AN ambitious scheme is aiming to tackle antisocial behaviour in Witney by ploughing more than £60,000 into youth work.

Social enterprise Synolos has launched its two-year Profits Making Change initiative, which attempts to raise tens of thousands of pounds for engagement projects.

The scheme comes weeks after the organisation attended an urgent forum looking at ways to return sustainable youth services to Witney, following a spate of youth crime.

Read again: Urgent forum aims to have provision in place by August

Director of training and education, Olly Corona-Brown, represented Synolos at the forum and believes the town needs to reach out to young people.

He said: "Antisocial behaviour has been festering for a while and it has reared its head in a few ugly ways.

"There's definitely a problem with the perception of young people.

"They need to feel empowered and that they have a voice worth listening to."

There have been a number of high-profile acts of vandalism and anti social behaviour in recent months, including fireworks being set off at cars. READ MORE HERE 

Profits Making Change will aim to generate £125,000 through selling products made by Synolos on the organisation's new online marketplace, inndi.co.uk.

Oxford Mail:

Olly Corona-Brown, left, and Lee Ingleton, of Synolos. The social enterprise is launching a new initiative to raise funds to tackle antisocial behaviour in Witney.

This would make Synolos a £63,000 profit, which would go towards projects for young people focusing on outreach, mental health, employment, and training and education.

Once the company reaches its £6,000 sales target it will start these programmes, while a £60,000 profit would mean it can deliver 1,100 hours of outreach work and 250 hours in each of the other three sectors.

Read again: 'Several solutions' to tackle antisocial behaviour in Witney

Mr Corona-Brown, from Long Hanborough, said: "It's a big figure to aim for, but sometimes you have to aim high."

The first product, a phone stand, will be released within days, while a new item will be launched every four weeks.

Synolos is calling on support from firms and organisations across the community and is asking for people to share the appeal on social media.

In January, the organisation's CEO and founder, Barry Ingleton, said 'several solutions' were needed to tackle antisocial behaviour in Witney.

Days before his comments, a 66-year-old jogger had been assaulted by a gang of teenage boys on Mill Street.

Read again: Jogger injured after he was attacked by teenagers

Synolos works with dozens of young people full-time, with an emphasis on education, plus work and wellbeing schemes.