The SOLVE team are proud to continue delivering our Alternative Routes (AR) Programme, currently in partnership with Bath and North East Somerset Violence Reduction Partnership.
Since September, the programme has continued to grow from strength to strength, reaching 4,834 young people through 58 workshops delivered across schools, colleges and community settings.
Through sessions covering serious youth violence, gangs, knife crime, violence against women and girls, toxic masculinity, radicalisation and extremism, the programme continues to provide young people with meaningful interventions designed to educate, challenge and empower.
A huge thank you to Sophia McKenzie and the wider Bath and North East Somerset Violence Reduction Partnership team for their continued trust and support.
The full video is now live on YouTube. Head over to our page to watch, like and subscribe.
The SOLVE way 🌍
Back in Dublin for four days of training, conversation and continuing a partnership that’s been building for over a decade.
What makes this one special is the consistency. From the early days working alongside frontline practitioners on the streets, to now delivering in partnership with Ballymun Drugs and Alcohol Task Force, the work continues to evolve but the purpose remains the same.
Across the sessions, we explored serious youth violence, violence reduction and public health approaches, alongside conversations around social media, music and organised criminality. Drawing on research and frontline experience, the focus was on helping professionals make sense of what they are seeing and how they can respond effectively.
Good to reconnect with familiar faces. People who were there at the beginning, still present, still committed and still doing the real work within their communities.
Respect to the Task Force for hosting and bringing together professionals across education, children’s services, criminal justice, youth and community sectors.
Four days. Real conversations. Real learning.
Part 1 and Part 2 are now live on YouTube. Head over to our page to watch, like and subscribe.
The SOLVE way 🌍
We’re proud to share that SOLVE has been selected as one of the delivery partners for the @youthendowfund Education Catalyst Programme.
This is an evidence led programme focused on reducing violence through education settings by helping schools adopt and embed practice that keeps children safer, supports recovery and strengthens communities.
Today at the YEF HQ in London, @dr_lizzie_fitz and our CEO @streetacademicsuk met with partners from across the UK who will deliver this work together. It was powerful to connect, share ideas and prepare for the journey ahead.
Over the next 18 months, the SOLVE will be working with 10 schools, a mix of mainstream and AP settings, supporting them to embed best practice in violence prevention, nurture trusted relationships and ensure every young person can stay in education.
Stay tuned, we have important work ahead and we are ready to get started.
The SOLVE way 🌍
Spent some time with the lads at @nufc and in my humble opinion probably one of the best sessions of the season.
Real heartfelt conversations, strong reflections and the boys were fully engaged throughout. You could really feel the honesty in the room and the willingness to lean into some of the topics discussed.
Wishing the lads all the best for the final few games of the season and looking forward to seeing everyone again next season 👊🏾
The SOLVE way 🌍
Sophia McKenzie, Violence Reduction Partnership Coordinator at Bath & North East Somerset Council, highlights the importance of commissioning organisations with a clear model of intervention that aligns with a public health approach and meets the needs of young people today.
The SOLVE way 🌍
Spent some time with the lads at @wolves today. Good energy, good spirits and some real honest conversations.
Sometimes sessions are bigger than football. Just creating space, keeping morale high and reminding young people to stay focused on the bigger picture and the journey ahead.
Wishing the boys all the best for the 2026/27 season. Catch you all soon 👊🏾
The SOLVE way 🌍
Sophia McKenzie, Violence Reduction Partnership Coordinator at Bath & North East Somerset Council, shares key considerations for commissioners, including the importance of balancing lived experience with relevant, contemporary expertise that reflects the realities young people face today.
The SOLVE way 🌍
Why are programmes like these so important?
Sophia McKenzie, Violence Reduction Partnership Coordinator at Bath & North East Somerset Council, shares why programmes like the Alternative Routes Programme are important when supporting young people and responding to violence.
Your environment can take away your innocence.
In this session, Fidel Thompson talks about how growing up around certain behaviours can normalise what is wrong, leading to desensitisation.
From what young people see in their environment to what they consume online, it all shapes their reality.
Real conversations. Real awareness.
The SOLVE way 🌍
Recognising the signs early matters.
In this session, Rachel Eason talks about violence and aggression, helping young women understand early warning signs and red flags within relationships.
Real conversations. Real awareness.
The SOLVE way 🌍
Social media isn’t always reality.
In this session, Cameron talks about the impact of social media and how many young people are dealing with things in isolation.
At some point, it comes back to reality. That’s why speaking to trusted adults is key.
Real conversations. Real awareness.
The SOLVE way 🌍
This week’s sessions focused on body image, the idea of perfection, and the pressures social media can place on young girls today. It was a powerful and reflective conversation, with the groups showing real openness and honesty throughout. At times, emotions ran deep, highlighting just how personal and complex these experiences can be.
We explored a recent TikTok trend where individuals shared why they chose not to post certain photos, often due to insecurities about their appearance. This sparked meaningful discussion and helped reinforce an important takeaway: everyone has insecurities, and more often than not, we are far more critical of ourselves than others ever are.
To end the session, we took part in an activity where everyone shared things they appreciated about one another, from personal qualities to aspects of appearance. It was a genuinely uplifting moment, and the girls embraced it with kindness and enthusiasm.
It was inspiring to see the groups support one another, challenge unrealistic standards, and begin to reframe how they view themselves. A reminder that authenticity will always outweigh perfection. 🩷☺️
