VRU Evidence Hub

The VRU's flagship 'MyEnds' programme implements a hyper-local and community-led approach to violence reduction in neighbourhoods affected by high and sustained levels of violence. This evaluation report explores implementation and impact of the programme between 2021-2023.

Violence is highly geographically concentrated in specific areas in London. This research focuses on nine London neighbourhoods to understand drivers of violence. It enables a localised understanding of issues and informs the VRU's approach to place-based violence prevention.

The Difference Matters consultation and co-development process engaged over 100 experts by experience and profession, including neurodivergent young people and their families, an advisory group of mixed sector specialists from across the city, and academics, education professionals and local authority leads. This formative research has led to a new model, which will be tested through a two-year pilot programme in seven boroughs.

The Nurturing London programme was designed to place the 'Whole School Nurturing Approach' into the context of violence reduction. Nurture practice empowers adults in school to allow children and young people to engage in missing early nurturing experiences. This End of Programme Report explores process and outcomes of the programme 2020-2022, considering potential future impact.

In light of the increased amount of time young people spent online during the pandemic, the VRU commissioned an in-depth exploration of online harms looking at 'acceptable' use, regulation, and the experiences of marginalised young people online. The report sets out 7 key recommendations and young people's calls for action.

The 'Social Switch' project aims to switch the narrative on how social media's relationship to youth violence is understood, tackled and solved; through training practitioners and supporting young people into sustainable digital careers. Catch 22, the delivery provider, commissioned NPC to evaluate the Social Switch Project in terms of process and outcomes.

Two research projects to better understand the links between online social media content and offline violence, and engage with young people to identify strategic opportunities for prevention.

The Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) has commission Alma Economics to conduct an impact and process evaluation of the Parent Carer Champion Network (PCCN). The evaluation will outline the key successes achieved and any challenges experienced across the programme design, implementation and delivery of the network.

The Well Centre is a free and confidential primary care service for 11-21 year olds in Lambeth and Wandsworth. The core elements of the Well Centre are that it is General Practitioner (GP) led, youth friendly and responsive to young people’s needs. The process evaluation was funded as part of the VRU's Local Authority Research & Evaluation Fund.