Projects are listed in order of VRP area.

DGF Psychology 

DGF Psychology delivers specialist assessments and interventions that enable young people and their families to make meaningful, lasting change. The service focuses on reducing risk, strengthening resilience, and improving overall well-being.

Through its work, DGF Psychology aims to:

• Assess where young people and their families are in their motivation to change and support them in taking positive next steps.
• Increase understanding of abusive and exploitative behaviours.
• Reduce levels of risk and harm for young people.
• Decrease associations with risky peers or adults.
• Strengthen parents’ and carers’ ability to protect against harmful behaviours.
• Support young people to engage in education, employment, or training.
• Promote improved mental health and overall well-being.

This work (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) has a high impact rating through the Youth Endownment Fund.

VRP delivery area: 

Projects are listed in order of VRP area.

Contextual Safeguarding

Following a peer or location assessment, the Safer Connections team works with community organisations, Barnardo’s and Bristol City Council to co-design and deliver tailored interventions. These address emerging risks in peer groups or settings to prevent concerns from escalating.

This work (Focused Deterrence) has a high impact rating through the Youth Endownment Fund. 

VRP delivery area: 

Project Hope in HMP Bristol

Targeted support for young adults (18+) in custody addressing extra‑familial harm and reducing re‑offending.

Includes

• 1:1 or group work in prison
• Tailored support for the transition from childhood to young adulthood.

This work (Focused Deterrence) has a high impact rating through the Youth Endownment Fund. 

VRP delivery area: 

Start to Finish

A dedicated Start to Finish Worker supports referred young people (16–24 yrs) to reduce reoffending. Support includes an initial assessment, pathway plan, and regular 1:1 contact to achieve outcomes such as:

• Addressing substance misuse

• Finding employment

• Improving social skills

• Reducing criminal involvement

• Securing accommodation

The service is aligned with VRP EIT police officers to enhance joint working and outcomes.

This work (Focused Deterrence) has a high impact rating through the Youth Endownment Fund. 

VRP delivery area: 

Social Enterprise

A joint project with North Somerset Youth Offending Service (YOS) supporting young people within the Criminal Justice System (CJS) who are motivated to engage in focused work. Through social enterprise opportunities, participants can:

• Access employment or training opportunities

• Receive positive support

• Work with professionals to understand the consequences of violence

• Experience swift and certain enforcement if violence occurs

This work (Focused Deterrence) has a high impact rating through the Youth Endownment Fund. 

VRP delivery area: 

The Wheels Project 

This focused deterrence is for high-risk young people not in full-time education. Aimed at reducing serious youth violence and exploitation. Participants attend weekly with transport and educational support provided by EIT officers. The project includes:

• Kart building course

• Kart driving

• Vehicle maintenance courses

This work (Focused Deterrence) has a high impact rating through the Youth Endownment Fund. 

VRP delivery area: 

Projects are listed in order of VRP area.

Lived Experience Mentoring

The Lived Experience Mentoring Scheme is facilitated by a local lived experience mentor. They aim to support and positively influence the behaviour of children who have been exploited, involved in serious violence or those who are at risk of becoming involved.

Many of young people become peer mentors, providing them with a positive experience and empowerment to support others within our local communities.

VRP delivery area: 

Community Mentoring

1:1 support delivering bespoke, trauma-informed packages for children and young adults experiencing exploitation or harm outside the home, provided by local community organisations including Horn Youth Concern, Learning Partnership West, Impact Mentoring, BXcellence, Growing Futures, and Barnardo’s.

Current VRP delivery area: 

BXcellence Mentoring x2

Projects are listed in order of VRP area.

Awareness Events 

A series of parental knife crime awareness events are being offered to local parents and/or carers. The events address knife and bladed article crime, as well as exploitation and grooming.

VRP delivery area: 

Parent Groups

Support groups for parents and carers of children affected by serious youth violence, child criminal exploitation, and child sexual exploitation, providing a safe space to discuss concerns, share experiences, increase understanding of risks, create a peer-led support network, have their voices heard, and work collaboratively to find solutions.

VRP delivery area: 

St Giles Trust – Parent/Carers

Delivery of in person or online session/s for parents and carers in North Somerset on key themes such as county lines, gangs, drugs, and violence, followed by a VRP-led workshop to capture parent voices and inform future decision-making.

VRP delivery area: 

Parent Support Group

Support for parents and carers of children involved in or on the periphery of serious youth violence and exploitation, offering 1:1 guidance, peer support to build community safety networks, Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) strategies, and help implementing protective measures for siblings.

VRP delivery area: 

Projects are listed in order of VRP area.

Weapons and Drugs in School

The Weapons and Drugs in Schools pathways are partnership packages, supported by Bristol City Council, of support for young people who have been found in possession an offensive weapon or a controlled substance on the premises of an education setting. The pathways aim to support children involved in these incidents, prevent further offending, to keep them safe and to keep them in school.

