Funding granted to protect women and girls
Violence against women and girls in the borough will be tackled after more than half a million pounds was secured from the government.
The Safer Street Fund of £23.5 million was set up in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard in London, with the aim to make public spaces safer for women and girls.
The successful joint application was made by the council, the Thames Valley office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Aik Saath and Lime, a specialist youth engagement organisation.
Several projects will be made possible by the £513,940 award. It will lead to a ‘whole system’ approach by the partnership which will begin immediately and run until April 2022.
The initiatives will centre on Chalvey, where statistically there is a more of a need to make women and girls safer.
Working closely with the Chalvey Community Partnership the work will address issues and themes identified by residents in the area.
Local information reveals violence against women and girls is committed by men of all ages and was due to a range of factors including cultural attitudes as well as physical factors such as location and environment.
This insight is at the centre of the projects to tackle the safety issues women and girls face.
The whole system approach will be made up of six parts.
• A Street Guardianship team to improve safety through daily street patrols.
• A Design Out Crime project to change streets making them safer, from physical changes like street layout to lighting and surveillance.
• Specialist intervention and community work with members of the Roma community.
• A specialist Youth and Community Worker to work with young people when in or out of school, to challenge signs of sexual harassment and adopt more positive and respectful attitudes towards women and girls.
• Develop a communications campaign with young people to educate peers.
• Create an enhanced Choices programme working with Year 12 students, practitioners, young people and parents. The Choices programme already supports young people to understand themselves and make better choices using interactive, story-driven resources which were co-created by Slough students.
Councillor Beni Bains, cabinet member for regulation and public protection, said: “This money will start to make a big difference in attitudes towards all types of violence towards women from verbal, emotional, intimidation or physical.
“Working with information residents have provided, and knowledgeable partners, means the money will be used in the most effective areas in the most effective way.”
For more information about the national Safer Street Fund visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/police-local-authoritiesgiven-extra-235m-for-safer-streets
The Safer Street Fund of £23.5 million was set up in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard in London, with the aim to make public spaces safer for women and girls.
The successful joint application was made by the council, the Thames Valley office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Aik Saath and Lime, a specialist youth engagement organisation.
Several projects will be made possible by the £513,940 award. It will lead to a ‘whole system’ approach by the partnership which will begin immediately and run until April 2022.
The initiatives will centre on Chalvey, where statistically there is a more of a need to make women and girls safer.
Working closely with the Chalvey Community Partnership the work will address issues and themes identified by residents in the area.
Local information reveals violence against women and girls is committed by men of all ages and was due to a range of factors including cultural attitudes as well as physical factors such as location and environment.
This insight is at the centre of the projects to tackle the safety issues women and girls face.
The whole system approach will be made up of six parts.
• A Street Guardianship team to improve safety through daily street patrols.
• A Design Out Crime project to change streets making them safer, from physical changes like street layout to lighting and surveillance.
• Specialist intervention and community work with members of the Roma community.
• A specialist Youth and Community Worker to work with young people when in or out of school, to challenge signs of sexual harassment and adopt more positive and respectful attitudes towards women and girls.
• Develop a communications campaign with young people to educate peers.
• Create an enhanced Choices programme working with Year 12 students, practitioners, young people and parents. The Choices programme already supports young people to understand themselves and make better choices using interactive, story-driven resources which were co-created by Slough students.
Councillor Beni Bains, cabinet member for regulation and public protection, said: “This money will start to make a big difference in attitudes towards all types of violence towards women from verbal, emotional, intimidation or physical.
“Working with information residents have provided, and knowledgeable partners, means the money will be used in the most effective areas in the most effective way.”
For more information about the national Safer Street Fund visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/police-local-authoritiesgiven-extra-235m-for-safer-streets
