The homicide rate for under-25s is now 3x lower than it was when I set up the VRU in 2019, and hospital admissions of young people for knife assault have almost halved in the same period.
London is safer thanks to the prevention work of @london-vru.bsky.social.
My record investment in @london-vru.bsky.social is saving lives, and changing the prospects for young Londoners in the process ⬇️️
Latest figures show prevention is making the difference.
With support from @sadiqkhanlondon.bsky.social, we’ve worked in partnership to put early intervention at the heart of London’s approach, keeping young people safe and helping them thrive.
More on BBC News: bbc.in/49qTEnv
Today marks a major milestone. Figures show the number of homicides of young people under-25 were the lowest this century.
Data also shows homicides of young people were three times higher when we were set up than they are today.
🔗Read more: bit.ly/49yotoS
🎯Following a strong campaign from our Young People’s Action Group, the Met Police has changed its approach to sharing knife imagery.
‼️When young people are listened to, change can happen.
london.gov.uk/vru-and-its-...
'We persuaded police to rethink sharing images of knives'
A campaign led by our Young People's Action Group has resulted in @metpoliceuk changing its policy on posting knife imagery on social media.
Read here 👇 @bbclondon.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
'What’s the good and what’s the harm that research can do?'... Explore this and much more in the first in a series of thought provoking blogs documenting @london-vru.bsky.social ‘Impact in Place’ project: bit.ly/4rRenI7
#ImpactInPlace #CommunityCollaboration #LondonInitiatives #LivedExperience
⚽ The iconic @wembleystadium.bsky.social was the backdrop for our new partnership with the foundations of all 17 professional football clubs in London.
🙌 We were joined by @sadiqkhanlondon.bsky.social and clubs from across the city who have united with us to support young people and tackle violence
This is London United: changing lives through football.
My @london-vru.bsky.social is partnering with all 17 of London’s football clubs to provide positive opportunities for thousands of young Londoners and help keep them safe.
youtu.be/yGz7x9hWowY?...
⚽ Football is a hook to engage young people.
🙌 Our new partnership with all 17 London football club foundations is a commitment to tackle violence and provide positive opportunities for young Londoners.
@sadiqkhanlondon.bsky.social speaks to @bbclondon.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
⚽Wembley was the stage for the launch of our major new partnership with the community foundations of all 17 of London’s professional football clubs to help young people stay safe and thrive.
💙 We’ve teamed up with clubs to show London is united in tackling violence
👉 london.gov.uk/major-landma...
Violent crime with injury is down in every London borough thanks to record City Hall funding and the collective efforts of the police and @london-vru.bsky.social
We’ll keep working with partners and the government to drive down crime and make London safer for everyone.
Why join YPAG?
✨ Get paid £13.85/hr (London Living Wage)
🤝 Work with other young people and professionals from across London to prevent violence
🚀 Boost your confidence, skills & network
Ready to represent? Let’s change London together: bit.ly/3Hk8bFG
📢Are you a young Londoner aged 16-24?
💡Apply now to join our agenda-setting Young People's Action Group to ensure your voice and opinion helps shape policy and funding decisions to make London a better place for all young people: bit.ly/3Hk8bFG
Youth workers in police custody and hospitals are diverting young people away from violence and towards a brighter future.
Funding from @sadiqkhanlondon.bsky.social shows that prevention and early intervention works to keep young people safe.
More on @theguardian.com: bit.ly/3HpDr6c
"Avenues is our safe space"
Youth clubs like The Avenues provide safe spaces and access to opportunities
Our £1m investment in sports activities will level the playing field and boost the mental & physical health of young Londoners
More on @bbcnewsofficial.bsky.social bbc.co.uk/news/article...
📻 @libpeck.bsky.social joined Eddie Nestor MBE on BBC Radio London about our new £1m funding with @sadiqkhanlondon.bsky.social for sports provision in youth clubs and hubs.
🔗 Listen from 2:36:09: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
🚨£1m investment in sport and physical activities.
🤝With @sadiqkhanlondon.bsky.social the @mayoroflondon.bsky.social we're delivering opportunities during all school holidays over the next year for young people most underrepresented in sport.
➡️ london.gov.uk/mayor-announ...
My @london-vru.bsky.social is investing a further £1m in sports provision to ensure children and young people are safe, thriving and have access to positive opportunities that benefit their physical and mental health over the easter holidays and the rest of the year.
🔗 Evidence shows there is a link between school exclusion and violence.
🏫 It's why we have been working to tackle rising suspensions, exclusions and persistent absenteeism through #LondonsInclusionCharter.
➡️Read our view with @libpeck.bsky.social: theguardian.com/education/20...
Coverage about a London Assembly focus on violence against women and girls.
@libpeck.bsky.social spoke about:
✅ @sadiqkhanlondon.bsky.social's new VAWG strategy building on the VRU's public health approach
✅ Our prevention work in schools & tackling online harms
bbc.co.uk/news/article...
We are committed to intervening to divert young people away from exploitation.
With @sadiqkhanlondon.bsky.social, we fund The Safety Box & others to tackle violence in the after-school period.
We must focus on preventing violence, not just responding to it.
@the-independent.com
t.co/6cQVXEqoNU
Evidence shows 60% of young offenders have speech & language difficulties.
With @sadiqkhanlondon.bsky.social, we’re helping primary school children with oracy interventions.
Results show:
98% narrowed gap to their peers
60% meeting standards in vocab
@annafazack.bsky.social
t.co/aHxIEcTY2S
Our brilliant @libpeck.bsky.social has one of the hardest jobs in London leading the @london.gov.uk @london-vru.bsky.social - as you can hear she’s determined and passionate about changing - and saving - young lives
Our director @libpeck.bsky.social joined Eddie Nestor MBE to take calls from BBC Radio London listeners.
We talked about:
💡 What the VRU does
💡 Tackling school exclusions
💡 Building back the youth workers sector
Listen here: lnkd.in/eDYceQRe
🧡We’re delighted to have secured £9.4m investment from
@ukhomeoffice.bsky.social to fund youth work supporting young people in hospital and police custody suites.
➡️We are guiding young Londoners at a moment of crisis with a route away from violence: london.gov.uk/media-centre...
🎉We launched #LondonsInclusionCharter a year ago with
@sadiqkhanlondon.bsky.social, @mayoroflondon.bsky.social
🤝The Charter is working in partnership with schools, young people and families, to keep children safe and supported so they belong and thrive in school.
➡️Find out more: bit.ly/4gozKJV
🤝 We have built on interventions that we know work to tackle violence and funded new ones to intervene at the key touchpoints in a young person's life.
🧡 We're committed to working in partnership to tackle violence before it happens and make London a safer city.
🧵2/2
💡 We believe violence is preventable, not inevitable.
✅ In 2024, we funded 70,000 diversionary activities and positive opportunities through youth work and access to youth clubs and hubs.
🧵1/2
'Building healthy relationships from the classroom up'
We took @ndironsmp.bsky.social to see our schools programme with @tenderuk.bsky.social & Nurture.
We have seen:
90% of pupils better understand healthy relationships
80% able to spot red flags in a relationship
tender.org.uk/building-hea...