VRP delivery area: 

Bike Project 

The Bike Project gives students hands-on experience in dismantling, repairing, and rebuilding bikes while developing communication and teamwork skills. Led by North Somerset VRP and local Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) staff, the sessions provide a supportive space for practical learning and positive discussion. Schools work with VRP to identify young people at risk of exclusion who would benefit from taking part.

VRP delivery area:

St. Giles Trust: Primary School Input

St Giles Trust delivers education and awareness sessions to primary schools on important topics including:

• County lines,
• Drugs,
• Gangs,
• Violence.

Around 30 sessions will be delivered to Year 5 and Year 6 pupils across North Somerset, using an engaging assembly-style format to help raise awareness and build resilience.

VRP delivery area:

St Giles Trust – Post 16 Inputs

St Giles Trust delivers education and awareness sessions to young people aged 16 and over on key topics including county lines, gangs, drugs, and violence. Two sessions will be delivered to College students, each followed by a North Somerset VRP led workshop to capture youth voices, helping to inform future decision-making.

VRP delivery area:

Blunt Truth

Approximately 60 Blunt Truth sessions will be delivered to Year 9 students across North Somerset secondary schools, supported by the North Somerset VRP, Avon and Somerset NPT, Avon Fire and The Army. Students will receive a Fearless branded goodie to be a reminder of the session and reinforce the key messaging.

VRP delivery area:

Education Inclusion Project

The Education Inclusion Project provides 6–8 weeks of tailored one-to-one support for young people aged 11–16. Interventions can take place inside or outside of school and are designed to meet the specific needs of each young person, with the overarching goal of reducing youth violence and lowering the risk of permanent exclusion. The project works closely with schools, young people, and their parents to address barriers and support continued engagement in education. This intervention is delivered by South Gloucestershire Council and Young People’s Services.

VRP delivery area: 

Projects are listed in order of VRP area.

Alternative Routes Programme

The Alternative Routes Programme uses a public health approach, combining workshops on the consequences of criminal behaviour, strategies to overcome exploitation, and mentorship to support personal development. The programme aims to reduce youth violence and promote positive community outcomes. This intervention is delivered by Solve.

This work (Social Skills Training) has a high impact rating through the Youth Endownment Fund.

VRP delivery area: 

Targeted Group Work 

The Targeted Group Work intervention is delivered in partnership with community organisations, Barnardo’s, and Bristol City Council to support identified friendship groups of young people aged 11–18 involved in Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) or serious youth violence (SYV). Project Workers create safe, open spaces for young people to share experiences, discuss challenges, and explore decision-making, while receiving guidance on goal-setting and social education on issues such as knife crime and exploitation.

Programme Intentions:

1. Personal Development

   • Increase self-esteem, confidence, and self-worth.

   • Take responsibility for thoughts, emotions, behaviour, and actions.

   • Develop leadership skills.

2. Managing Conflict

   • Build understanding of conflict and personal responses to it.

   • Increase knowledge, skills, and confidence to manage conflict.

   • Apply conflict management skills in everyday life.

3. Relationships, Networks, and Support

   • Increase awareness of healthy and positive relationships.

   • Build confidence to develop positive relationships.

   • Improve ability to seek support and help when needed.

4. Future Goals

   • Raise aspirations and awareness of personal potential.

   • Improve ability to work toward personal goals and enhance employability.

The programme is delivered through interactive workshops using role-play exercises, games, and forum theatre to engage participants and reinforce learning.

This work (Social Skills Training) has a high impact rating through the Youth Endownment Fund.

VRP develiry area: 

Girls Work 

Girls Work is a gender-specific programme delivered in partnership with community organisations, Barnardo’s, and Bristol City Council. It focuses on building resilience, self-esteem, and confidence while promoting the prevention of exploitation and healthy relationships. Sessions take place in schools and community or youth settings.

This work (Social Skills Training) has a high impact rating through the Youth Endownment Fund.

VRP develiry area: 

Prevention Workshops 

Prevention Workshops are delivered in partnership with local community organisations, including Full Circle, Horn Youth Concern, Growing Futures, BXcellence, and Solve. These universal workshops raise awareness of key issues identified through data analysis, young people, and community insight, covering serious youth violence (SYV), exploitation, county lines, knife crime, and the negative influences of social media. Workshops also work with young people to raise aspirations and promote positive decision-making.

This work (Social Skills Training) has a high impact rating through the Youth Endownment Fund.

VRP develiry area: 

Social Skills Training – School Age

Social Skills Training is delivered by Somerset Council Youth Justice Service and is part of the Teachable Moments model within the Family Intervention Service. The programme targets secondary school age children in higher-demand communities, providing tailored interventions to develop social skills. Priority is given to young people at risk of school exclusion or involvement in violence, particularly knife crime.

In 2025/26, the programme will expand to include young people who are already disengaged from education and at risk of violence.

This work (Social Skills Training) has a high impact rating through the Youth Endownment Fund.

