Projects
Our Projects
Investing in different communities and agencies to tackle exploitation themselves is a key part of what we do – and a hallmark of our VERU Village approach.
If you have concerns about someone or think they could benefit from one of these programmes, please get in touch with us.
Supporting young people through
Sports & activities
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Boxing Saves Lives
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£20,000
The academy will continue to provide one to one support to young people, onsite therapeutic support and martial arts and boxing classes. The sessions will also include presentations and social skill training being delivered by lived experienced trainers. The programme aims to help children to regulate their behaviour and effectively communicate in confrontational or challenging situations.
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Luton Town Community Trust
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£15,000
Will provide free weekly football and other sports sessions across Bedfordshire.
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Samsons Academy
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£15,000
The academy will continue to provide one to one support to young people, onsite therapeutic support and martial arts and boxing classes. Samson’s will also support events and trips away during school holidays.
£20,000
The academy will continue to provide one to one support to young people, onsite therapeutic support and martial arts and boxing classes. The sessions will also include presentations and social skill training being delivered by lived experienced trainers. The programme aims to help children to regulate their behaviour and effectively communicate in confrontational or challenging situations.
£15,000
Will provide free weekly football and other sports sessions across Bedfordshire.
£15,000
The academy will continue to provide one to one support to young people, onsite therapeutic support and martial arts and boxing classes. Samson’s will also support events and trips away during school holidays.
Supporting young people through
Education & Arts
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Link To change
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£15,000
Link to Change will deliver group sessions in schools and youth clubs on healthy relationships, consent, safe spaces, and exploitation. Working with the VERU, this service receives referrals from various pathways and agencies.
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Mary Seacole Housing Association
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£15,000
Seacole Academy offers training and guidance to help young people into employment, with three main options around barbering, hairdressing and barista training. These courses will provide individuals with practical skills and valuable knowledge in popular industries, opening doors to a wider range of job prospects. This increases their chances of gaining meaningful employment, but it reduces their vulnerability to exploitation, as they become equipped with marketable skills and knowledge.
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Next Generation Youth Theatre
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£10,000
NGYT will continue to offer 18 VERU funded performing arts scholarship places to young people. It will support evaluation of their existing work, teaching methods and policies and look at ways to develop and strengthen the organisation’s reach. It will focus on the mental health and wellbeing of young people, inclusivity, accessibility, and engagement.
£15,000
Link to Change will deliver group sessions in schools and youth clubs on healthy relationships, consent, safe spaces, and exploitation. Working with the VERU, this service receives referrals from various pathways and agencies.
£15,000
Seacole Academy offers training and guidance to help young people into employment, with three main options around barbering, hairdressing and barista training. These courses will provide individuals with practical skills and valuable knowledge in popular industries, opening doors to a wider range of job prospects. This increases their chances of gaining meaningful employment, but it reduces their vulnerability to exploitation, as they become equipped with marketable skills and knowledge.
£10,000
NGYT will continue to offer 18 VERU funded performing arts scholarship places to young people. It will support evaluation of their existing work, teaching methods and policies and look at ways to develop and strengthen the organisation’s reach. It will focus on the mental health and wellbeing of young people, inclusivity, accessibility, and engagement.
Supporting young people through
Therapeutic support and mentoring
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Bedfordshire Open Door
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£15,000
Bedfordshire Open Door is an established counselling service with a strong local reputation. The aim of this initiative is to deliver specialist counselling provision to young people aged 13 – 25 years who are at risk, are victims of crime and have had or are experiencing acute childhood experiences. It will offer a mix of one-to-one counselling sessions on a 12-session model alongside group work on issues such as understanding anger and anxiety. A portion of the funding will match fund a weekly social group for young people.
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CANter Equine Therapy
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£15,000
The programme provides young people with the ability to be able to process their thoughts and emotions, being able to think before reacting to a situation, understand other points of view, and develop strategies to communicate effectively and manage aggression and impulsive behaviour.
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Dan Gaze Support Services
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£24,000
Dan Gaze Support Services will provide additional support and capacity to the VERU’s youth intervention specialist team, supporting young people at risk of exclusion from schools and exploitation. They will provide one to one targeted specialist support for young people in Central Bedfordshire and Luton.
£15,000
Bedfordshire Open Door is an established counselling service with a strong local reputation. The aim of this initiative is to deliver specialist counselling provision to young people aged 13 – 25 years who are at risk, are victims of crime and have had or are experiencing acute childhood experiences. It will offer a mix of one-to-one counselling sessions on a 12-session model alongside group work on issues such as understanding anger and anxiety. A portion of the funding will match fund a weekly social group for young people.
