The Commissioner’s Grants Scheme is an annual award which funds initiatives to deliver projects and activities that meet the Commissioner’s priorities set out in the Police and Crime Plan 2021-25.
There are two main funding pots in the Commissioners Grants Scheme:
- Small grants
- Road safety grants
Funding applications could be made between £1,000 and £15,000.
Schemes both large and small are benefiting from this year’s round of funding, with all applications fully evaluated and scored against strict criteria to determine their eligibility and suitability.
In total, £264,254.13 is being awarded across all grants funding pots in 2024/25. Further discretionary awards by the Commissioner bring the total funding to community initiatives £299,213.13
The full list of awarded projects for 2024/25 is detailed below:
Small Grants Scheme
The Police and Crime Commissioner has supported a range of schemes which support the following overarching themes:
- Prevention: targeting the causes of criminality and/or anti-social behaviour, seeking to break the generational cycle of offending to prevent it from occurring in the first place.
and/or
- Diversion: supporting individuals who have already begun a journey of perpetrating crime and/or anti-social behaviour, but who, armed with the right knowledge, understanding and commitment, can be diverted from this path towards a brighter future.
The following grants have been made, worth total of £237,114.13:
Arts Uplift Community Interest Company
Arts Uplift CIC is a not for profit Community Interest Company and started in 2016. It specialises in arts and health and heritage and work with a wide range of the community, including children and young people, working age adults and older people (including people living with dementia, anxiety, depression, low mood and that have a disability) from across Worcestershire, Coventry and Warwickshire.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Create to Motivate | Leamington Spa | Support in full | £8,842.00 |
Building on from previous projects the main objectives of this funding are:
- to deliver a series of 2hr x 30 arts interventions (arts and crafts, music/song writing and film making) in Leamington Spa in order to provide much needed creative engagement to support service users to connect with others, provide a platform to express themselves, improve or develop new skills and improve their mental well-being. The target is for 30 people to be referred, with at least 27 attending at least one session and 15 to attend at least 5 out of the 9 sessions per course (3 courses). The songs created will also be recorded and a short film and craft/pottery pieces will be produced. Service users will be men aged 18-75 and will be on probation and have a court order.
- to invite two past resident service users to support the artist in future courses. They will also receive mentoring as well from the artist about workshop delivery. They will receive a certificate on completion which can be used for their CV.
Aspire in Arts
Aspire in Arts is a not for profit youth organisation that delivers inspirational arts activities, workshops and generic youth sessions to young people across the Midlands. It’s dedicated team of JNC Qualified Youth Workers, Arts Award Leaders and arts practitioners deliver a variety of inclusive workshops that increase confidence, skills, aspirations and motivation to achieve.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Knife Crime/ Serious Youth Violence Awareness Project | Nuneaton & Bedworth | Support in full | £14,968.80 |
The funding will deliver workshops within schools/colleges and sixth forms, delivered by anti-knife crime campaigner Alison Cope. Her award winning workshops really hit home about the consequences of being involved in knife crime, serious youth violence and the negative impacts of social media and the reality of how this can lead on to the streets and cause arguments, leading to serious youth violence.
The project will work with To work with the Nuneaton Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team, Youth Offending, schools, social care practitioners and others to target/refer those young people who are really at risk of serious youth violence and anti-social behaviour (ASB) and to offer mentoring time with Alison Cope to help them realise the real consequences of being involved in ASB.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Creative Arts Project | Nuneaton & Bedworth | Support in full | £14,998.00 |
This project deliver weekly drop-in sessions and one-to-one mentoring support for young people aged 15-25 who are in challenging circumstances (for example, those not in education/at risk of exclusion, or who may be at risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system, or are homeless/in temporary accommodation etc). It will be delivered at Aspire in Arts’ premises in Nuneaton town centre, which features a music recording studio, a live band music room, art room, youth club room and cooking facilities. Young people will be able to express themselves safely in lyric writing, singing, song writing, music production, playing an instrument, recording, DJ-ing and various arts activities (graffiti art, filming, editing etc.) They can also learn key life skills such as cooking and budgeting etc. By being involved in these targeted sessions, young people will then have the opportunity to get involved in Youth Music live performances to showcase their skills to the wider community.
