Nine local authorities have begun a year-long programme to strengthen multi-agency partnerships and develop evidence-informed strategies to prevent children’s involvement in violence. 

The areas – Bristol, Derbyshire, Flintshire, Hertfordshire, Knowsley, Mansfield, Sefton, South Gloucestershire and Stockton successfully applied to take part in the Youth Endowment Fund’s (YEF) new Area Leaders Programme. 

The Area Leaders Programme is built around YEF’s ‘5Ps’ framework, which identifies five key factors for effective multi-agency violence prevention: 

• Partnerships: Build strong, accountable partnerships with clear roles, governance and measurable goals. 
• Profile: Understand the local drivers, context and patterns of serious violence. 
• People: Identify the children most at risk and ensure they get the right support at the right time. 
• Places: Pinpoint high-risk locations and take action to make them safer. 
• Practice: Share and apply best practice consistently across all key agencies. 

Over the next 12 months, violence prevention teams in each area will attend monthly workshops informed by the best available evidence and expert insight, receive tailored support aligned with the 5Ps, and have opportunities to reflect and share learning with other participating areas. They will also receive funding to provide additional capacity for coordinating the programme. 

Local multi-agency partnerships often face significant challenges, such as inconsistent data, gaps in shared information, differing agency priorities, complex systems and limited resources. The YEF’s Area Leaders Programme is designed to help overcome these barriers, supporting local leaders to take evidence-informed, practical action that reduces harm for children, families and communities. 

The programme has been developed to complement the roll out of the government’s Young Futures Prevention Partnerships and helps areas meet their statutory responsibilities, including the Serious Violence Duty. 

Following a successful pilot with four local authority area partnerships – Bradford, Reading, Sunderland and Trafford – in 2024/25, the Area Leaders Programme is expanding to nine more in 2025/26, with further expansion planned. 

The Youth Endowment Fund is funding an independent evaluation of the programme, led by IFF Research, with Research in Practice appointed as the Co-Design & Delivery Partner. 

Emma Jenkins, Director of Change at the YEF, said: “The Area Leaders Programme brings together our best understanding of what drives violence and how to prevent it. By combining evidence with local insight and data, we will support local leaders to take concrete action to make communities safer and protect children.” 

Hannah Welbourn, Programme Delivery Manager at West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership, who took part in Bradford’s pilot of ALP, said: “The ALP has enabled us to put in dedicated time to really focus, at a partnership level, on how we respond to youth violence. Being able to tap into the knowledge of YEF Teams and have their support to lead sessions has ensured we have come out of the process with a great set of recommendations and next steps.” 

Local authorities interested in joining the next cohort of YEF’s Area Leaders Programme in 2026 can register their interest by emailing change@youthendowmentfund.org.uk. 

Find more information on the Area Leaders Programme here.