£15,000
The programme provides young people with the ability to be able to process their thoughts and emotions, being able to think before reacting to a situation, understand other points of view, and develop strategies to communicate effectively and manage aggression and impulsive behaviour.
£24,000
Dan Gaze Support Services will provide additional support and capacity to the VERU’s youth intervention specialist team, supporting young people at risk of exclusion from schools and exploitation. They will provide one to one targeted specialist support for young people in Central Bedfordshire and Luton.
Supporting young people through
Reducing offending
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Bedfordshire Youth Offending Service
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£11,250
The TREE Project (Tackling, Reducing and Ending Exploitation) will run joint patrols and outreach work in target areas such as town centres. The outreach work will focus on behaviour and be aimed at minimising risk and engaging with young people by seeking opportunities to understand their choices, encouraging them to make correct decisions about lifestyle and identify opportunities for them to avoid becoming vulnerable to exploitation.
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Luton Youth Partnership Service
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£30,000
The TREE Project (Tackling, Reducing and Ending Exploitation) will run joint patrols and outreach work in target areas such as town centres. The outreach work will focus on behaviour and be aimed at minimising risk and engaging with young people by seeking opportunities to understand their choices, encouraging them to make correct decisions about lifestyle and identify opportunities for them to avoid becoming vulnerable to exploitation.
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Reactiv8
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£30,000
To work with 18-25 year olds in police custody, with a view to continuing to work with them upon release from police custody and help them re-engage with employment, education or training if they are not currently involved.
£11,250
The TREE Project (Tackling, Reducing and Ending Exploitation) will run joint patrols and outreach work in target areas such as town centres. The outreach work will focus on behaviour and be aimed at minimising risk and engaging with young people by seeking opportunities to understand their choices, encouraging them to make correct decisions about lifestyle and identify opportunities for them to avoid becoming vulnerable to exploitation.
£30,000
The TREE Project (Tackling, Reducing and Ending Exploitation) will run joint patrols and outreach work in target areas such as town centres. The outreach work will focus on behaviour and be aimed at minimising risk and engaging with young people by seeking opportunities to understand their choices, encouraging them to make correct decisions about lifestyle and identify opportunities for them to avoid becoming vulnerable to exploitation.
£30,000
To work with 18-25 year olds in police custody, with a view to continuing to work with them upon release from police custody and help them re-engage with employment, education or training if they are not currently involved.
Supporting young people through
Community Safety Partnerships
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Bedford Community Safety Partnership
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£15,000
A joint project with the Central Bedfordshire CSP and Groundwork, youth workers on the project will run tailored outreach work in identified areas of risk.
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Central Bedfordshire Community Safety Partnership
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£15,000
A theatre production will be delivered into 26 key stage two schools across Bedford and Central Bedfordshire. It will be delivered by a local theatre company called Solomon Theatres, who have already delivered several performances in Bedfordshire which have received positive feedback from schools. The production is called ‘Safe’ and focuses on bullying, importance of friendship and the dangers of carrying a knife. Its message is that carrying a knife will never protect you and is highly dangerous. It encourages students that confiding in parents or teachers if being bullied is the best way to tackle the situation.
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Luton Community Safety Partnership
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£15,000
Continued project work to develop appropriate platforms to give young people a voice and provide their feedback on programmes and support services within Luton. The initial survey has now identified pilot projects that the VERU will fund to further this youth voice. This is a long-term project that works within identified hot spot areas as well as educational establishments.
£15,000
A joint project with the Central Bedfordshire CSP and Groundwork, youth workers on the project will run tailored outreach work in identified areas of risk.
£15,000
A theatre production will be delivered into 26 key stage two schools across Bedford and Central Bedfordshire. It will be delivered by a local theatre company called Solomon Theatres, who have already delivered several performances in Bedfordshire which have received positive feedback from schools. The production is called ‘Safe’ and focuses on bullying, importance of friendship and the dangers of carrying a knife. Its message is that carrying a knife will never protect you and is highly dangerous. It encourages students that confiding in parents or teachers if being bullied is the best way to tackle the situation.
£15,000
Continued project work to develop appropriate platforms to give young people a voice and provide their feedback on programmes and support services within Luton. The initial survey has now identified pilot projects that the VERU will fund to further this youth voice. This is a long-term project that works within identified hot spot areas as well as educational establishments.
