Community-led initiatives reducing violence across the city-region are set to benefit from £1m in new funding from Violence Reduction Unit

A £1m funding-boost is set to further support the work of vital programmes which are helping to tackle serious violence across Greater Manchester. This will enable Greater Manchester’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) to understand more about the strengths and needs of different communities across Greater Manchester to keep driving serious violence down.

The funding will be split equally across all 10 boroughs of the city-region, supporting sustainable solutions to reduce serious violence, led by communities. Working with local organisations to understand their neighbourhoods and tackle issues as source, is crucial to the success of the programmes.

Thanks to Greater Manchester’s partnership response to tackling serious violence, figures released earlier this year highlighted significant reductions in hospital admissions due to assault by a sharp object, and homicides involving a knife. Through the community-led programmes, over 10,000+ young people have been involved in universal activity from youth groups, schools, and colleges, and over 1,000 longer term bespoke interventions have been provided to individuals, and in some cases, their wider families.

A community-led approach to reducing violence means the VRU works closely with communities to understand the strengths, challenges and needs of the community and determine how local investments will be made.

The VRU has already invested £1.6 million in community-led programmes, outlined in Greater Manchester’s Serious Violence Action Plan.

To learn more about the community-led programmes, watch this short video: (428) VRU - Community-led Approach Overview Video - YouTube.

Kate Green, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester for policing, crime, criminal justice, and fire said: “This extra funding is crucial to delivering on our commitment to communities across our city-region to reduce violence and provide positive alternatives for young people and families.

“As part of the community-led programmes, there are numerous organisations across Greater Manchester doing vital work to keep people away from violence, offering people a positive alternative, and I’m delighted that this work is being recognised with extra funding.”

Dawn Yates-Obe, Chief Executive at Bolton CVS, said: “We are thrilled this additional investment is being made by the VRU, to further evolve the work of the community-led alliances. The voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector organisations and the volunteers they support are embedded within, and form part of, their communities. They are working examples of community assets and experts in action. 

“Investing a further £1m in VCSE sector activity is testament to the incredible work happening, being designed and delivered by members of our communities across Greater Manchester.”

Watch these short stories to learn more about the impact of the work.

(428) Manchester Community Spotlight: Safia’s Story - YouTube

Salford Community Spotlight: Taylor’s Story - YouTube

(428) Oldham Community Spotlight: Tafreen's Story - YouTube

The VRU is a team of subject leads and experts from Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Greater Manchester National Probation Service, Public Health, NHS, Education, Community Voluntary Sector, Victim’s Voice, Youth Justice, and Local Authorities, addressing the underlying causes of violence and working together with communities to prevent it.

This work is delivered in partnership with 10GM, a joint venture to support the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in Greater Manchester, and the wider Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector.

For further information about the VRU visit: Homepage – Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit (gmvru.co.uk)