Empowering Voices and Making Choices

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) has a new Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy for 2024 2026, with a priority being working in collaboration with young people to prevent and raise awareness of sexual violence. The OPCC, Violence Reduction Network (VRN) and the wider partnership are working in collaboration to support this initiative and are keen to co-design the new local VAWG Strategy with young people between the ages of 10 – 19 years old, from Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR).

"Effective prevention must include early intervention to attempt to influence the right values in childhood and adolescence, as well as shifting attitudes to become less accepting of violence and inequality." (Page 5, OPCC VAWG Strategy).

The co-design sessions will entail fostering open conversations regarding suitable materials addressing sexual violence for children and young people. Followed by the review and discussion of selected materials, as well as discussing the direction of the bystander campaign.

The local Police and Crime Commissioners are seeking organisations from across LLR who work closely with young people between 10-19 years old and who they feel would be able to bring innovative ideas to co-produce the VAWG initiative and campaign. The young people would be engaging in group discussions around consent, healthy relationships, sexual violence and bystanding. They will be trialling material already created and reviewing this. Sharing opinions and shaping the direction the VAWG work heads in.

The opportunity consists of an informal introduction to the facilitator, a co-design session lasting approximately 90 minutes, with the facilitator and other young people. Participants who are in the session will be given food and drinks, receive a voucher for their time and a certificate from the OPCC for their participation and commitment to creating sustainable change. Furthermore, there will be future opportunities to support the VAWG Strategy, such as the chance to join the 'Empowering Voices, Making Choices' (EVMC) oversight group to oversee the project through each stage, and giving further input and suggestions around the VAWG campaign through the whole journey, from inception to implementation.

The organisation who refers a group of young people that they work with will receive a £1,000 grant from the OPCC upon being successfully recruited onto the VAWG co-production sessions. The successful organisations will also receive a set amount of £333 to contribute towards covering expenses for the session including food and drink for the young people, venue hire and staffing costs.

They are keen to receive applications from those organisations working with children and young people within Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and who meet the below outlined criteria. We are especially keen to hear from organisations who work with young people in the below priority areas:

• Charnwood
• Hinckley
• Bosworth
• East Leicester
• West Leicester

Applicants must meet all requirements listed below for eligibility.

☐ All participants must be between the ages of 10 – 19 years old.

☐ There must be a minimum of six participants and a maximum of ten participants.

☐ You have an appropriate space the co-design session can be held in.

☐ You will take responsibility in organising food and drink for the session with the £333 budget you have been given.

☐ The organisation can have a brief informal meeting with the facilitator between 29 April and 3 May 2024 (timing flexible to suit the needs of organisation and young people). This will enable the facilitator to meet with young people and assess the designated space for the co-design session.

☐ The organisation and the young people can attend the co-design session between 6 May and 12 May 2024. Session time is flexible to suit the needs of the organisation.

☐ A member of staff from the organisation is present during the session to manage any behaviour or safeguarding concerns.