Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Festus Akinbusoye is offering local organisations the opportunity to bid into over £200,000 of funding to provide support services for victims of crime in Bedfordshire.
The funding, allocated to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), and Community Safety Fund (CSF), is for the provision of dedicated emotional and practical support services for these types of victims.
Crime types include domestic crime and sexual assault, and the support is to help victims cope and recover from the effects of the crimes they have experienced.
The PCC said “I am pleased to launch this year’s funding cycle. Providing individuals with dedicated specialist support following these awful crimes is vital.
“The harsh reality is, this is happening in Bedfordshire and providing communities with these support services will go some way towards helping their trauma.
“I am also providing funding for a prevention-based approach including ensuring Bedfordshire’s younger residents have opportunities to take part in sports activities in their spare time to deter them from making the wrong choices.
As the lead for the National Prevention portfolio, providing services such as these is imperative.
“It is a key priority of mine to work with local partners to protect vulnerable people at risk of becoming victims of crime in the first place and offering early intervention methods.
“From speaking with local support services in the county, I know how passionate they are, and I want to encourage any charity or organisation that can offer their services, to bid for funding.
“Together, making Bedfordshire a safer place for everybody.”
Applications are open until Monday 22nd January.
There are five funding groups available for bids:
MoJ Funding
- Domestic Abuse Counselling –up to £45,000 available for a specialist domestic abuse counselling provision for victims of domestic abuse.
- Sexual Violence Counselling – up to £45,000 available for a counselling service provider to deliver 1-1 counselling and emotional support sessions for adult sexual violence victims.
- Diversion Restorative Justice Family Practitioner – up to £40,000 available to support children and young people aged 10-25 years old. To work 1-1 with children and young people, referred by schools, youth justice services and Bedfordshire Police.
Community Safety Funding
- Family Support and Advocacy network – up to £50,000 available for a provider to work with parents and guardians of children and young people, who are at risk of exploitation, criminality, or conflict.
Sports-based Prevention – up to £34,000 available to offer a sports-based prevention programme in Luton to children and young persons aged 10 years and over.
To submit a bid and apply for funding, please complete a bid response form on our website.
For more information or to contact the office please email PCC- commissioning@beds.police.uk