Our Village
Tackling Violence and Exploitation, Together
Tackling violence and the exploitation of children and other vulnerable people in Bedfordshire is crucial work that no person, group or organisation can solve on their own.
The VERU Village is primarily a place of safety and inclusion. Inspired by the old African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”, the VERU Village has been established to house a collection of supportive, early intervention and diversionary hubs across Bedfordshire.
These hubs support countywide activities and initiatives, designed to tackle serious youth violence and child criminal exploitation. We have created these digital hubs to ensure that support and guidance can be easily accessed by our community and colleagues alike.
Our Village
A space for everyone in the village to engage in a safe environment, sharing knowledge and support for those who require specialist support.
To provide information and access to support and resources, events and activities for all parents/carers and young people, ensuring consideration to all aspects of diversity including age, race, religion or belief, disability, gender and sexuality.
Promoting positive social and recreational opportunities such as sports, arts or cultural activities is essential for young people who are at risk of being involved in criminal, risky or anti-social activity or who are vulnerable to exploitation.
The VERU is committed in partnership to make young people and the community aware of a range of opportunities for young people across Bedfordshire.
Bedfordshire is an extremely diverse and culturally rich county. As a service supporting individuals from a range of backgrounds and faiths, it is imperative that our approach respects the needs and beliefs of all the communities we work with.
VERU Faith aims to showcase organisations operating in this space, while providing tailored support and information.
Being a parent, carer or guardian can be difficult. We often worry about our children and sometimes wonder if there is more we can do to support them.
Unfortunately, youth violence affects all of us in some way shape or form, regardless of whether the young person is a victim or a perpetrator.
The VERU Family hut is here to help.
We know that a positive educational experience can be a huge influence on a young person’s future.
By building strong relationships that support young people in developing new skills and getting the right help at the right time, we seek to safeguard our young people while providing them with the tools they need to thrive.
The VERU’s Youth Intervention Specialist team can provide tailored support and workshops for education establishments – contact us for further information.
There are many different organisations in Bedfordshire working to improve the life chances of our young people and put a stop to violence and exploitation.
The aim is to provide a forum for professionals to link up with each other, to find out more about our services or to refer someone for the specialist support.