Bradby Club for Young People
The Bradby Club for young people is a charitable organisation situated in Rugby town centre for all young people, aged 8-25. The Bradby Club offers support, guidance and education for young people throughout their transition into adulthood, with a strong focus on the less-advantaged and those in greatest need.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| ASCENT Health and Well-being project | Rugby | Support in full | £13,878.53 |
The funding supports the ASCENT Health and Well-being project, providing money towards the staff costs and resources to be able to provided targeted one-to-one and small group work with at risk and vulnerable young people in Rugby and District. The project covers a large range of issues that may be facing young people including: healthy and unhealthy relationships; consent; substance misuse; criminal and anti-social behaviour; exploitation; county lines; poor mental health; non-attendance in school. Through targeted support, Bradby Club aims to help overcome challenges that they may be facing and help them in their transition to adulthood.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Bradby Open Access Youth Club | Rugby | Partial funding | £11,976.00 |
The funding will help sustain the Club’s Open Access Youth Sessions, delivered bi-weekly. This provides universal youth work provision, offering a range of constructive activities and opportunities for local young people. These provisions encompass access to diverse sporting activities like football, boxing, table tennis, pool, badminton, and hockey. The programmes also extend to arts and crafts, gaming and IT support for education and homework, cooking sessions covering various culinary skills, and a tuck shop with free food access for young people facing food poverty. Informal education and support runs throughout the sessions, acting as a gateway to the ASCENT health and well-being project for additional assistance and intervention.
Dordon Community Hub CIC
Dordon Community Hub provides as a friendly, safe environment to enrich people’s lives and build links within the local area. It provides youth clubs, coffee mornings, training, development and personal wellbeing sessions.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Dordon Youth Club Continuation funding and engagement through music | Dordon, North Warwickshire | Supported in full | £7,280.00 |
The funding will allow for the continuation of workshops in arts, crafts, cooking and general life skills for the 12-18 youth club run by the CIC (funded by the PCC previously). It will include the expansion of music workshops, through the purchase of musical equipment, so that the young people create their own music either digitally or by physical equipment. This will include microphones, guitars, drums, pianos and other equipment to make a small band but also music technology so that young people can express themselves through music and music creation. The aim is to attract more 12-18 -year-olds to the youth club, at which they can then receive talks about anti-social behaviour, drugs, consent etc from specialist services.
Empowr-U
Empowr-U runs the Keresley Youth Space, a safe space for young people to unify and empower the community through sports, arts and music. By fostering common interests the project forges strong relationships across diverse groups. These shared experiences help to dissolve barriers; reduce social isolation and build a sense of community cohesion.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Keresley Youth Space | Keresley (for Warwickshire residents only) | Supported in full | £14,610.00 |
The funding will allow Empowr-U to implement a comprehensive 26-week programme, featuring two two-hour sessions weekly, creating inclusive youth spaces for ages 10-16. Rooted in our ‘Engage, Inspire, and Empower’ model, the youth spaces blend indoor and outdoor activities. These include sports, team building, art, cooking, and music, nurturing personal growth in a safe and positive environment. Workshops addressing mental health, life choices, self-esteem, problem-solving, resilience, substance misuse, gangs, street first aid, and conflict resolution will be conducted. Input from young participants will shape workshop themes, ensuring relevance to community needs. The project will culminate in a youth-led community social action project, fostering a sense of responsibility and agency among participants. Dedicated youth mentors will offer one-on-one interventions during open sessions, addressing individual needs, setting goals, and empowering informed, positive choices. These interventions support personal growth and progress towards desired futures.
Futures Unlocked
Futures Unlocked is a multi-faith charity which was established in 2006, providing support to ex-offenders (clients) who are returning to the community, at the end of their custodial sentence.
Through mentoring clients are supported in leading crime-free lives, with the aim that this leads to a reduction in re-offending and safer, crime free communities are built. Clients are referred to us by the Probation Service, prisons, the police, approved premises and through self-referral.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Community support to offenders and ex-offenders | Countywide | Partial support | £10,000.00 |
The funding will continue an on-going programme of support to ex-offenders and offenders who are serving their sentence in the community. It is considered that these clients require additional support to achieve a long-lasting resettlement. For each client an individually tailored programme is developed which reflects their individual needs. Futures Unlocked aims to support clients who are returning to the community in Warwickshire through its two chaplains and team of 20 to 30 trained and Disclosure and Barring Service checked mentors.
Helping Hands Community Project
Helping Hands extends a compassionate hand to those affected by the causes and effects of homelessness, such as vulnerability in housing, domestic abuse, addiction, isolation, mental health challenges, and poverty. With a small staff team, and more than 100 volunteers, it provides a range of services and working with around 750 people a
year. These include:
- Lighthouse Soup Kitchen – serving hot and cold food to anyone in search of a meal, friendly conversation or practical advice. Run from our catering van and soup kitchen based outside our drop-in centre, we serve between 40-70 people, four evenings per week.
