Evaluation of the Greater Manchester Oasis Navigators Custody Pilot
Funded by the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit, the GM Navigators project offers young people support at point of arrest. CCYJR evaluated the success and learning of this pilot initiative.
Commissioned by the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit, the Greater Manchester Navigator Project places trained youth workers into police custody suites to support young people aged 10–25 at the point of arrest. The project offers a trauma-informed, relationship-based intervention at a critical “teachable moment,” with the aim of diverting young people away from further contact with the criminal justice system.
The evaluation by CCYJR used a mixed-methods approach combining custody referral data analysis, an online survey, baseline and exit questionnaires, and qualitative interviews with professionals, young people, and families. Between July 2024 and June 2025, 104 young people were referred to the project. The majority were male and aged between 14 and 21. The evaluation found strong support for the Navigator project across all stakeholder groups. Young people, families, and professionals valued the independence, relational approach, and advocacy the youth workers provided within an otherwise stressful custody environment. Questionnaire data indicated improvements in young people’s trust in services and mental wellbeing following engagement with the project. Key challenges included limited youth worker availability at the point of arrest, inconsistent police referral quality, barriers to employing staff with lived experience, and concerns about duplication with Liaison and Diversion services.