For this issue of the Violence and Vulnerability Unit Newsletter the VVU handed over their newsletter to Erin a young person who spent a week with them on work experience, visiting projects and seeing first hand the work the VVU support. Bringing a young person’s vision and experience into the work we do. Following on from their listening project the VVU feel that it is very important that young people’s voices are heard throughout their work.
ECVYS AGM
On Monday 26 June we attended the Essex Council of Voluntary Youth Services (ECVYS) AGM and celebration supper at Barnston Village Hall.
Around 100 dignitaries, ECVYS members and voluntary organisations gathered to hear about the achievements of ECVYS and the work of their members over the last year.
There were speakers from Bar ‘n’ Bus and The Outhouse, both of which have projects supported by the VVU, then a speech from Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex.
A garden was opened in memory of Sharon Sellens, ECVYS’ late administrator, who passed away in 2021. The garden will provide a meeting place for the young people of the village.
The keynote speaker was Councillor John Spence DL CBE who spoke passionately about the work of the voluntary sector and thanked the ECVYS members for all they do to support the young people of Essex. We then enjoyed supper and an opportunity to socialize with the other guests and hear more about the wonderful work the voluntary sector does across Southend, Essex and Thurrock.
From the VVU we would like to add our thanks to all that ECVYS and its member organisations undertake; working with so many children and young people across Southend, Essex and Thurrock to help improve lives for individuals, families and communities.
The Wilderness Foundation
On Thursday 29 June, we visited The Wilderness Foundation, where we met with Jo Roberts (CEO) and Clare Martin (Marketing and Development Manager).
The Wilderness Foundation education and therapy programmes help young people and adults reconnect to society and themselves through outdoor facilitation adventures, therapy and mentoring. Their programmes highlight the positive impact of wild nature on personal and social wellbeing.
The PFCC for Essex and the VVU currently fund two projects at the foundation: The Blossom Project, which is an 8-week group therapy programme designed to empower not only adult survivors of domestic abuse to learn strategies for self-care, but also for teens to learn to cope with their past experiences in a healthy way.
TurnAround (funded by the VVU) is a project that works with young people at risk aged 15-21 through a 6-month programme. The programmer includes two wilderness trails, helping young people take control of their lives through intensive, specialist, one to one mentoring and outdoor activities.
Due to the confidential, sensitive nature of the work we were not able to join any of the sessions, but we were taken on a tour of the beautiful grounds. It is easy to see why they are so successful as the whole area has a peaceful and calming atmosphere. Both projects work closely together to provide the most appropriate support for the young person at that time.
For some the more intensive TurnAround programme is completed first and then they move onto the Blossom Project, others may go straight into the Blossom Project. Recent data for TurnAround (2019) showed 85% of programme graduates proceeded into higher education and felt more connected to nature with better self-esteem and mental health. Young people can be referred from a number of sources: youth offending teams, probation service, police, schools or Family Solutions.
The Wilderness Foundation’s motto is “Learning Outside, Changing Inside” which truly encompasses the wonderful and fulfilling work they do to help young people through life’s challenging times.
LINES. A production about the dangers of County Lines
On Wednesday 28 June we went to Colchester Townhouse to watch Lines, a production performed to a year 6 audience by Theatre Inspiring Change, a theatre company passionate about empowering people and communities to make personal and social change.
Lines is designed to raise awareness of County Lines and the play begins with Paul, a year 7 boy, being interviewed by the police after being arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply. We are then taken through the events leading up to his arrest.
Paul is introduced to a year 10 named GG at the bus stop after missing his bus, where she tells him she has ‘seen’ him playing football. She gives Paul the nickname of PJ which solidifies their friendship. At their next encounter GG entrusts Paul to deliver a bag to her friend but instructs him not to look into the bag. Paul complies, however what he doesn’t know is this is the first step into his new drug running life.
Throughout the play, Paul steals from his sister to pay back a debt, pushes away his closest friends and family after learning the higher-level drug dealers know where he and his family live, and skips an important football match to spend time with GG after she manipulates him into feeling bad for spending time with other people.
Slowly Paul’s temper and attitude towards his family and best friend Jamie changes, he becomes aggressive and highly defensive if questioned about anything. In the end, Jamie was no longer his friend and he lost his sister’s trust. Without realizing, Paul had been groomed into a dangerous world and has isolated himself from those who had his best interests at heart.
Following this, the audience were encouraged to ‘rewind’ to critical points in the narrative and suggest alternative actions Paul could have taken to avoid the downward spiral his life had taken.
This leads on to conversations which encourage the young people to consider strategies they could use in such situations and to be more aware of some of the signs of grooming.
The session was well received by the young people with an enthusiastic Q&A session at the end.
If you would like to find out more about any of the items in this newsletter please get in touch katie.canning@essex.police.uk Visit our website www.essexvvu.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @EssexVVU