- House2Home programme – supporting recently homed and low-income families in need of furniture, white goods and other essentials.
- ESTHER and Elijah’s rest – weekly groups offering a safe space, friendship, and a healthy lunch to vulnerable women and men. Led by trained workers, they offer positive activities.
- Counselling service – free and confidential sessions for those who need it- many clients have experienced childhood or adult traumas, which affect their behaviours and choices.
- Client training, qualifications and volunteering experience – through the charity shop, soup kitchen and catering van. Opportunities to gain health and hygiene, hospitality and retail qualifications.
www.helpinghandscharity.org.uk
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Pottery & Upcycling Social Enterprise for ex prison leavers & people at risk of offending in Leamington Spa | Warwick District | Partial support | £10,000.00 |
The funding will enable Helping Hands to buy the materials and a small kiln need to be able to deliver the activities. Clients will be transported to Stoneleigh where a trained worker will take clients who would like to get involved in three activities: Upcycling; Soap Making and Bag Making; and Ceramics. Sally Clarke ceramics will teach the clients how to produce pots to sell, a volunteer will support with woodworking and painting skills needed for upcycling items of furniture. House 2 Home get items of furniture which are too big for smaller houses, so they can be re-purposed. A Helping Hands worker is trained to make soap, and so having a space where this can be done will enable them to do it on a bigger scale. All of these activities are very therapeutic, and provide calming, mindful activities, which develop skills. Many of the people Helping Hands supports have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES), and the trauma can lead to chaotic behaviours. This project will help clients to learn new skills, reduce their social isolation and boost mental health and self worth, reducing anti-social behaviour.
Mediation and Community Support (MACS)
MACS provides conflict transformation services including mediation, conflict coaching and group facilitation for neighbours experiencing conflict both generally and in any situation where that dispute or conflict results from or may lead to acts of violence, nuisance, vandalism, abuse, unlawful activity or breakdown of public order.
MACS provides training and workshops for people wanting to work more productively with their own and other people’s conflicts, promoting constructive communication, empathy understanding and future focussed resolutions.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Conflict Response Ability (CRA) | Rugby, Nuneaton & Bedworth, Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick Districts | Partial support | £10,000.00 |
The PCC’s funding will support the Conflict Response Ability (CRA) programme, which will engage people in constructive change initiatives that include and go beyond the resolution of a particular problem to empower them to have the ability to respond constructively in future conflicts. CRA will strengthen communities and build the capacity to deliver timely, appropriate interventions by recruiting and training local volunteers in methods of peaceful conflict transformation, to support people experiencing conflict through listening and empowering them to respond effectively.
North Warwickshire Neighbourhood Watch Association
North Warwickshire Neighbourhood Watch (NWNHW) is a voluntary organisation affiliated to the national Neighbourhood Watch network called Our Watch.
Its aim is to help residents of North Warwickshire with advice, personal and home security items, to prevent them becoming a victim of crime and to help reduce the fear of crime within the community in line with the Police & Crime Plan.
To achieve this it actively engages with members of the public at many community engagement events throughout the year promoting best practice crime reduction advice and inexpensive security items to encourage and help residents look after themselves and their property.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Core funding – crime reduction | North Warwickshire | Support in full | £6,000.00 |
The grant helps Neighbourhood Watch delivery open air and indoor local crime prevention events using a purpose-built, well-liveried display trailer, outdoor gazebo or simple table top stalls. As well as leaflets, crime prevention booklets and online information the group has found that getting out and about amongst the community at as many engagement events is the best and most practical solution when aiming to get the message across regarding crime prevention. Whilst carrying out this function it can also offer simple but effective security devices such as personal attack alarms, property marker pens and car key Faraday Pouches to help prevent people becoming a victim of crime. The aim is to reduce crime and the fear of crime within the community.
RoSA
RoSA provides a specialist trauma informed counselling, Independent Sexual Violence Advisors and support services for any survivor/victim of rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation who resides either permanently or temporarily in Warwickshire.
