Claremont Communications, an expert agency in behavioural change communications and research techniques was commissioned by the Violence Reduction Unit to undertake the project during 2022.
Tackling serious violence is not only the responsibility of the police. It requires the involvement of the widest range of partners across different sectors, working together effectively through their local structures.
But also, at the heart of our work are the communities we serve across the Thames Valley. We work to ensure that our communities are engaged and involved and can play an active role in supporting efforts to improve safety.
The workstream seeks to build capacity within local communities, community groups and the wider voluntary sector to bring additional capability to tackle violence.
The Communities & Partnerships workstream has built the VRU’s governance and operating model, through which partners are engaged, provided with strategic oversight and tactical coordination to support local delivery.
Community representation is achieved across VRU boards and structures, to support their involvement and influence over the programme of work. In particular, a focus on young people and giving them a voice.
The Armoured Heart sculpture was unveiled in Reading
Marking the Day of Hope 2022, we look back on hosting the very first Hope Hack event in March earlier this year.
A new partnership project in Reading will be converting knives and other offensive weapons taken off the streets into a modern art sculpture. The project will work with local young people to design the sculpture while also helping to educate on the dangers and consequences of knife crime.
The VRU has funded additional posts within the nine local violence reduction partnerships, bringing additional capacity and capability and to help coordinate efforts to tackle violence.
Officers and staff from the Thames Valley Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) have launched a week of problem-solving activity focused on tackling hotspots for violence in two areas of Oxford and Slough. Operation Pacation – defined as ‘the act of making peace’ – involves a range of partners working together to identify and solve problems to make a local area safer.
Members of the public from the Chalvey area of Slough are invited to attend a facilitated community engagement event to discuss how to make a safer community and to identify solutions to local issues.
Following the VRU hosting the first “Hope Hack” youth voice event on 4 March, this blog is guest authored by one of the young facilitators who supported on the day.
On Friday 4 March 2022, the Thames Valley Violence Reduction Unit and local partners are proud to be hosting the first in a series of national youth engagement workshops which will involve young people in finding solutions to a fairer society and safer communities.
Graham Helm of StreetGames UK discusses the new partnership with the VRU, its work to better understand the level of provision of sport for those vulnerable to crime and the power of sport to change lives.
A Thames Valley-wide survey has been launched to identify the provision of sports, physical activity and organised groups for young people who may be vulnerable to being drawn into crime and violence.
Our latest blog by Annabelle Goodenough of Crimestoppers marks our support for their latest campaign to tackle violence and the importance of community-led intelligence.