Decision details

Bristol is part of an Avon and Somerset-wide Violence Reduction Unit aiming to reduce serious violence and criminal exploitation of young people. Research tells us that educational disruption is one of the most significant predictors of serious violence. Bristol City Council’s violence reduction partnership team Safer Options, have received a grant from the Avon and Somerset Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner who received this funding from the Home Office. The terms of the grant requires 6 education inclusion and youth justice prevention workers to be recruited to work with 130 children across the city at risk of exclusion and concurrent vulnerability to exploitation and violence between October 2021 and March 2022. This decision will enable us to fulfil our aspiration to reduce exclusion and contribute to the reduction in serious violence and child criminal exploitation as set out in the Safer Options plan.

To grant fund the money to six separate schools, two in each of the three areas of the city, who will recruit and host the workers to deliver to the needs of their different communities.
Six separate grant agreements of £24,059.90 per school to City Academy; Bristol Brunel Academy; Merchants Academy; Bridge Learning Campus; Oasis Brightstowe; Blaise High School.

Considered recruiting the roles in house. This was rejected as the project needs to be delivered in 6 months and the local schools will be able to better develop models that work for their local communities.