Violence Reduction Units from across the country work together to prevent violence

As the national violence reduction programme enters its third year, Violence Reduction Units (VRUs) from across England and Wales will meet virtually on Thursday (15 July) to evaluate their progress in reducing violence and helping to build stronger, more resilient communities.

Launched in 2019, VRUs bring together different organisations, including the police, local government, health, community leaders and other key partners to tackle violent crime by understanding its root causes.

VRUs adopt a public health approach to violence reduction; this means focusing on understanding the causes of the problem and on testing, evaluating and upscaling interventions. Considering factors such as physical environment, health and education, can help to identify the interventions that will be most successful.

In Essex the VRU is known as the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit (VVU). The VVU carries out joint operations, interventions, awareness and education programmes to support young people who are being, or at risk of being, exploited and involved in crime.

It was set up in 2019 following a successful bid by Roger Hirst, the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex to the Home Office Early Intervention Youth Fund for additional funding to tackle the growing threat of County Lines.

The Essex VVU, which is mainly focused on gangs, county lines and child criminal and sexual exploitation, is a multi-agency partnership, bringing together Essex Police, the PFCC, Youth Offending Service, Probation Service, Councils and Health to share information, tackle crime and safeguard vulnerable victims.

The Unit carries out research and data analysis which informs and supports prevention programmes and health intervention programmes – working closely with charities and community projects to deliver targeted work in the community.

The VRU national conference provides an opportunity to hear from experts across the country on key themes, such as the role of education in reducing violence, and provides an opportunity to learn from other units and collaborate with peers.

The conference will be attended by representatives from all 18 VRUs across England and Wales. Local, regional, and national stakeholders – people already working within violence reduction or those who would like to find out more about how these systems could work better together – are invited to join the conference.

To register for any of the seminars follow the links below

Welcome, Adolescent wellbeing & violence reduction Tickets, Thu 15 Jul 2021 at 09:00 | Eventbrite

The role of education in helping to reduce violence Tickets, Thu 15 Jul 2021 at 10:30 | Eventbrite

A child-focused youth justice system Tickets, Thu 15 Jul 2021 at 11:45 | Eventbrite

The role of policing in partnership with VRUs Tickets, Thu 15 Jul 2021 at 13:30 | Eventbrite

Community-led approaches to reducing violence Tickets, Thu 15 Jul 2021 at 14:45 | Eventbrite

For information about the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit visit www.essexvvu.co.uk