Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit BLOCKS Implementation Evaluation

Bannister, Jon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1350-510X, Thomas, Rhiannon, Adepeju, Monsuru ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9006-4934, Ellison, Mark ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9019-6582 and Krzemieniewska-Nandwani, Karolina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9172-3698 (2024) Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit BLOCKS Implementation Evaluation. Project Report. Manchester Metropolitan University.

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Abstract

This report presents the findings of an implementation evaluation of the first year of operation of the BLOCKS programme. The BLOCKS programme, delivered by the Salford Foundation, is a child centred intervention aimed at supporting vulnerable primary school children to successfully transition into a secondary school setting. The evaluation sought to understand how the programme was put into practice, set out to achieve its intended outcomes and the factors that influenced these processes. It also set out to assess emergent evidence of the impact of the programme. The BLOCKS programme was established in response to a growing concern, held by primary schools in Greater Manchester, that knife carrying and intergenerational violence was increasing and that this was affecting younger children than in recent years. Pupils exhibiting these behaviours were recognised as having the greatest risk of disengaging with education and a heightened vulnerability to criminal exploitation and involvement. To counter these challenges, the BLOCKS programme was established in 10 primary schools located in deprived areas in Greater Manchester. The programme intended to engage a maximum of 15 children per school, providing 1-to-1 mentoring sessions. Its core curriculum aimed to empower and support children to become more self-aware, improve their confidence and self-esteem; manage their emotions, understand the impact of their actions on others and to stay safe. The BLOCKS programme established a theory of change explaining the actions required to achieve the intended outcomes of the programme. It has been designed to be ‘live’ in that it is capable of being revised and augmented as new evidence becomes available. The theory of change is informed by evidence of the factors associated with a heightened likelihood of engagement in violent behaviours and of the potential of mentoring programmes to reduce problematic behaviours.