MAV UK ended the Looking Back Moving Forward Project on 26th October 2019 with a community celebration event. The event launched the film Year Zero. The film chronicles the 20-year history of the charity in a new project called STOP & REACH. The projects provided help and support to local services facing issues related to the growing issue of knife crime. STOP & REACH was delivered at local high schools in Manchester and for the Bradford project Aunty Knife, led by the charity Neesie.
STOP & REACH is a therapeutic intervention which supports improved behaviours. Our therapeutic lead Ian Swanston has used his experience of many evidenced based therapeutic intervention, these include Multi-systemic therapy and evidenced based parenting which includes Triple P. Ian said; "the Eight Principle of Successful Living helps young people make better choices, as they explore the eight principles and set personal goals."
It has been used with young people who have been involved in criminal activities as well as those seeking to improve behaviours in a school setting. The principles include self-control, peace and gentleness. They are explored using planned, structured activity based interventions.
The feedback from STOP & REACH was excellent. The film included in the delivery provided beneficiaries with an emotional connection to the experiences faced by family members after murder. One young person said, “it will make you think twice before thinking of carrying a knife.” The film provided the young people with a greater knowledge of the impact of knife crime on families. The workshop also allows participants to review evidence of knife crime on communities at large.
MAV UK’s COVID-19 Extending Services for Young People at Hulme Hall.
COVID-19 Pandemic has put a holt on some aspects of the delivery of STOP & REACH. MAV UK are now working with other local groups to ensure services for young people continue safely. We have supported Jet Black Dance Academy, as they move most sessions online or in the outside areas at MAV UK Hall. Greater Manchester Youth Network, worked with MAV UK at the start of pandemic and were able to adjust their Citizenship programme in August 2020 to ensure it was inline with COVID-19 social distancing guidance. Mr D Healthy Body Healthy Minds funded by Children in Need and more recently Hulme Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Programme continuing to deliver direct services for young people, while adhering to social distancing guideline set out by the government. This has allowed the STOP & REACH ethos of ensure pro-social activities for local young people to continue.
MAV UK supported Sierra Leone Community Group in their hot food provision for local people in the community. The Sierra Leone Group were left without support during the first stage lockdown. MAV UK open the doors of Hulme Hall and the newly fitted kitchen to provide freely delivered cook food to local people across Manchester and as far as Bury.
Once restriction is lessened, we will re-establish work with Greater Manchester Police, developing work with newly recruited police officers using aspects of STOP & REACH. The aim of STOP & REACH is to provide specialists support for Children & Young People (CYP) emotionally and mentally. Local police will use the service to refer families and CPY who are at risk of knife crime. The priority age will be 10-17 years. We have seen a significant increase in offending in this age group in our local area.
The STOP & REACH Project is a direct intervention which provides an alternative approach to the police stop and search, which has a focus on challenging possible criminal activity. The STOP & REACH intervention, looks at engaging young people at the point of crime, introducing pro-social activities. STOP & REACH will provide CYP’s with alternatives behaviours which make positive contribution to the local community. We are pleased part of the 65 million given to community groups across England in 2019 from National Lottery Community Fund went to the STOP & REACH project. STOP & REACH has also had additional funding from High Sheriff Police Trust and Home Office Fund for Knife Crime and more recently Government COVID-Pandemic Funding.
MAV will invest in professional services to review and encourage funding opportunities for PHASE TWO development of MAV’s Community - Hulme Hall.
Please see the report submitted in April 2020 which evidenced the impact of the STOP & REACH Project with funding secured from the Home Office Fund for Knife Crime. This was secured from the Serious Violence Unit - Home Office.
Download Review of Report submitted to the Serious Violence Unit on 20th April 2021. This evidences outcomes of service delivery of the STOP & REACH Project First stage.
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