Hounslow Council is set to appoint a Safer Communities Co-ordinator for Men and Boys, aiming to address violence and promote positive behaviours. The decision was made during a recent Hounslow Community Safety Partnership Board meeting on Thursday 31 July 2025, where board members reviewed strategies to enhance community safety, as detailed in the Agenda.
The new co-ordinator will focus on breaking the cycle of violence and encouraging positive male behaviours, as part of the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Plan 2023-2026. The plan addresses key areas, such as improving support for those affected by VAWG, working together to prevent VAWG, and taking action against perpetrators. The VAWG Year 3 Delivery Plan outlines the specific actions for the coming year.
Other initiatives included in the VAWG plan are:
- Launching the Harmony Programme, designed for older community members, recognising that abusers can include adult children and grandchildren.
- Piloting the Speak Up programme at Heston Primary School to help children build a clear understanding of healthy relationships through interactive sessions.
- Delivering a modern-day slavery awareness workshop at an all-male contingency accommodation site. This workshop, a collaboration between the Integration and Outreach Officers from the Refugee and Asylum Seeker Service and Community Safety, will highlight labour and criminal exploitation, and inform attendees of available support services.
- Delivering targeted training to staff in care homes, contingency hotels, and Transport for London bus drivers.
- Improving children's and young people's understanding of healthy relationships and consent by delivering sessions at the Junior Citizens event and consent workshops in schools.
- Continuing to deliver consent workshops throughout Hounslow schools in partnership with the police.
The board also reviewed the end of year one report and year two delivery plan for the Safer Communities Strategy 2024-2027, which addresses the priorities of reducing serious crime, supporting vulnerable individuals, and enabling residents to work together to keep Hounslow safe. Proposed activities for year two (2025/2026), detailed in the Safer Communities Strategy Year 2 Delivery Plan, include continuing the detached outreach service and launching a new role to support men and boys affected by violence.
The White Ribbon Action Plan for 2023-2026 has been completed, outlining key strategies and objectives for Hounslow across the three years. The completed Action Plan, available as a slide deck and a file, has been officially submitted to White Ribbon UK, reviewed and formally approved.
