- Who it is for
- Young people at risk of, or involved in, serious violence and gang activity.
- Setting
- Community, detached and one-to-one settings.
- Funding stream
- Serious Violence Duty · VRU-commissioned early intervention and exit work
What this work is
Serious youth violence is rarely a single decision. It is the product of fractured relationships, unmet need, exposure to harm and a survival logic that makes sense from the inside. Our work begins by accepting that, and by meeting a young person where they actually are rather than where a referral form says they should be.
We provide sustained one-to-one and group support for young people at risk of, or involved in, serious violence and gang activity. The aim is not to manage a case to a deadline. It is to build a relationship strong enough that a young person can begin to imagine, and then choose, a different standard for their own life.
How we deliver it
Delivery runs through our Presence · Power · Purpose model. Presence comes first: trauma-informed, reliable contact that builds safety and trust before anything is asked. Power follows — a dependable place and people a young person can rely on when things get hard. Purpose is the move from survival into agency: voice, standards and leadership on their own terms.
We work in the settings where young people are, not only where services are convenient: detached and community settings, one-to-one, and alongside the schools, youth justice and safeguarding partners already around a young person.
What this looks like in practice
- Detached and community-based outreach
- One-to-one mentoring and exit planning
- Trusted-adult presence through crisis points
- Joined-up work with youth justice and safeguarding partners
Commissioning and referral
Commissioners typically bring this work in through the Serious Violence Duty and VRU-funded early intervention and exit budgets. We can deliver as named provision for specific young people, as a cohort programme, or as a flexible detached resource for a place or a partnership.
Referrals come from schools, youth justice services, social care and local authority partners — and we accept direct contact from families. Whatever the route, we start with a conversation about the young person and the risk around them, agree how we will work alongside existing plans, and act as a steady, accountable presence with a named lead a commissioner can hold.
Every service runs through our Presence · Power · Purpose programme model. You can also see the externally recognised Making Hayes Safer case study for an example of community youth-violence work in practice.
Frequently asked questions
Who is this service for?
It is for young people at risk of, or already involved in, serious violence and gang activity — typically referred by schools, youth justice services, local authorities or safeguarding partners. We also accept contact from families directly.
How is gang exit support different from generic mentoring?
Exit work is relational and paced to the young person, not to a fixed programme length. It holds risk realistically, coordinates with safeguarding and youth justice partners, and focuses on building a credible alternative standard of life rather than simply discouraging involvement.
Where do you deliver this work?
In community, detached and one-to-one settings across Hillingdon and West London, including the places young people actually spend time rather than only formal service settings.
Related services
To discuss commissioning this service, or to refer a young person, get in touch — we acknowledge every message within one working day.
Enquire about commissioning