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!
VRU launches short film to challenge knife carrying among young people
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Manchester Metropolitan University recently completed their whole system evaluation of the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), covering the first five years of delivery (2019–2023). Drawing on a range of evidence and interviews with 26 stakeholders across the system, the evaluation concludes that meaningful system change has taken place in Greater Manchester: the VRU has […]