Preventing youth violence
Coventry Youth Violence Prevention Partnership - a long term approach to empowering young people to be safe in our city.
Coventry City Council, West Midlands Police and local partners launched a 10 year strategy in January 2020 aimed at tackling rising levels of violent crime involving young people.
Based on work in Glasgow, we are using a public health approach working across the system to tackle the root causes of violence, divert those at risk as well as working intensively with those already affected by this issue. There is now widespread evidence from both the UK and internationally that indicates that children living in deprived communities are more likely (than those living in the least deprived areas) to become involved in crime, either as a victim or perpetrator, they are more likely to be excluded from school and they are more likely to experience trauma and adversity growing up.
Coventry has a good track record in tackling inequality, as evidenced by our work as a Marmot City. Tackling inequality in society over the long term will have an impact on reducing violence.
The West Midlands benefits from having a dedicated violence reduction partnership (VRP) that works closely with partners here in Coventry. They believe that violence is preventable, not inevitable.
The VRU has funded a number of projects across the region. In Coventry, we have a place-based project which takes a whole life course approach to tackling violence working with those as young as 2 years, right through to older age. The project is hosted at the Harmony Family Hub in the heart of Hillfields. Through co-produced, coordinated primary, secondary and tertiary preventative interventions we aim to continue to develop a whole systems, placed-based approach that mitigates the complex risk factors that make violence more likely, and increases the protective factors. A local provider network is now well established, and will focus pilot activity and continue to ensure we take every opportunity locally to minimise duplication of provision and maximise resources. Follow this work on social media using the #ourhillfields. We are working with the local community to support them and provide opportunities through a variety of initiatives. This initiative is now in the process of being replicated in the Wood End, Moathouse (WEMH) area and will be led by the Moat House Community Trust. View the Moat House Community Trust Facebook page. (Coventry City Council is not responsible for the content of external pages).
Navigating childhood and adolescence is challenging for parents/carers and young people but there is help and support available locally in Coventry. Our family hubs are the gateway to a variety of services and more information about help and support. More information on potential warnings signs in young people.
If you are concerned that a child or children are at risk of immediate harm or that a crime has been committed against a child or children, it is your responsibility to take appropriate action to ensure that all children are safeguarded: Coventry MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) Email: MASH@coventry.gov.uk Tel: 024 7678 8555 and/or West Midlands Police on 101 or 999.