The Power of Sport and Youth Crime Prevention Conference

The VVU was delighted to attend, and present, at the Active Essex Foundation Power of Sport and Youth Crime Prevention Conference at Colchester United Stadium yesterday. The conference bought together locally trusted organisations, charities, community groups, CICs, probation, police, social work, sports organisations and local councils all of whom are committed to improving the lives of our young people through the positive impact of sport.

The conference heard from several keynote speakers – Roger Hirst, Police Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex about the strides Essex is making to reduce knife crime and serious violence. Caleb Jackson, from the Youth Endowment Fund talked about the importance of an evidence-based approach and invited organisations to use the YEF toolkit that shows which programmes really do have a positive impact on reducing crime and violence among young people – and those that don’t!

We heard from Anne-Yael Grant from the Home Office on the Young Futures Prevention Partnerships and finally Kelly Gray, the Regional County Lines Coordinator who shared insight on the latest picture in Essex and how vulnerable young people are still being targeted and exploited to move drugs around the county and beyond.

The conference gave a voice to young people who had turned their lives around due to the support of the Active Essex Foundation and being introduced to sports such as boxing, horse riding, karate. The young people spoke eloquently about how finding a passion and making a commitment to a club and doing something for their own wellbeing and health has had such a positive impact on their future.

Some of these young people were celebrated at the end of the conference with certificates and vouchers. Rewarded and recognised for not only for turning their own lives around but how they had taken further steps to become mentors, find employment or return to education and training all thanks to the power of sport.
The Violence and Vulnerability Partnership is incredibly proud to be able to support the Active Essex Foundation and working closely with them in their endeavours in sport and activity is a key part of our approach to building stronger communities.

Working together on our community grants is a great example of how we use the combined knowledge of our organisations to ensure the best outcomes. We continue to collaborate around our approach to evaluation, ensuring we have a shared vision of how to achieve best value for communities and funders.
It was a great opportunity to be able to present the work of the VVU at the Active Essex Foundation conference and we look forward to continuing to work together, supporting the Foundation into the future.