Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness has announced new plans to help find work for those at risk of criminality as a key step to reducing the number of victims in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear.

The new jobs scheme forms a key part of her flagship policing plan for the region, focused on Fighting Poverty, Fighting Crime.

Her Violence Reduction Unit has teamed up with the Co-op, in its aim to help find work for women and young people who might otherwise turn to shoplifting or other crimes.

In a ground-breaking new project, the Commissioner has backed the coaching programme in order to stop crime before it starts.

This programme seeks to work with individuals over a 6 month period, and has seen 10 women, with custody or community probation supervision, having benefitted from one-to-one sessions through the support of an experienced business coach.

The programme, which results in an interview with the Co-op if requested, is aimed at those who want to make a difference in their life and are able to fully commit to the workshops and coaching sessions.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness said “This is a fantastic example of how an organisation is supporting people in our region. A job can turn lives around – and this exciting new programme aims to do just that. By addressing the barriers to employment, offering support to re-build confidence and explore new skills, those in most need will have positive aspirations for the future and be diverted from a life of crime”.

She added, “The Violence Reduction Unit continues to engage those most at risk of becoming a victim or committing serious violence and we are doing everything we can to break the cycle of criminality by improving lives. Having a job provides that sense of purpose and achievement – it can help stop poverty and crime. That’s why I’m calling for more businesses to get involved and provide opportunities for people in our region”.

Co-op Director of Campaigning and Public Affairs, Paul Gerrard said: “We are delighted to support the Commissioner’s plan and play our part in helping people to rebuild their confidence and lives. We strongly believe that business has a vital role to play in building stronger and safer communities, and even more importantly, that everyone should be supported to reach their full potential”.

The Police Commissioner recently launched her new plan for the region, Fighting Poverty, Fighting Crime. In this she set out how her number one priority is more police recruits.

But with limited Government funds and only around half the force’s 1,100 lost officer numbers replaced by Government, the Police Commissioner has made preventing crime a key focus.

For more information please contact the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit by email vru@northumbria-pcc.gov.uk

LITTLE MIX star Jade Thirlwall’s bar in South Shields has become the latest venue to roll-out vulnerability training delivered by the region’s dedicated Violence Reduction Unit.

Staff at the pop star’s venue, Arbeia, on Ocean Road, and other Pubwatch staff in the area were joined by Kim McGuinness and trainers from her Violence Reduction Unit and Northumbria Police, which delivers comprehensive sessions aimed at improving safety on a night out.

Bar tenders, door staff and club managers all came together at the popular venue to take part in the training which educates night-time economy staff around vulnerability, identifying risks and their duty of care.

Last year a survey by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria found that 43% of sexual harassment and 44% of unwanted sexual touching happened in city centres including bars and clubs.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “I just love that cities and towns across our region are known for offering the best night out but it’s incredibly important to me that we are the safest too. Everyone has the right to feel safe whatever they are doing; whether they are on the dance floor or getting a taxi home.

“There is a real passion amongst everyone involved and everyone taking part in the training, to make change, to make sure we’re all safe. Being grabbed, followed, touched up – whatever – it’s all very, very wrong and we want to support staff who are in a position to look out for others. This whole campaign of work is about saying we won’t stand for it, and this is how we can help.”

The vulnerability training is part of the ongoing force-wide ‘Fun without Fear’ campaign in conjunction with Rape Crisis, Northumbria Police and local authorities.

The campaign aims to promote behaviour change, encourage reporting and signpost victims to help and support.

The training also covers factors and risks around refusing entry of a vulnerable person and how to identify exploitation through County Lines and the warning signs of Modern Day Slavery.

Other activity from the campaign has included enhanced police patrols, street pastors helping people get home safely and specialist support for victims through Rape Crisis.

The campaign complements other campaigns promoting safety in other public places such as on public transport or out in the region’s parks. Together, it is hoped people will be safe and feel safe throughout the region.

As it heads into its fourth year, PCC Kim McGuinness’ Violence Reduction Unit has announced how it plans to ramp up its successful work that has seen a 30 per cent fall in young people re-offending across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear.

