
• Bypassing literacy problems using visual communication
• Drawing out everyday problems that are hard to identify

The practice pilot

Young people decided on the format, wording and content of this resource, with support from Frozen Marrow Design. It is now essential to test the cards in practice to iron out final details and support effective use. During the Youth Justice Convention, 34 practitioners from the youth justice sector and beyond have agreed to try the tool and provide feedback. Findings from this pilot will inform the final design, with details published on this site. For more information about Shifting Journey Cards please contact Sarah on s.brooks-wilson@bham.ac.uk

This resource was developed with Economic and Social Research Council support (grants ES/M500446/1 and ES/I026770/1