Interventions

Commissioned projects in 2022/23

We have now commissioned our projects for 2022/23. These are guided by our VRU Steering Group (governance), and the key reports and plans mentioned below:

  • Avon & Somerset VRU Strategic Needs Assessment
  • North Somerset Strategic Needs Assessment (all crime)
  • Avon and Somerset VRU Annual Report
  • Avon & Somerset Police and Crime Plan
  • 2021 Serious Violence Profile (North Somerset)
  • 2022 Schools Consultation (North Somerset)

Commissioned projects in 2022/23:

  • throughout 2022/23, North Somerset VRU will continue to fund and refer into the ‘Start to Finish’ project. This provides bespoke long term support to subjects of greatest impact across North Somerset. VRU funding and referrals will focus on young people aged 16-25yrs
  • in 2023, the VRU will work with North Somerset Youth Offending Service to introduce a dedicated knife crime YISP worker. Their job is to deliver one-to-one knife crime awareness packages to young people identified by VRU and YOS. They will be supported by VRU PCSOs in the delivery of group sessions to cohorts identified by VRU and YOS
  • North Somerset VRU will financially support activities led by Our Way Our Say in Southward area of Weston. They work to help reduce youth violence by training ‘young leaders’ to improve their opportunities
  • VRU will fund the continuation of the Education Inclusion Project, managed through YOS. This ensures young people at risk of exclusion are supported to maintain their school placements. They also work to keep them out of crime and violence
  • VRU will support and help to co-ordinate the delivery of 63 year-group 60-minute sessions from St Giles Trust. These will be given to secondary and primary school placements across North Somerset. They will focus on county lines awareness. St Giles Trust will also deliver 2 parent/carer/professional awareness webinars on ‘spotting the signs of county lines’
  • North Somerset VRU will work in partnership across the areas in the Violence Against Women and Girls arena. They will financially contribute to the delivery of school workshops and education
  • during 2022/23, VRU will provide staff and financial support to national, regional and local days and weeks of action in relation to violence, knife crime and county lines

Wider VRU projects (non-commissioned work):

  • during 2021/22, North Somerset launched VRU led secondary school ‘pop ups’. This engaged with young people around topics of violence as well as the opportunity for our VRU staff to engage with staff at the schools. These continue to be delivered by our team, and have expanded into Weston College and community groups
  • North Somerset VRU are currently working to bring ‘Blunt Truth’ to North Somerset. This project highlights the importance of reporting knife crime. It also covers the medical reality of stab injuries, followed by vital first aid skills
  • we will continue to support Avon and Somerset ‘mini police’ groups in our primary schools. They engage with young people aged 8 to 11 years to provide a fun and interactive way to introduce children to policing. They also encourage them to get involved in the local community
  • North Somerset VRU are working to increase multi-agency engagement with young people. specifically around violence crime, as well as to consult and involve them in key decision making within our district
  • we will continue to co-ordinate the roll out of Caring Dads, a perpetrator programme, in North Somerset

If you are a parent/carer, professional or young person who would like more information on any of our projects, please get in touch.