Last year, following lockdown and the re-opening of the night-time economy, serious violence increased by 27% but is starting to fall with figures showing a 9% reduction from November, and the Commissioner wants to see everything possible being done to keep pushing this figure down

The Violence Reduction Unit’s fourth year plan will work see it:

• use data and intelligence to target hotspot areas.
• work closely with the whole of the family of repeat offenders to tackle violence.
• build on community-based interventions and diversionary activities to reduce vulnerability and tackle offending.
• Educate young people on the dangers and consequences of violent crime to help prevent them becoming involved.

Since Kim McGuinness set up the Violence Reduction Unit in 2019, the force area has seen a continued fall in re-offending rates, with offences committed by young people showing the most significant drop of almost 30%.

Building on the positive work to date, the Violence Reduction Unit’s interventions continue to show impact with:

• 75% of those engaging in the custody diversion project have reduced involvement with the Criminal Justice System and plans to help keep out of trouble.
• 68% of young people on the YOLO programme have not offended since.
• 62% of those on the Employment and Women’s Pathways have not re-offended since.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness said: “I’ve set out a clear commitment to fight poverty and to fight crime and the work of the Violence Reduction Unit is so crucial when it comes to preventing crime and improving the lives of those who are most vulnerable to exploitation.

“Sadly, where poverty is most prevalent we tend to see more victims of violence and that’s not fair – but we cannot just arrest our way out the problem. That’s where the Violence Reduction Unit comes in, helping people at risk of becoming a victim or becoming drawn into crime. A lot of the community and intervention work is about getting to the bottom of the underlying causes of serious violence. And we have a brilliant team who go into schools educate kids. This work, along with diversionary activities – the clubs, the sports, the mentors – it’s about showing people a life without crime”.

Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit Director, Steven Hume said: “The North East is a phenomenal place to live and work and we want to make sure it remains a safe place too. That is why we are taking such a radical approach to tackling violent crime and reducing the risks for those most vulnerable to exploitation, before issues we are seeing on a national scale become a problem here. We know that we can’t resolve issues overnight, which is why our plan is for the long-term, working collaboratively with our partners so that we can continue to identify areas in most need of action, engage with communities, provide diversionary activities and educate young people.

In a recent survey, Ipsos MORI found that for every £1 invested in Violence Reduction Units, £3 is saved to the public purse. The most recent local evaluation conducted on year 2 activities showed savings of £7.5 million per year.

For more information please contact the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit by email vru@northumbria-pcc.gov.uk

The Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit has announced today that it will continue to make an impact on reducing serious violence through a further investment of over £7 million in the next 3 years.

This builds on the positive work to date which has seen serious violence levels reduce with a 9% drop since November as well as hospital admissions caused by assaults with sharp objects down by 11.5% in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear.

The Violence Reduction Units funded interventions continue to show impact within our communities, notably:

• 75% of those engaging in the custody diversion project have reduced involvement with the Criminal Justice System and an action plan for the future.
• 68% of young people who engaged with the YOLO programme have not offended since exiting the intervention.
• 62% of those who complied with the Employment and Women’s Pathways have not re-offended since accessing the interventions.

As it embarks on its fourth year, the Violence Reduction Unit will continue to focus on providing community-based interventions in areas of most need, engaging young people to reduce their risk of being involved in crime and working with the whole family to tackle issues of violence.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness said: “I have made a commitment to ‘Fight Poverty, Fight Crime’, as sadly, we know that large proportions of violence occur in areas where poverty is most prevalent. We cannot just arrest our way out the problem – instead we must address the underlying causes, educate young people and prevent individuals from re-offending. Through the Violence Reduction Unit we are committed to doing just that and with this guaranteed investment over the next 3 years; we can target more individuals at risk of becoming a victim or before they are drawn into crime”.

She added: “I will continue to lobby Government for vital funding that will allow us to truly make a difference in our region”.

Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit Director, Steven Hume said: “In order to tackle serious violence, you need to have a long-term strategy and this investment will provide us with some certainty over the next 3 years to continue delivering such vital work in our region. We are committed to reducing serious violence and vulnerability and have made significant progress to date but this is a long term approach and there is more work to be done. That is why we are taking such a radical approach in tackling the root causes of violent crime and addressing the offending behaviour of those causing the most disruption in our communities.

For more information, contact the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit by email vru@northumbria-pcc.gov.uk

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, has called on local businesses to support colleagues suffering domestic abuse.

