A GROUP of young offenders are being offered mechanics courses to help them accelerate into a crime-free life.

The Kick Start project, which is a partnership between Barnet Police and Barnet Council's youth offending service, will teach the teenagers vital skills for a future career.

The young people, who have been covicted of mostly minor crimes, have been spending their Saturdays at the ILM Autos garage, in Barnet, learning the basics of car mechanics.

Garage owner Ian Boustred, said the important thing has been to teach the boys the safety side of repairing cars and motorbikes, since a number of the participants have written-off stolen vehicles before they were even old enough to drive.

He said: “The boys that have come in have done alright actually.

“It took a while to get them to understand the health and safety aspects and to get them to come along without an attitude problem, but now they are doing great.

“They are really keen on it and one of the boys even comes along for an extra day during the week.”

Mr Boustred said he had given the group a broken track bike to repair, which helps them have a project they can focus on.

He said: “They said they were into their bikes and this gives them some practical experience in basic mechanics.

“It means in a short-term period they can work towards something and when they see they have turned it around, it gives them a sense of achievement.”

If the participants get through the six-week course successfully, Southgate College has agreed to accept them onto a year-long course, which will eventually provide them with a qualification in the subject.

Former joy rider Phil Joyfriel, 18, who lives in Mill Bridge, Barnet, said: “It feels good, because if I wasn't on the youth offending programme I wouldn't have been able to get involved in this.

“I like bikes and I have been fitting tyres, brake pads and stuff like that.

“I can get a good qualification from this and I hope it means I can then get a job.”

The initiative was the brainchild of PC Pete Taylor, from Barnet Police, who says that he hopes by working alongside the safer neighbourhood teams, more young offenders will stay off the street.

He said: “A lot of the kids were saying they wanted to get involved in mechanics, but said there wasn't anything out there involving motorbikes.

“We have managed to sort this out and now it is a case of the boys sticking with it.

“It stops them getting into trouble and helps provide the young kids who are coming through the criminal system with something to do rather than ending up in the courts.

“Hopefully they will come through here and pick up skills and not re-offend in future. It is not about what they have done, it's about changing their ways and getting them involved in a career.”

Councillor Fiona Bulmer, cabinet member for children's services, said partnerships such as this are vital in helping the rehabilitation of young offenders.

She said: “This is a very practical course and the young people are learning some vital skills that they can take on to the educational side with Southgate College.

“It is providing them with a chance to turn their lives around. We want to be able to show them a different way of behaving and help them not to re-offend in the future.

“It is a real challenge getting employers involved, but we hope if this scheme proves to be a success it will encourage others to offer similar places.”