It ensures that survivors in Warwickshire, of all ages and genders, and their families/carers have access and choice regarding RoSA’s specialist provision, irrespective of when the abuse took place. This flexible needs-led, cope and recover service model provides appropriate, bespoke emotional and psychological support, information and advocacy is designed to ensure both long and short-term well-being needs are met and that the mental health effects of sexual violence/abuse can be addressed within a safe and ethical service.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Prevent & Protect Initiative | Countywide | Partial support | £10,000.00 |
The PCC’s funding will will deliver support through a 10-week programme to children and young people. Each week a different topic/theme is delivered through a cognitive behavioural methodology approach which includes role play and art and drama therapy. Topics covered include: the management of risk; reviewing safety plans; relationships, including safe relationships, healthy/positive relationships and creating a culture of openness within the family; ensuring that all children have appropriate sex education; awareness of boundaries; correcting examples of misuse of power; communication skills. Delivery of the programmes will be facilitated on a one-to-one basis by trauma-informed specialist counsellors via a collaborative approach tailored to individual needs.
Rugby Borough Council
On Track is the Social Inclusion Programme coordinated and delivered by Rugby Borough Council. On Track deliver community and school youth provisions across the Borough for young people aged 10 – 19 years. On Track also deliver programmes such as 1-1 support, mentoring, group work, youth clubs, sports sessions, and outreach sessions to engage young people in Rugby’s priority wards. We have a history for supporting young people who are at risk of permanent exclusion from school and offer tangible pathways for young people who have barriers to learning.
www.rugby.gov.uk/homepage/53/on_track
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| On Track | Rugby | Partial support | £10,000.00 |
On Track would also like to build on the previous year’s funding to continue delivering term time mentoring, group work and workshop activities in school for those pupils deemed to be at risk of permanent exclusion. This programme has been the catalysis for supporting pupils refocus and create new pathways towards better futures. On Track will also be involved in the delivery of weekly youth club sessions as well as outreach and detached work including football, dodgeball and boxing which are designed to reduce ASB and criminal activities in hotspot areas.
Rugby Borough Neighbourhood Watch
A voluntary organisation and support group run purely by volunteers for and on behalf of local Neighbourhood Watch Schemes across Rugby Borough.
sites.google.com/site/nhwrugby/
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Neighbourhood Watch and Good Neighbour Initiative | Rugby | Support in full | £2,300.00 |
The funding will enable the group to continue giving support to the community, setting up new watches and providing all the support material required including but not limited to information, NHW signage and costs for venues for meetings. It will also allow the group to provide free security items to the community.
The good neighbour scheme helps identify and support the elderly and vulnerable people in the community.
Rugby Street Pastors
Rugby Street Pastors Initiative currently consists of 42 Street Pastors (SPs) and 26 Prayer Pastors, engaging with people in Rugby Town Centre, by patrolling Friday and Saturday nights from 10.00pm – 4.00am. They engage, listen and care, offering practical help and advice to clubbers and homeless, by their very presence, helping to lower tensions that can so quickly escalate when inebriated clubbers decide to argue with one another.
In many instances, the Street Pastors’ interactions and conversations help to diffuse tensions that might otherwise escalate into behaviour requiring police involvement. Their work unquestionably enables the police to concentrate on serious crime and disorder in the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights, while Pastors take care of the vulnerable and drunk. The aim is to prevent them either being the perpetrators of anti-social behaviour or crime, or becoming innocent targets for thieves or trouble makers looking for a fight.
streetpastors.org/locations/rugby/
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Street Pastors | Rugby | Partial support | £6,770.00 |
The funding will enable the Street Pastors to maintain their patrols and will help fund the provision of drinking water and lollies for distribution to people the Pastors engage with. The lollies act as icebreakers in many instances, enabling the Street Pastors to engage in conversation.
Safeline
Established in 1994, Safeline is a specialist charity that works to prevent sexual violence and abuse and support those affected to cope and recover.
It provides specialist, tailored support for anyone in Warwickshire affected by or at risk of sexual abuse and rape, that empowers them to make choices about the lives they want and helps prevent abuse.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Preventing Harmful Sexual Behaviours in Secondary Schools | Countywide | Partial support | £10,000.00 |
This project will change the behaviours/attitudes of individuals displaying/perpetrating Harmful Sexual Behaviours (HSB) and Sexual Assaults (SA) helping reduce the prevalence of HSB/SA in Warwickshire secondary schools.
This project adopts a ‘whole system’ approach, working with schools/children’s social care/EarlyHelp/Children’s & Families Front door to identify children and young people who display inappropriate/problematic behaviours towards others. Those identified (males and females), attend an individually tailored HSB Prevention programme, 1hourperweek, for 4weeks.
Issues covered include:
- Different forms of sexual violence.
- Behaviours/attitudes constituting HSB.