VRP develiry area: 

Social Skills Training – Transitions

This intervention targets young people aged between 18–24, who are at risk of violence, particularly knife crime. A commissioned provider works with individuals identified through multi-agency discussions who do not have existing support, delivering short-term, tailored interventions to develop social skills and support positive outcomes.

This work (Social Skills Training) has a high impact rating through the Youth Endownment Fund.

VRP develiry area: 

VAWG/Toxic Masculinity Programme

This intervention delivers education on healthy relationships, addressing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and toxic masculinity. Sessions are delivered in school settings and youth provisions, providing young people with knowledge and strategies to foster respectful relationships.

This work (Social Skills Training) has a high impact rating through the Youth Endownment Fund.

VRP develiry area: 

Projects are listed in order of VRP area.

Sports Mentoring

Young people who have been identified as being at risk of anti-social behaviour are supported by sports mentors, using a holistic mentoring approach and encouraged to participate in community activities/sports.

This work (Sports Programme) has a high impact rating through the Youth Endownment Fund.

VRP delivery area: 

Empire Fighting Chance

The Box Champions intervention, delivered by Empire Fighting Chance, provides 12 weekly sessions to young people in South Gloucestershire educational settings. Young people are identified by schools for: 

• Being on a reduced timetable,
• At risk of permanent exclusion, and/or
• Involvement in risky behaviours within the community.

The intervention works with the same cohort of young people throughout the programme to ensure completion, supporting young people to make positive changes, explore future aspirations, and improve their chances of remaining engaged in education.

This work (Sports Programme) has a high impact rating through the Youth Endownment Fund.

VRP delivery area: 

Projects are listed in order of VRP area.

Training for Professionals

This intervention builds capacity and sustainability among voluntary and community sector (VCS) groups, school staff, and local businesses. Delivered in partnership with Bristol City Council staff, it includes training on exploitation, county lines, youth violence, and related topics, helping participants develop skills to identify risks, respond effectively, and implement safeguarding measures.

Knife Crime Prevention Through Education

This intervention develops and promotes a standardised resource, delivered by professionals including Somerset Council and Avon and Somerset Police, to raise awareness and prevent knife crime in any community setting. It includes educational materials, training resources, and guidance on where to seek further support or make referrals if concerns arise.

VRP delivery area: 

Professionals Conference on Serious Youth Violence 

To support a full-system response to serious youth violence, a multi-agency partnership training conference will be held in collaboration with Somerset Safeguarding Children’s Partnership. The conference will provide professionals with knowledge, tools, and strategies to work effectively across agencies to prevent and respond to serious youth violence.

VRP delivery area: 

Projects are listed in order of VRP area.

B&NES Detached Youth Work

Detached Youth Work is a collaborative programme delivering outreach sessions across Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), targeting areas, including known priority locations, where children may be at risk of serious youth violence. Delivered by Youth Connect South West and P28, detached youth workers engage young people in the places they socialise, providing positive activities and purposeful interactions. Over time, they build relationships with children and young people and work with them on a range of issues, including risks related to or involvement in serious violence.

VRP delivery area: 

Bristol Detached Youth Work

This multi-agency detached youth work programme operates in identified priority locations across Bristol, meeting young people where they are to build relationships and provide guidance. Workers support young people in making positive choices, understanding the consequences of risky behaviour such as gang involvement, drug use, or anti-social activity, and signpost them to relevant services. The intervention includes

• Pop-up youth activities,
• Responding to serious incidents,
• Involvement in contextual safeguarding assessments (focusing on locations and peer groups),
• Late-night detached work.

Delivered by local community organisations: Horn Youth Concern, Learning Partnership West, and Street Space.

VRP delivery area: 

Community and School Engagement Programme

This intervention delivers youth and community engagement across a variety of platforms, including school pop-up sessions and community events in North Somerset. It aims to connect with young people, raise awareness of key issues, and promote positive choices.

VRP delivery area: 

Diversionary and Safe Spaces

This intervention expands the offer of safe and diversionary spaces for young people in North Somerset directly after school. The focus is on providing supportive environments for young people to spend time, though the project does not include structured activities.

VRP delivery area: 

Community Hubs

Community Hubs expand the existing youth hub model in key community locations across the county. Operated by youth workers and supported by representatives from key agencies, the hubs provide safe engagement points with a focus on town centre safety and additional themes identified by young people through feedback. The programme also includes engagement events and opportunities for parents, strengthening connections between young people, families, and their communities.

VRP develiry area:

South Gloucestershire Detached Youth Work 

Delivered in partnership with FACE, Creative Youth Network (CYN), and Learning Partnership West (LPW), this intervention provides youth engagement work in the community. It offers educational inputs on serious youth violence, exploitation, healthy relationships, and community safety, while also signposting young people to local services. Work is focused in priority locations identified through partnership working. From 2025/26, the service will expand to include small group work with identified young people in schools or youth settings.

VRP develiry area: