SomersetViolence Reduction Partnership
Somerset Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) is a subgroup of the Safer Somerset Partnership (SSP), which enables partners to work together to understand and reduce serious violence.
Our aim is to ensure we have a multiagency approach to reduce Serious Violence in our local communities. This will be implemented by identifying and delivering the most effective methods of how to reduce violence.
Somerset VRP also works alongside the relevant grant holders and agencies who play an important role in preventing further harm. It is important for us to develop resilience in the community whilst ensuring those already exploited are fully supported with the appropriate organisations.
Plans for 2024-2025:
The newly formed Somerset VRP held its first meeting in May 2024. The partnership is made up of specified authorities who work together on the serious violence duty. The specified authorities are Police, Justice (including youth offending), Fire, Health, and the Local Authority. Additional support from education and the voluntary sector is also being requested. Somerset VRP will bring partners together with a focus on:
- Human Trafficking/Modern Slavery,
- Persistent or escalating Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB),
- Serious and Organised Crime, including drug distribution networks,
- Serious Violence, including serious youth violence,
- Sexual Violence,
- Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
Somerset VRP
2023-24 achievements
- A newly formed local VRP partnership has been established.
- £439,194 of Home Office VRU and Serious Violence Duty grants have been allocated to Somerset VRP to enable the commissioning of local interventions and services.
- 119 professionals recieved training and support.
- 229 young people established as being at risk have received support.
- More than 10,000 young people have been reached through Somerset VRP communications and engagement work.
- Somerset VRP have worked in partnership with North Somerset Council to provide a Safer Streets program to help raise awareness and prevent violence against women and girls.
Delivered 4 Interventions:
- Admit: Two Substance Misuse Workers sit within two hospital A&E departments during the weekend nights. Any young person who is admitted with an injury or suspected risk from violence or exploitation is offered support.
- Sports Mentoring: Young people at risk from ASB or violence are provided with holistic mentoring and supported into community activities. Sports mentors worked with 58 young people and 96 professionals.
- Teachable moments: 1:1 support is provided with a variety of tools that provide social skills tailored to a young person’s needs. This has covered areas such as anger and stress management, relaxing techniques, healthy relationship work, and reflection techniques.
Communication and Engagement 2023-24:
- The partnership promoted the Ben Kinsella Trust campaign in support of national knife crime awareness week (15-21 May 2023). Providing all Somerset secondary schools with Fearless knife crime and bystander guides.
- Somerset VRP conducted a town centre youth safety campaign and consultation with over 1,300 young people. This is part of two new problem-solving plans for key hotspots in Somerset where young people are affected by violence. More details are available here.
- Safer Streets funding was used to deliver a school pod cast competition to raise awareness of Violence Against Women and Girls. See the results here.
VRP Initiativesacross Somerset
ADMIT
Turning Point Services (part of Somerset Drug and Alcohol Service) run a project called ‘Admit’ at the Musgrove Park Hospital and Yeovil General Hospital A&E departments over the weekends.
Across 2023/24, 80 young people (up to the age of 25 years) who attended hospital due to substance misuse, overdose, injury due to violence, or where there are concerns related to criminal exploitation and/or safeguarding received brief substance misuse interventions from Turning Point Support Workers.
Sport Mentoring
Sports mentors provide support to young people identified as being at risk of ASB, providing holistic mentoring and integration into local community activities.
Across 2023/24, the Somerset VRP worked in partnership with the Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership to obtain funding from the Crime Prevention through Sport Fund, which has enabled boxing clubs to be facilitated in Highbridge and Bridgwater, with the aim of reaching young people. Jump start sports mentoring used sport to connect with 27 young people.
Identified young people are given support to build resilience, self-esteem to help them engage in community activities as part of a healthier lifestyle and ultimately overcome barriers that might have prevented them from participating in positive activities.
Teachable Moments
In 2023/24, Youth Justice support workers and Education Inclusion Coordinators worked with 82 young people who were at risk of exclusion across 2022/23. This support included empowering the school to keep the young person in class.
An additional 1,000 pupils were reached through all year group assemblies in one targeted school.
Violence Prevention Lessons
This teachable moments program will focus on delivering tailored violence prevention lessons to groups or individuals identified by their secondary school or police.
Social Skills Training
This teachable moments program will focus on delivering tailored healthy relationships interventions to groups or individuals identified by their secondary school or police.
ContactSomerset VRP
If you have any questions for the Somerset Violence Partnership, please email communitysafetyteam@somerset.gov.uk
Contact FormSomerset VRP
LatestNews
ASVRP Reaches Nearly 19,000 Young People in 2023-2024
The Avon and Somerset Violence Reduction Partnership (ASVRP) has helped nearly 19,000 young people this past year through a range of tailored programs aimed at reducing violence in local communities. ASVRP also provided training and support to over 1,600 professionals...
September VRP Director’s Blog
I would like to dedicate this blog to the ‘Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Plan’ draft priorities and consultation.
Collaborative working
Since becoming the new Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner, I have heard about the numerous innovative knife crime prevention interventions being delivered across the region.
July VRP Director’s Blog
As we approach the end of another academic year, I would like to use this blog to celebrate the successful interventions our Violence Reduction Partnership spokes and partners have delivered in collaboration with education providers.
The Crime Prevention Through Sport Fund
Crime Prevention Through Sport Fund is open for applications.
The deadline for applications is Monday 29th July 2024.
June VRP Director’s Blog
Following last month’s elections for the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) I have been delighted to welcome our new PCC, Clare Moody.
May VRP Director’s Blog
Avon and Somerset is a diverse area, encompassing an energetic city, active towns and villages as well as vast open countryside.
March VRP Director’s Blog
First VRP Director’s monthly blog.
Uniting across Avon and Somerset to keep our young people and communities safe from serious violence
PartnersWe Work With
Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset
South Gloucestershire
North Somerset
Bristol