- Consent.
- Impact on victims.
- Consequences of committing offences.
- Education in Healthy Relationships.
Core outcomes include:
- Improved/changed attitudes and behaviours towards others
- No longer abusing/victimising others, reduced risk of criminalisation
Spring Housing Association Limited
Spring Housing is a charity that was set up in 2014 to provide accommodation and support services to individuals who are at risk of homelessness across the West Midlands. Its aim is to provide high quality housing options, delivering holistic housing services to maximise tenancy sustainment and offer individuals a pathway into employment, training and advice.
It worked with partners to develop the Fred Winters Centre in Stratford Upon Avon, which opened at the start of 2022. The primary aims of the Fred Winter Centre are: the prevention of homelessness, social and economic integration for people who are either homeless or at risk of being homeless, and support which will help people to secure and sustain accommodation in the community.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Together @ The Fred Winters Centre | Stratford-upon-Avon | Partial support | £6,625.00 |
This project aims to increase engagement by people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, living in temporary accommodation and the “street community” with activities to promote their well being and explore with them issues which may have caused homelessness or them being on the street. It will support their well being to sustain their tenancies.
The project has been co-designed with participants and builds on previous projects funded by the PCC, Stratford Town Trust and Stratford Town Council and District Council and forms part of the diversionary activities programme.
Stratford Youth Collective
Stratford Youth Collective a new charity formed by five locally based and embedded organisations; Escape Arts, Lifespace Trust, Warwickshire Pride, ILEAP and New Meaning.
The charity works in partnership to provide meaningful projects & activities for young people that supports their development and gives them the opportunity to get involved with their local community, driving change and shaping the future of the town.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Get In | Stratford-upon-Avon | Partial support | £10,000.00 |
The Get In projects delivers inclusive and engaging youth-led, provision for all young people not engaging in full time education aged between 11 -17 in Stratford Upon Avon and the local area. Offering this need-identified delivery will enable the Collective to build upon existing relationships with young people and help them to develop social and emotional skills and regain trusted relationships with adults. The hope is then that this group will become part of the open access youth provision. These sessions will be open to all young people, who need support and signposting.
Sycamore Counselling Service
Warwickshire Counselling – trading as Sycamore Counselling Service – is a charity offering confidential and professional counselling for adults, children and young people throughout Nuneaton, Bedworth, Rugby and North Warwickshire. It offers therapeutic support for disadvantaged people who are struggling to cope with everyday life affecting their ability to reach their full potential.
www.sycamorecounselling.org.uk
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Anger Awareness Programme | Nuneaton & Bedworth, Rugby and North Warwickshire | Partial support | £10,000.00 |
The PCC’s funding will support The Anger Awareness programme, a four session psycho-educational course that is designed to help individuals to understand the root cause of their anger, their responses to anger and how to deal with anger in a safer more productive way. The course will be delivered either in groups or one to one and will be available to individuals over the age of 18 who reside in Nuneaton, Bedworth, North Warwickshire and Rugby.
The ultimate aim of the course is to reduce antisocial behaviour and aggressive behaviours by helping individuals to understand their triggers, learn techniques to interrupt the anger cycle and bring into their awareness any underlying issues that are contributing to their anger response. The aim is for the participants to understand their anger response and how to deal with this emotion more productively.
Warwickshire Neighbourhood Watch
Warwickshire Neighbourhood Watch Association is a voluntary organisation whose aims and objectives are to promote crime prevention within Warwickshire in order to reduce crime and the fear of crime within the community. It offers sound advice and practical solutions to personal and home security by means of open air engagement events, online and social media outlets and village/community meetings.
www.ourwatch.org.uk/warwickshire
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Safer Communities – empowering together against crime | Countywide | Support in full | £5,874.00 |
The grant plays a pivotal role in enabling Neighbourhood Watch to conduct on site, both open air and indoor, local crime prevention events, utilising convenient tabletop stalls or gazebos. In addition to informative leaflets and crime prevention booklets, Neighbourhood Watch have recognised that engaging with the community directly at various events is the most effective and practical means to disseminate crucial information about crime prevention.
The funding will enable the group to enhance it outreach, utilising its coordinator network and our volunteer base to strengthen street schemes and local coordinators. This strategic development will empower the association to efficiently deliver its project and ensure its impact reaches even more residents.
Warwickshire Retail Crime Initiative Limited
The Warwickshire Retail Crime Initiative Limited (WRCI) is a County wide partnership approach to prevent and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in retail and licensed business premises in Warwickshire, with members in Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth, Stratford, Alcester, Rugby, Atherstone, Nuneaton and Bedworth.
