Welcome to the online home of the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit (VVU). Here you can find out about our projects, research and awareness campaigns to support young people, their families and communities and those who are being, or at risk of being, exploited and coerced into crime.
We work in partnership to reduce the volume of serious violence across the county, focusing on tackling gangs, County Lines and exploitation across the county. We do this through five main areas of work:
Voice of our communities
We support community and voluntary sector organisations to provide activities and interventions across communities in Essex.
Targeting interventions
We deliver and fund interventions in identified locations, at “reachable moments” and with key groups of people – addressing risk factors.
Developing the workforce
We support professionals to ensure they have the right resources to respond to individual needs; identifying those who are vulnerable and at risk.
Raising awareness
We run communication campaigns targeted at specific audiences with the goal of protecting and supporting vulnerable children and young people.
Improving our understanding
We gather insights from people’s lived experience, professionals and data to continually inform our approach.