Hundreds of professionals from across the West Midlands have taken part in specialist training to help them prevent and reduce violence against women and girls.
The training, facilitated by the West Midlands Violence Reduction Partnership (WM VRP), saw more than 300 professionals, working with young men and boys, learn how to have difficult conversations, identify signs of harmful behaviour and address misogyny, while also looking at methods to help young men and boys unlearn some of the unhealthy labels that can be attached to being a ‘man’.
Some of the other themes the training explores includes mental health, radicalisation, substance misuse, bullying, and how to approach these topics sensitively in order to have the best impact.
The training is delivered in group settings and consists of a number of discussions and activities to help professionals explore their own thoughts and prejudices, as well as think about how they can apply the learning to their own work environments.
The professionals come from a number of different backgrounds such as education, sports, social work etc. Each professional engages with anywhere between 30 to 1000 young men and boys on a regular basis.
The training has been welcomed by Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster, who chairs the WM VRP Strategic Board. He said: “Our boys and young men need safe spaces and trusted adults they can confide in and see as role models.
“It is so important that we not only support our young people but also the people that support them.
“I want to see more of these conversations happening and am pleased that we are providing our frontline workers with the support, guidance and tools needed to protect our women and girls.”
The programme has been funded under the Home Office Safer Streets 5 scheme, through the West Midlands Violence Reduction Partnership. It is delivered by Men At Work CIC, a Community Interest Company founded in 2019 to promote positive and constructive dialogues with boys and young men.
Michael Conroy, Founder/Director of Men At Work CIC, said: “It’s been a genuine privilege to facilitate group sessions with such committed, diverse and experienced people and I am struck by the will shown to engage in transformative work.”
The programme will run up until March 2025.
