Building a safer, fairer city for everyone
Building a safer, fairer city for everyone
Making our communities safer is the Mayor’s top priority.
That means stepping in early to stop violence from happening in the first place.
One way we’re doing this is by investing in activities and opportunities for children and young people, giving them hope and help to stay on the right track.
Preventing violence before it happens
The causes of violent crime are complex. Poverty, inequality and a lack of opportunities for young people all play their part. There are no quick and easy fixes.
The Mayor is committed to tackling violence before it happens.
He set up London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), the first in England and Wales, which steps in early to try and prevent violence. The VRU has funded and created more than 400,000 positive opportunities for children and young people across London.
He also invested a record £34 million in his New Deal for Young People. So far, over 100,000 young Londoners most in need have accessed mentoring support – helping them go towards a brighter future.
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Having a trusted adult relationship is important in a young person’s life. It can help them develop the skills to thrive in adulthood. But not all young people have this. Not having enough guidance can make them worry about what their future holds.
Thanks to the Mayor’s New Deal for Young People, more young Londoners now have access to mentoring and youth activities.
It’s helping to make London the greatest city in the world to grow up in – where all young people have the support they need to get ahead and no one is left behind.
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Watch Sadie's mentoring story.
Mentoring opportunities can look like:
- one-to-one sessions
- group classes in schools and youth clubs
- online engagement.
The sessions are changed to suit the needs and interests of young people. They focus on subjects like music, sport, creative arts, education and careers.
Introducing this trusted relationship to a young person’s life can help make a positive change in lots of ways.
Mentoring is already helping thousands of young Londoners to:
- build their confidence and skills
- develop ways to better cope with setbacks
- meet new people with access to different social networks
- make better informed choices
- boost their mental health
- improve relationships with family
- find paths into training and employment.
With the Mayor's New Deal for Young People, we're making sure there are more quality opportunities for young people now – and the future.
How we're making London the safest place in the world to grow up in
Our prevention strategy focuses on funding interventions to divert young people away from violence and providing a helping hand at critical moments in a young person’s life.
That means:
- working to keep children in school where they are safe and can thrive
- supporting families affected by violence
- working to keep young people safe from exploitation and criminal gangs, in the crucial after-school period by investing in access to youth clubs and hubs
- providing access to mentors
- funding the life-changing work done by youth workers – who make a difference every day in neighbourhoods, schools, police custody suites and hospitals.
How it's making a difference
Through this prevention approach, we’re making strong progress to build a safer and fairer future for all Londoners.
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400,000+
positive opportunities through the VRU to divert young Londoners away from violence, towards education, training and employment.
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100,000+
young Londoners have accessed mentoring support through the Mayor’s New Deal for Young People.
There have been reductions in murders and killings (homicides) and how many young Londoners are injured with knives. In 2024, there were fewer homicides of people under 25 in London than any year since 2003. The number of teenage killings in London last year was at its lowest since 2012.
I firmly believe that violence is preventable, not inevitable and I’m committed to investing in young people and giving them the opportunity to reach their full potential as part of ensuring we build a safer, fairer London for everyone.
Find out more and get involved
London’s Violence Reduction Unit brings people across London together to better understand why violence happens and to prevent it now, and in the long-term.
A new deal that recognises the huge challenges that the pandemic has presented to London's young people.
Find out what the Mayor is doing to help London's children and young adults make the most of our city.
Find out more about the LVN app and access mentoring support and over 2000 opportunities for young people.
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