Issue details

The strategic aim of the VRUs communications plan is to reduce serious violence by increasing aspirations of young people in Greater Manchester, and reassuring the public that the VRU is working together with partners and the community to address serious violence and its underlying causes.

The communications objectives are to:
• Raise awareness of how Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) is working together with partners and the community to address serious violence.
• Promote an alternative to violence by showcasing opportunities for people affected by violence and build aspirations for young people through campaigns and communications activity.
• Demonstrate the impact of the VRU in reducing serious violence, especially violence amongst young people.

The VRU have funded Unity Radio to deliver three nine-week programmes with 10+ young people to raise awareness of serious violence and knife crime through a series of conversations led by young people.

The partnership enables young people, aged 13-17, to discuss issues relating to serious violence that affect them in several workshops, before creating content to be aired live on Unity Radio’s NGY show.

Although there are already a significant number of young people who regularly listen to the show from across GM, we are keen to encourage new listeners to ensure our messaging reaches as many of our audience as possible and this funding to Transport for Greater Manchester seeks to maximise the reach of our Unity Radio campaign.