Useful documents

Serious Violence Strategy

Our Serious Violence Strategy set out the current picture of serious violence in Sussex and the collective action that our partners are taking to address it.

The strategy includes an explanation of our public health approach and our model of delivery – a devolved structure, allowing each of our three VRP areas to make their own decisions on where funding and resources are best placed.

We explain how we use and share data to understand the risks and drivers for serious violence and how this data, combined with robust evaluation, helps to shape our intervention activity.

Our performance indicators and how we continually measure our success are also included.

Annual Report 

Our Annual Report looks at the different spheres in which we operate and provides a summary of the work and its impact in the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

It allows an opportunity to reflect on achievements in 2023/24, emerging good practice, and areas where additional focus may be required.

Theory of Change

The programme-level Theory of Change (ToC) sets out the reasons a programme is important for the outcomes of people affected by serious violence.

Outcomes Framework

The Outcomes Framework sets out a series of key outcomes and provides a guide for our partners in supporting a reduction in serious violence across Sussex.

Evaluation reports

We fund a comprehensive programme of activity for young people who are involved in serious violence, or are at risk of becoming involved in it.

Many of our projects have been in operation for multiple years and have been subject to external evaluation.

These independent evaluations:

• allow us to understand the impact of our work on addressing the causes of violence across Sussex
• help us to continue to shape our intervention activity through evidence-based commissioning and practice
• provide new understanding and knowledge that can be shared locally and nationally.

They have demonstrated some encouraging work, with positive experiences from professionals and young people revealed through case studies and other qualitative feedback.

Monitoring and evaluation has identified areas for improvement around data sharing and communication amongst professionals and services; these have been acknowledged and improved in each year of funding.

2025 - 26

We commissioned Wavehill to undertake evaluation on our Focused Deterrence programmes in the three local authority areas. 

2024–25

We commissioned the National Children's Bureau (NCB) to undertake a rapid review of our Theory of Change (ToC) model.

NCB assessed the process and impact of two projects;

• the Brighton & Hove Boxing Gym
• the Brighton Streets project 

2023–24

The NCB assessed the impact on young people taking part in two projects:

• the West Sussex Knife Improvement Programme (KIP)
• and the Hospital youth work project in Brighton & Hove  

2022–23

The NCB assessed the impact on young people taking part in two projects:

• the West Sussex Schools Exclusion project, which delivered mentoring and workshops to pupils at selected secondary schools in Adur, Worthing and Crawley
• and the Habitual Knife Carriers programme in East Sussex, for individuals who have been repeatedly identified as carrying knives.

2021–22

Independent consulting firm BearingPoint assessed the impact on young people taking part in three projects:

• the Represent arts engagement project in Brighton & Hove, which used creative activities to support the personal development of men aged 18–25 who were on probation.
• the MACE Family Key Work service in East Sussex, which supported young people and their families through intensive, individual case work.
• the Schools Exclusion Programme in West Sussex, which delivered mentoring and workshops to pupils at five secondary schools in Adur and Worthing.

To find out more about the three projects and BearingPoint’s conclusions, read their Evaluation Report.