While hundreds of North East employees were signed up to domestic abuse champion training ran by the PCC’s office during the pandemic, she says more workplaces could be taking those suffering under their wing by having colleagues trained to sign-post them to support or to help make special arrangements to ensure they are safe.

At an online event held by the North East England Chamber of Commerce on what businesses can do to reduce violence against women and girls, the Commissioner raised the importance of education. However, she stressed education isn’t just a job for our schools and that awareness and understanding around domestic abuse often needs teaching to the grown-ups too.

She said that employers have a duty and responsibility to provide staff with a safe working environment and that businesses can, and should, be playing a vital role when it comes to recognising those at risk of domestic abuse or violence.

Following the event, Kim’s office was inundated with enquiries about the domestic abuse workplace champions’ scheme with enquiries from a range of sectors including engineering and childcare. As a result, her Violence Reduction Unit is now in the process of lining up a series of further online training opportunities, with more information available on the website –https://tinyurl.com/7zd9ndm5

Northumbria Police and Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “For some staff, the workplace can be the only safe haven from the horrors of home – it offers escape, sanctuary and refuge. Just think what lockdown must have been like for these people. You see, victims of domestic abuse need help from employers, as well as the police. Colleagues are often the eyes and ears to it all.

“They might hear a partner shouting at a colleague on the end of a Teams call or someone saying they won’t be coming on the work night out simply because their husband won’t like it”, she explained.

“Colleagues might even be the person a victim turns to for help. This is why it’s so important to have staff that are aware and can give the right response. They know the best things to say and where to signpost them to.”

The Commissioner thanked organisations at the event who were already on board, taking a lead with making domestic abuse a workplace priority and invited other attendees recognising the need to do more to make contact with her office.

Kim added: “As well as duty of care and doing the right thing, it goes without saying that employers know that personal, “real life” problems affect job performance too, and that job performance affects the bottom line. And so making sure those around us – whether working in an office, a shop, a factory – are all equipped with the skills to talk about domestic abuse and know the appropriate action to take. It’s a win all round and a business that gets this right could, quite frankly, save a life.”

For more information please contact champions@northumbria-pcc.gov.uk

The Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit today announced it has awarded over £12,000, directly engaging at least 1300 young people through a fund aimed at reducing violence.

The Local Youth Fund offers young people the opportunity to bid for activities or projects that matter to them and make a difference to the communities they live in. By developing their own project, young people are building confidence, experience and skills for use in daily life.

The fund continues to be shaped by young people, who are responsible for reviewing applications and providing recommendations for funding. This round received 38 applications from young people across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, with 24 projects to receive funding.

The successful applicants cover a range of projects, including re-engaging with education and training, outdoor activities, increasing safety and a forum for children with additional needs and disabilities.

The organisations supporting the successful applicants include:

• AutismAble
• Clegwell and Hartleyburn Positive Activities Group
• Cycling Minds
• Easington Lane and Sunderland City Council
• Far Association of Residence
• Hat-Trick Project
• Humankind
• New Beginnings North
• NE Youth
• North East Sport
• Northumbria Police
• South Tyneside Youth Service
• SPARCS
• Stakeford and Bomarsund Sporting Welfare
• Streetgames
• TheChev Gateshead Ltd
• Tyneside Outdoors
• Westerhope United Football Club

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “I am so proud of our region’s young people for responding to this opportunity to tell us what is important to them in their local area. The Violence Reduction Unit recognise the importance of giving young people opportunities and have put them right at the heart of this unique fund – it is a fund designed by young people and for young people. I can’t stress enough how important it is that we continue to engage our young people now to ensure they have the right support and opportunities to make positive decisions for the future.”

Joanne Vance, Chief Executive of New Beginnings North, said: “We supported two young people who have been successful with the Violence Reduction Unit’s Local Youth Fund. The difference that this funding will make is a life of re-engaging with education, training and employment instead of a life of crime. They could have ended up with a criminal record, been at risk of child exploitation and criminal activity but now with this funding they are both re-engaging with education and training. When we told them they had been successful, they were ecstatic and just so pleased that someone actually believed in them.”

For more information on the Local Youth Fund, please contact the Violence Reduction Unit by email VRU@northumbria-pcc.gov.uk.

ENDS