The scheme is member-funded via Business Improvement Districts. There are 193 retail members and 105 licensed premises. The scheme is managed by two part time Administrators. Data is shared by a GDPR compliant, encrypted app called DISC, which has a 546 users which includes multiple users from members, CCTV, Police and Local Authority agencies.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Signposting away from crime | Countywide | Support in full | £11,666.80 |
The PCC’s funding will be used to engage with partner agencies (for example, substance misuse support services) to sign post prolific retail crime offenders, where appropriate, to their services to break their cycle of offending. It will also support the extension of Pub Watch and the work involved in the exclusion process, while also supporting further work with the Justice agencies to bring individuals into the justice system, so that professional help becomes more formally available.
Volunteer It Yourself
Volunteer It Yourself combines DIY and volunteering (VIY!) by challenging young people aged 14-24 to help repair and refurbish community places and spaces, whilst learning vocational trade skills on the job.
VIY learners are mentored by professional tradespeople and can work towards and gain Entry Level City & Guilds trade skills accreditations. The charity works with young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) or at risk of disengagement/exclusion from mainstream education and training.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Volunteer It Yourself | Bedworth | Support in full | £14,325.00 |
This proposal covers the delivery of a new VIY youth engagement project at Bedworth Sports Club involving and benefitting at least 20 marginalised/vulnerable young people who are NEET (not in employment, education or training) or at risk of becoming NEET and also deemed at risk of being victims of crime and/or at risk of becoming offenders and/or getting involved in crime or antisocial behaviour.
The project will engage the young participants in positive, diversionary activities and opportunities (i.e. volunteering, work experience, skills and employability training) by challenging them to learn and apply new vocational trade skills (e.g. carpentry, plumbing, plastering painting and decorating) whilst helping to refurbish and renovate the sports club.
The PCC’s funding will support the young person element and experience with VIY. The refurbishment/improvement works will be separately covered by match funding secured
from other partners.
Young People First
Young People First has been supporting young people for 68 years, in various capacities; the last 3 years focussed on the Brunswick Ward in Leamington Spa, one of the most nationally disadvantaged wards. The PCC’s funding will support ‘Youthy’, the Brunswick Youth Centre.
Its vision is simple: ‘No young person limited by disadvantage’. The aim is to mitigate the detrimental effects disadvantage has on young people to increase their life chances, wellbeing and potential therefore ensuring a self-assured transition to adulthood and an equal position in society.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Outreach – Engaging the most at risk | Leamington Spa | Partial support | £12,000.00 |
The funding will support an outreach programme, in which Young People First will send youth workers into the community to engage with young people ‘where they’re at’. This will involve a minimum of two youth workers working in areas where young people are choosing to meet and socialise. The aim is not to police behaviour, but rather to engage young people and offer alternative opportunities or activities. The project will deliver two, two-hour sessions per week, delivered in locations where young people meet and socialise that also has a very definitive link to the committing of crime. The sessions will be fully recorded and evaluated and any pertinent information regarding higher-level criminality (exploitation etc) being shared with the relevant agencies.
Road Safety Scheme
The Police and Crime Commissioner has supported a range of schemes which support the following overarching themes:
- Prevention: Targeting the causes of criminality and/or anti-social behaviour on our roads, seeking to break the generational cycle of offending to prevent it from occurring in the first place.
and/or
- Diversion: Supporting individuals who have already begun a journey of perpetrating crime and/or anti-social behaviour on our roads, but who, armed with the right knowledge, understanding and commitment, can be diverted from this path towards a brighter future.
The following grants have been made, worth total of £27,140:
Targeted Youth Support (Warwickshire County Council)
Targeted Youth Support’s aim is for young people in Warwickshire to have a brighter future. It has a small team of dedicated, professionally qualified youth workers who use their own knowledge, skills and experience to build positive relationships with young people. It works with young people aged 11 to 18 years.
www.warwickshire.gov.uk/youthservice
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| CHESS Moped Project and After School Club | Nuneaton | Support in full | £8,000.00 |
The PCC’s funding will be used at the CHESS Youth Club in Camp Hill, Nuneaton. The practical riding activities will help to develop skills and procedures that will minimise the risk of collision. The instructors will do this whilst emphasising that these skills should only be put into practice when riding is safe, legal and appropriate. This will improve understanding regarding the impact of these behaviours on the community, and potential consequences for the young person. These are quieter sessions after school times that young people in Year 7 and above can attend free of charge, where they can access a youth worker within a safe space for support. Additional activities: on liaising with young people they have suggested trips such as going to Bear Grylls for the day out, or activities such as magnet fishing or go karting that they would like to do, which improves the young people’s engagement with Targeted Youth Support as a service.
