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.
Communities & Partnerships
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.
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.
The RAW Navigator Scheme offers children intensive one to one mentoring by a social worker to encourage and arrange positive alternative activities and access to additional support.
Thames Valley VRU have established Violence Reductions Networks, led by education partners to embed trauma informed practice in schools to make them more inclusive.
Intensive Engagement or I.E, are currently working alongside the Violence Reduction Unit…
New Leaf, offer face-to-face mentoring programme which aims to support to young people that are at risk of exclusion and/or are currently within the criminal justice system.
The VRU have identified five hotspot hospitals across the Thames Valley Area and are working with those hospitals to set up hospital navigators utilising local providers who understand the needs of the local people
Redeeming our communities (ROC) has been commissioned to deliver ROC Conversations/ROC tele mentoring and ROC Mentoring across Reading, Milton Keynes and Oxford.