Avon and Somerset Police Community Trust

The Avon and Somerset Police Community Trust champions safer, cohesive communities by preventing crime, reducing anti-social behaviour, and educating youth on substance misuse risks including drugs, alcohol, and solvents. Established by local policing bodies, its core values emphasize preventative action, community empowerment, grassroots collaboration, and resilience-building, believing lasting safety arises from community-led initiatives diverting young people from crime toward responsible citizenship while protecting vulnerable populations through early intervention and strong social ties.

It prioritizes youth work targeting young people at risk of crime, anti-social behaviour, and substance addiction via diversionary projects like after-school clubs, mentoring schemes, and outdoor activities fostering positive development; substance misuse education through school workshops, awareness campaigns, and peer-led sessions improving knowledge and attitudes; community safety initiatives including Neighbourhood Watch schemes, road safety programs with hi-visibility equipment for primary school children, and events reducing fear of crime; support for vulnerable adults and elderly residents via safety awareness training, befriending groups, and isolation-combating activities; and broader community development strengthening relations through inclusive engagement, advocacy for crime prevention, and holistic approaches addressing social isolation, vulnerability, and cohesion in urban and rural settings. Interventions focus on therapeutic prevention, evidence-based education, community-led delivery, and measurable outcomes like reduced anti-social incidents and enhanced wellbeing.

Exclusions encompass individuals, trips or expeditions, statutory funding replacements, bursaries, scholarships, core costs, and significant capital projects unrelated to safety. Distinctive as a police-aligned specialist, it empowers small grassroots voluntary organizations delivering high-impact, low-cost preventative schemes for at-risk youth, isolated elderly, vulnerable adults, and local communities, prioritizing those tackling root causes of crime and anti-social behaviour through collaborative, resilience-focused models over top-down or generic support.