POLICE and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer’s Community Action Fund has helped Warrington Youth Voice educate young people in their area about street harassment.
Each year, the Commissioner sets aside £100,000 to fund projects or initiatives that will deliver community safety or crime prevention activities.
Run by young people for young people, Warrington Youth Voice brings young people together to raise awareness of the issues that affect them and influence decision-makers.
Mr Dwyer, Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire said: “I was interested to hear from Warrington Youth Voice that they were looking to educate their peers about street harassment and what behaviour is and isn’t acceptable.
“This project is a prime example of people working together to tackle a common issue that affects everyone.”
Warrington Youth Voice was successfully awarded £5,000 from the Community Action Fund, and during their meeting with the Commissioner the group explained their objectives, which were:
- To deliver a youth-led campaign regarding street harassment to schools and colleges across Warrington
- Make women and girls feel safe when they’re out and about and educate men and boys
- To be a driving force between national policy change on the subject
Mr Dwyer added: “After meeting Warrington Youth Voice and looking at some of the preliminary data they found, I was pleased to see them working towards making change.
“In my Police and Crime Plan I highlighted my commitment to providing specialist services to tackle violence against women and girls, but education to prevent crimes that affect them is necessary too. The more we help people understand what is and isn’t acceptable, the more we’ll see society change.”
More information about the Community Action Fund is available here: www.cheshire-pcc.gov.uk/what-i-do/making-cheshire-safer/community-action-fund/
