Southend: Supporting young people with safe spaces
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to YMCA Southend, who we have recently funded through our community grant fund to provide support to young people in the city. In our recent Listening Report we spoke to more than 1500 young people about their biggest fears and what makes them feel safe. The young people from Southend […]
Introducing Safeguarding Officers into Op Raptor
An Essex VVU initiative to have Police safeguarding officers attached to Police OpRaptor teams* has seen positive success in the early identification of young vulnerable people who are being exploited by criminal gangs. The safeguarding officers proactively identify young people who they believe are being exploited. This is achieved by officers attending operations which target […]
Street football in Purfleet
What better way to spend a sunny Thursday afternoon than to see one of the projects we help fund in action? And so we headed to Purfleet Primary School to see the street football after-school club. This after-school club, organised by Riverview Charitable Trust, runs from 4pm to 5pm for eight- to eleven-year-olds, and then […]
Rainbow Services youth project welcomes MP Robert Halfon (June 2023)
On 16 June we were delighted to be invited back to Rainbow Services to join in welcoming Robert Halfon, MP for Harlow to their Youth Project. The Youth Project, funded by the Essex VVU and the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, is for 14 to 18 year olds who have disengaged from education, […]
Motivated Minds – Well Youth Project
The VVU is pleased to share the success of one of the projects we funded in a community grant round. Motivated Minds in Basildon was awarded just under £20k to run the Well Youth Project – dedicated youth club sessions and wellbeing activities for local young people. The project included life skills workshops on topics […]
Positive Futures in Shoeburyness (May 2023)
Last week some of the VVU visited Achieve Thrive Flourish (ATF) and heard all about the Positive Futures project they are currently running in Shoeburyness. Positive Futures is funded through the VVU Secondary Prevention grant which funds projects that support young people more at risk. Positive Futures is an inspiring eight week course that uncovers […]
