Research Partner for Community Led: Supporting young people directly affected by interpersonal violence

Description: London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) is seeking to commission a Research Partner to collaborate on an important research project aimed at assessing the landscape of tertiary support[1] available to young Londoners impacted by interpersonal violence – both statutory and non-statutory. In recognition of the importance of embedding community voice and lived experiences throughout the research process, the VRU are commissioning both a research partner and a community partner to work in collaboration.

This approach ensures the research appropriately and meaningfully reflects the experiences of those it aims to serve and that research findings will be relevant and informed. The community partner contract has been awarded to Wipers Youth CIC after a competitive tender process.

Wipers Youth are a social enterprise which provides youth provision for young people, with specialism in working with disenfranchised and marginalised young people. Their range of services includes Specialist Mentoring, Workshops & Programmes, Employability, Youth Voice & Policy.

Their tertiary support focuses on young people transitioning away from offending or at risk of re-engagement due to community tensions, unstable housing or peer associations. Referrals come through local Probation, Youth Justice Services, safeguarding and community partners and their delivery spans across multiple boroughs including Westminster, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Islington, Camden, Newham, Ealing and others.

We are seeking to commission a research partner who understands the nuances of the criminal justice system and existing services aimed at supporting young people who are most impacted by interpersonal violence, and who genuinely understand the lived experiences of young people most impacted by violence. The researcher must take a trauma-informed and culturally competent approach, ensuring the research is non-extractive and supports the young people involved.

This project will involve two core elements: - Building a London-specific Evidence Base for Tertiary Provision: Development of a London-specific evidence base to improve the effectiveness of services and organisations in engaging those most at risk of violence. This includes a needs assessment of tertiary provision in London, a review of the existing literature, gathering insights young people who have experienced the support systems (statutory and non-statutory). - Systems change: Facilitating learning and developing recommendations for statutory services and commissioners relating to improving provision and engagement for youth at risk of interpersonal violence in London.

In close collaboration with the community partner, the role of the research partner will involve: - Holding the project management responsibility of the project - Convening and facilitating the Systems Stakeholder Learning Group - Ensure the voices of those most impacted by violence and the systemic barriers to support are embedded within the research in a trauma-informed and non-extractive way - Co-design research questions, methodology and participatory research methods - Conduct primary and secondary research, utilising qualitative and quantitative analysis in line with the research methodology established - Co-designing research outputs that reflect community needs This collaborative commissioning approach underlines the VRU’s commitment to partnership, inclusivity, and ensuring research outcomes genuinely inform policy and commissioning decisions. The findings will help to shape more effective, responsive tertiary support services for young people affected by violence across London.

We invite researcher provider(s) who are committed to producing research which aims to genuinely understand the lived experiences of young people most impacted by violence, with particular interest in researching structural inequalities and tertiary provision, to produce insightful, sensitive and actionable findings which meaningfully inform policy and practice. The value of the contract is £52,500, duration 12 months from the contract award date; estimated commencement date March 2026.

One Tertiary support is defined by the World Health Organisation as: ‘approaches that focus on long-term care in the wake of violence, such as rehabilitation and reintegration, and attempts to lessen trauma or reduce the long-term disability associated with violence. Tertiary prevention also seeks to prevent further acts of violence’.