Projects Zero Limited (Project EDWARD)
Project EDWARD (Every Day Without A Road Death) is the biggest platform for showcasing good practice in road safety in the UK. Managed by Projects Zero, it is backed by government, the emergency services, highways agencies, road safety organisations and British businesses. It promotes an evidence-led, ‘safe system’ approach – the long-term objective of which is a road traffic system free from death and serious injury.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Project EDWARD – Week of action engagement | North Warwickshire, Rugby, Warwick | Support in full | £10,000.00 |
Project EDWARD wishes to consolidate its relationship with the Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner by creating and delivery a strategic collaboration during the year 2024/45. Central to this will be a pivotal role for the Warwickshire PCC in the Week of Action (10 -14 June 2024), regular involvement with social media output through the year and an opportunity to share tangible outputs and results at Project EDWARD’s December 2024 reception. For the Week of Action we propose working with the PCC and partners to deliver a high-profile 24-hour road safety initiative in Warwickshire. Activity at Corley and Warwick Services centres on addressing fatigue and promoting driver wellbeing for both car and HGV drivers. Key partners involved in this initiative include National Highways, Driving for Better Business, technology specialists, transport and behaviour psychologists, mental health professionals, nutritionists, sleep experts, and experts in weight loss, smoking cessation, and alcohol awareness.
RoSPA Advanced Drivers & Riders – Coventry Riders
Coventry Riders is a long established advanced motorcycle training group, accredited by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
RoSPA is guided by two core principles:
- Life free from serious accidental injury
- Exchange life enhancing skills and knowledge to reduce serious accidental injury
Coventry Riders embrace these core principles and makes it a mission to improve the knowledge, skills, attitude, behaviour and safety of existing motorcycle licence holders by helping them work towards achieving the RoSPA Advanced Motorcycle Test. A RoSPA “Gold” test pass is recognised as the highest award a civilian rider can attain.
Coventry Riders is run by volunteers from the community who are passionate about bikes, advanced riding, road safety and helping motorcyclists throughout Warwickshire develop safer riding skills and attitudes.
www.coventryadvancedriders.co.uk
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Become a Safer Rider | Countywide | Support in full | £9,140.00 |
The initiative is aimed at improving the knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviour, expertise, and safety of existing motorcyclists (with a full or A2 licence) by attracting them into further training and education to achieve the standards required to pass the RoSPA Advanced Motorcycle test. This will be achieved through a course of individual on road, one to one training sessions led by Group Tutors alongside a schedule of specific skills courses, classroom based technical theory sessions supported by regular, organised, and controlled Group rides. Each session typically lasts between 2.5-4 hours, covering between 80-120 miles. The project will be broadened by offering free check rides to the clients of Warwickshire based motorcycle dealerships and offering specific (free) taster sessions in a bid to encourage Warwickshire’s motorcyclists to experience the benefits of advanced rider training and encourage more to sign on for the full RoSPA advanced rider training. Four skills courses to target known hazards and causes of accidents: cornering; overtaking; slow riding (essential for safe negotiation of urban hazards); multi-lane riding and roundabouts.
Discretionary Awards
The Commissioner has made a number of discretionary awards for 2024/25, for projects with strong social and local value. The total value of this funding is £34,959.00.
Amanah Youth
Amanah Youth is a rebrand of the previously known Crescent Youth Club, inaugurated in September 2023 as a new setup combining youth and community provisions within Nuneaton, predominantly targeting the ethnic minority within Abbey and Wembrook ward.
Amanah Youth seeks to provide a safe, interactive and inclusive service to young people who are disengaged and disadvantaged from main stream youth provision. It runs a youth club on Saturdays from the Edward Street Community Centre (girls only sessions 4.30 6.30pm and boys only sessions 7-10pm), with a key focus is on delivering social, health and educational projects, activities and sports participation within the community.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Amanah Active Youth | Rugby | Discretionary award in full | £7,000.00 |
The funding will support a series of youth and community workshops. Youth leader-led activities will focus on current issues that youngsters face in the community and how to channel their energies and efforts towards being active citizens. The activities will include problem solving, team building and character development. Workshops will build confidence, develop well-being, and create opportunities for participants to explore future ambitions. The funding will also deliver residential trips and a community clean-up programme. This will empower the young people to do their bit for the community and get the young people to do some cleaning, weeding in and around the local community premises. Each young person will then be incentivised with a subsidised away day activity based on the hours they contribute.
