Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit

Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit

Addressing the underlying causes of violence and working
together with communities to prevent it.

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Working to reduce violence in Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) is a team of subject leads and experts from Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Greater Manchester National Probation Service, Public Health, NHS, Education, Community Voluntary Sector, Victim’s Voice, Youth Justice and Local Authorities, addressing the underlying causes of violence and working together with communities to prevent it.

Under the direct governance and oversight of the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Combined Authority plays host to the VRU.

The Greater Than Violence Strategy

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The Greater than Violence strategy commits to working together with individuals and communities to understand their strengths, challenges, and ideas to tackle violence.

Led by the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, the Greater than Violence Strategy will work to improve lives by preventing violence, supporting victims, families and communities affected, and providing positive opportunities to those at risk of becoming victims, witnesses, or perpetrators, including education programmes, community sports, targeted mentoring, opportunities to develop new skills and therapeutic support.

The strategy is founded on two pillars: preventing violence from happening and responding swiftly and appropriately when it occurs.

Community-led approach

The community-led approach to violence reduction, means the VRU works closely with communities to understand the strengths, challenges, and needs of the community and determine how local investments will be made.

Several boroughs across the city-region have received funding from the VRU as part of its investment in community-led programmes, outlined in Greater Manchester’s Serious Violence Action Plan.

Public health approach

“The key objective is to ensure we take a public health approach, working collaboratively and in partnership where we come together and our policies are strongly aligned. We’ll be looking at our trends, information and evidence to find solutions collaboratively with our partners” – Helen Lowey.

Take a look at our latest initatives

Hope Hack

Young people from across Greater Manchester have shared their views, thoughts, and ideas on how to make the city region a safer and fairer place for all.

Navigator Project

The Greater Manchester Navigator Project is a youth-focused, violence reduction project based in four Greater Manchester hospitals.

The Social Switch Project

The Social Switch Project is switching the narrative on how social media’s relationship to youth violence is understood, tackled and solved.

Speaking Out Could Save a Life

Greater Manchester comes together to stop knife crime and serious violence.

Latest News
All Blog Press Release Uncategorised
Community Spotlight: Empowering the Next Generation at Newhouse Academy
Over six inspiring weeks, Maverick Lab CIC delivered its Young Leaders Course to a group of male pupils from Newhouse Academy in Heywood. The program, designed to foster personal and professional growth, left a lasting impression on participants, school staff, and employers alike. A Pathway to the Future Funded by the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction […]
18 December 2024
Violence Reduction Unit programme in Tameside reduces school suspensions and expulsions by over 60%
National charity, SHiFT, has released a report showing the success of its programme based in Tameside, part-funded by Greater Manchester’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU). Known as SHiFT Tameside, the programme has reduced school suspensions and exclusions amongst its participants by over 60% and reduced their proven offences by over 20%. The Mayor of Greater Manchester […]
18 December 2024
We Are Greater than Violence: Education Hive Launch
We Are Greater than Violence: Education Hive Launch We received valuable feedback from the Primary Summit’s ‘table discussion’ sessions, where delegates like yourself highlighted the need for proactive support amid curriculum constraints. You told us that there isn’t enough time in the school day to fully address ‘healthy mind and body’ development or the impact […]
13 November 2024

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