December 2021: Our county; going country social media campaign evaluation
At the end of March 2021, the VVU ran a campaign on social media to raise awareness of County Lines drug gangs. The target audience for the campaign was young people who were possibly on the periphery of getting involved in County Lines. These young people may have seen drug deals locally, have concerns about […]
September 2021 – The Knife Angel in Chelmsford
Throughout September, Chelmsford’s Central Park hosted The Knife Angel, a powerful monument warning of the dangers of knife crime. The Knife Angel is a 27-foot sculpture constructed from 100,000 confiscated or surrendered weapons, including blunted flick knives, kitchen knives and even samurai swords. It is hoped its message to ‘Save a Life, Surrender Your Knife’ […]
Rainbow Services, Harlow (Autumn 2021)
One of the projects the VVU supports is Rainbow Services in Harlow, and specifically a fantastic project that helps young people gain qualifications in construction. Young people referred to the Workshop at Rainbow Services are welcomed into a supportive and practical community-based environment. With help from volunteer mentors they learn how to build and construct […]
June 2021 – Our work to tackle serious violence in Essex
While the VVU brings together partners to tackle the root causes of why people become involved in violent crime, knife crime and gangs it is important that the enforcement activity remains high profile and centre stage. Enforcement activity not only catches and punishes criminal behaviour, but it reassures and protects the Essex public, and helps […]
Summer 2021 Essex Virtual Crucial Crew
The VVU is delighted that between April and November this year it is working with Chelmsford City Council and Maldon District Council, Community Safety Partnerships to bring Virtual Crucial Crew 2021 workshops to 16,000 school children across Essex. Crucial Crew is an immersive theatre experience, created by TIC Box Productions which explores difficult issues that can affect […]
Thurrock’s Annual Public Health Report 2019/20 – Youth Violence and Vulnerability: The Crime Paradox and a Public Health Response
Serious youth violence and gang membership, and its links to the illegal drug market and ‘county lines’, has a devastating impact on both the health and wellbeing of the young people who become involved and their wider communities. As with so many public health issues, it disproportionately impacts some individuals and communities and can exacerbate […]
