In July 2020, the VRU launched its Serious Violence Action Plan, which sets out seven priorities for the unit and the framework through which serious violence will be addressed.
Its priorities and commitments were developed following extensive community engagement across all 10 districts of Greater Manchester in 2019. Researchers spoke to people in the street, on public transport, in pubs, at community centres, and in sports clubs, to gauge what concerns they had about violence in their community, their experiences of violent crime and what they wanted a newly formed VRU to do in response. The researchers also worked in schools, colleges, pupil referral units, youth justice teams and youth clubs to capture the voices of children and young people, as well as professionals working with them. In total, the team engaged with over 600 residents and over 300 schools and colleges.
Support an improved criminal justice response to all forms of serious violence.
Support community and voluntary organisations to deliver activities and interventions in areas of highest need.
Ensure that families and communities that are affected by serious violence are effectively supported through our place-based early help offer.
Ensure victims of violent crime receive appropriate and timely support.
Create a dedicated Violence Reduction Unit for Greater Manchester.
Work with Community Safety Partnerships and Local Safeguarding Boards to implement a place-based approach to tackling these issues.
Collaborate with schools, colleges and alternative provision to prevent violence.
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.
Alliances made up of local voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations will ensure holistic provision targeted at individuals, families, schools and communities of highest need.
A community-led violence reduction pilot is one of the VRU’s flagship projects and is in line with the ambitions of the Greater Manchester Strategy and Public Service Reform programme to involve communities at a place level to identify priorities, problem solve and direct investment and interventions accordingly. Analysis undertaken by the Big Data Centre at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) enabled the VRU to identify sites across Greater Manchester for community-led programmes to be implemented.
The work of the community alliances is having a huge impact in local communities across Greater Manchester. Hear from some of the people benefiting from the work.
If you are affected by anything you have heard in this video, Samaritans (116 123) http://samaritans.org operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year.
Keep up to date with the latest news and initiatives from the VRU!
community
Community Fun Days in Tameside increase opportunities for children and young people
A community partnership in Tameside held a series of events across the summer holidays, which were attended by more than 200 young people and led to feelings of safety. The Ashton and St Peter’s Youth Alliance (ASPYA) held two community fun days funded by Greater Manchester’s Violence Reduction Unit, which included music creation, creating and […]
Press Release
Young people report reduction in violent experiences thanks to hospital-based mentoring programme
A mentoring programme for victims of violence based in four of Greater Manchester’s hospitals has led to a reduction in violent experiences in its first two years The programme has since been scaled up with community and custody referral routes now live The findings come from an independent evaluation by Crime and Well-Being Big Data […]
community
Young people at risk of serious violence or criminal exploitation are benefitting from a mentoring service helping them to build positive relationships and set future goals. Often displaying aggression and violent tendencies toward peers and teachers, Alex* struggled in school. He was referred to Salford Foundation’s STEER service, which aims to increase resilience and motivation […]
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