Tower Hamlets Council has been announced winner in the Innovation category at the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) UK Awards 2023. Along with innovation, the award recognises work that rethinks services to deliver better outcomes for residents and communities.
The Crime Reduction Team receiving the award deliver a trauma-informed and culturally competent service to young adults, often victims of violence and drug related harms and those most marginalised in the community.
Motivated by the belief that violence is preventable not inevitable, they navigate young adults through support services and community interventions to protect and divert them away from crime. With community engagement as the golden thread, the team’s impact spans from saving lives, offering better life chances, and maximising the opportunities provided by partnership interventions.
Safeguarding vulnerable victims of violence is at the heart of the team’s work. They safeguard from violence, substance misuse, criminal exploitation and help to address mental health needs, a hidden area of concern among young men.
The innovative service connects young people at risk of violence with the Royal London Hospital, social care services, the voluntary and community sector (VCS) and the local community. This provides a framework of wrap around support.
Hospital navigators from the team are embedded within the Emergency Department at the Royal London Hospital, linking the hospital to the local community. They engage young adults admitted with drug overdoses and misuse, self-harm, or trauma resulting from violence linked to drug conflict. Without support and diversion these are the young adults who return again and again with escalating injuries and at greater risk.
Community Navigators in the team speak languages including Bengali and Sylheti, and work with young adults and their offender managers out in the community. They help make sure these young adults are diverted away from the criminal justice system and the revolving door of offending. Their work enhances engagement with services and helps the development of positive trusting relationships and better life chances.
The partnership between Community and Hospital Navigators and Integrated Offender Management teams has increased the number of at risk young adults using drug treatment services, with engagement rising from 58 per cent to 73 per cent.
Additionally, those engaging with Education Training and Employment services increased from 37 per cent to 59 per cent.
The Crime Reduction Team’s success demonstrates the effectiveness of being innovative and taking a whole systems approach.
Lutfur Rahman, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “This is fantastic recognition forTower Hamlets Council and showcases our innovative approach and partnership work across the borough, including with police and probation partners.
“As part of our crime reduction efforts, we work with some of the most disadvantaged and marginalised young adults in our borough. The Crime Reduction Team’s success demonstrates the value of utilising community capital, developing positive trusted relationships with young adults and working closely with our wide range of community partners.
“Interventions like this to divert young adults away from a life of drug use, violence and exploitation is critical and we are improving outcomes for some of the most marginalised in our community.
“Empowering communities and fighting crime continues to be a priority for Tower Hamlets and we will continue to work to make Tower Hamlets a safer borough for our residents.”
Posted on Monday 12th June 2023