ORGANISATIONS across north Essex have been handed more than £70,000 to help young people who are at risk of being exposed to crime. 

The money has come from the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit which is a partnership between a number of agencies in Essex, including the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Essex Police and councils.

The Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit engages with interventions, awareness and education programmes to support young people, families and communities to help reduce crime. 

A total of £72,066 will help charities in their work to support young people who are at risk of being exposed to or led into crime, or who have been victims of a crime. 

Gazette:

Beneficiaries of the grants are African Families in the UK, who receive £24,900 to provide one-to-one coaching support for youngsters in Tendring and Colchester. 

The charity Lads Need Dads received £22,166 to help fund their Ambassador Programme, which provides a community support group and life skills sessions for young men without a father figure in their homes. 

The third charity, CARA, was awarded £25,000 to fund their services across Tendring, Colchester, Braintree and Chelmsford, where counselling and play therapy for young victims of sexual violence is offered. 

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, Roger Hirst, who is the chairman of the Essex Violence and Vulnerability partnership, congratulated the charities. 

He said: “Crime is preventable; tackling violence and protecting our young and vulnerable people are key priorities in my Police and Crime Plan.  

Gazette: Grants - The Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit gave out grants worth more than £70,000 to

“The VVU grant supports activities that give children and young people access to mentoring, counselling, friendships and trusted adults.   

“Many offer positive activities for young people to get involved with – sport, drama, youth clubs – and provide targeted support away from involvement in violent crime or antisocial behaviour.” 

Across Essex, the partnership provided 18 grants worth up to nearly half a million to a wide range of charities supporting young people in the county. 

“All the charities we are funding are committed to protecting young people, to give them a better future. By working together, we can make Essex a safer place for children to live and grow up in,” said Mr Hirst.