South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit helped over 1,500 vulnerable children in less than a year
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It has directly intervened to help 1,739 young people since it was set up in October 2019 and it has educated 2,444 children about trauma, healthy relationships and domestic and sexual abuse.
The unit sees South Yorkshire Police and partners working together to reduce and prevent violence.
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Hide AdCommunity organisations were each awarded up to £20,000 to carry out work engaging with young people and running educational projects.
Community driven initiatives helped 677 children and young people take part in activities to improve social cohesion and prevent hate and ethnically and racially motivated crime.
Superintendent Lee Berry, of South Yorkshire Police, said: “It was difficult deciding on which organisations should receive the funding during the application process, but I think the results and outcomes show that all of the successful recipients have worked extremely hard to deliver their activities aimed at educating young people and steering them away from engaging in violent activities.
“We held an event in December to introduce all of the groups and allow them the opportunity to hear about each other’s work. This proved hugely beneficial as they are now sharing ideas and providing support to each other.”
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Hide AdFunding was awarded to 33 organisations and groups across South Yorkshire, who are all providing support on stopping violence before it begins, using prevention methods and trying to halt the progression of violence.
Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner said: “In the last few years we have become an angry and more violent society.
“When this results in crime, we must have a police force with the resources to deal with them. But we also need to tackle the causes of violence and not just the crime.
“This is what the Violence Reduction Unit was set up to do, using government funding that we have successfully bid for.
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Hide Ad“The interventions we have funded so far have reached impressive numbers of people in South Yorkshire and will contribute towards making the county a safer place.”