Hill Street Youth & Community Centre
The Hill Street Centre has been providing valuable services to the Rugby community since 2012. It is operated by the Hill Street Youth and Community Centre Charitable Organisation (CIO) which was set-up to ensure that the Centre could continue to provide and develop community services now and in the future.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Choices Youth Hub | Rugby | Partial discretionary award | £7,278.00 |
The funding will support continued provision of a weekly youth club running every Friday between 4pm and 6pm based at the Hill Street Centre, within the newly opened and commissioned Hive youth space. This project will draw the young community away from the town centre and into a safe and welcoming environment, providing a regular activity-led hub that will provide space and engagement to a targeted audience.
Nuneaton NorthEast Neighbourhood Watch Association
A Neighbourhood Watch group covering the North East areas of Nuneaton. Its aims are to:
- promote good citizenship of greater public participation in a safer, healthier and thereby happier local environment for all citizens.
- promote good citizenship and greater participation in the prevention and solution of crime by effective liaison with the police and public.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Inform and Enhance Membership in 2024 | Nuneaton | Partial discretionary award | £2,300.00 |
The funding will support a newsletter to provide information and advice to the community who live and work in the watch area, published seasonally four times 2024/25. It will help to maintain and inform all members of Neighbourhood Watch, especially those with no access to broadband, who don’t use social media and who cannot afford the technology. Most of the funding will be spent on newsletter printing costs. The remaining part of the grant will be for promotional items – appropriate ‘giveaways’ or NW leaflets for prospective members and advice leaflets for Co-ordinators and members about their role and responsibilities.
Stour Valley Health & Wellbeing Partnership
The Stour Health and Wellbeing Partnership is a community led partnership set up to support residents in Shipston and the neighbouring villages to live longer and better.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Let’s Talk Boxercise | Shipston | Discretionary award in full | £11,381.00 |
The funding will support the establishment of a weekly boxercise class for 14–18-year-olds during after school hours in The Townsend Hall, Shipston On Stour. Boxercise was chosen as it’s accessible to all, regardless of gender, age, fitness levels and is a fun, challenging and safe workout. It’s popular with young people and will provide incentive to attend. Funding will enable the sessions to be delivered free of charge and thus fully inclusive. Monthly workshops will follow the session, covering important issues such as drug and alcohol addiction, county lines, knife crime, misogyny, and mental health problems.
Warwickshire Crimebeat
Warwickshire Crimebeat is a charity supported by the High Sheriff of Warwickshire and the private sector, aiming to create safer communities and a better environment for us all to live and work in.
The initiative enables and empowers young people aged between 5 and 25 to make a real difference and encourages them to feel part of their communities.
www.warwickshirecrimebeat.org.uk
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Warwickshire Youth Amateur Boxing Celebration | Countywide | Partial discretionary award | £2,000.00 |
The funding will support the establishment of a boxing event in deprived areas of Warwickshire. A number of Crimebeat’s recent projects have involved Youth Boxing initiatives in clubs across the county, some led by police officers. They provide a sense of belonging and camaraderie, nurturing social connections and friendships beyond school groups and gangs. Here can be found positive male and female role models. This event will serve as a platform for the clubs to come together and showcase some of their young individuals and their achievements, boosting their self-esteem and self-confidence. Visibility will allow the clubs to engage with businesses and institutions to find further support. The focus will be on the under-25s and will include boys and girls of school age.
Warwickshire Search and Rescue
Warwickshire Search and Rescue is an operational Lowland Rescue team (one of 36 teams in the UK), set up to assist the police with searches for vulnerable missing persons within Warwickshire and beyond. Its volunteer members are on call 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
| Name of Project | Geographic Location | Funding Decision | Amount Awarded |
| Train and Equip Swiftwater Rescue Technicians | Countywide | Partial discretionary award | £5,000.00 |
Swiftwater Rescue Technicians (SRT) are a specialist search role within the team. Probably the most demanding and hazardous role, these individuals are trained and equipped to search in and on water, including flowing rivers and flood waters. More SRTS are needed so that Warwickshire Search and Rescue can respond well to callouts from the police. The funding will contribute to training and re-qualifying eight existing SRTs and equip, train, and qualify seven new SRTs.
