The Violence Intervention Project
Relationships that break the cycle.
We work with young people up to the age of 25 who are at risk of, or already involved in, serious youth violence. Our approach is simple but radical: we build strong, shame-informed, therapeutic relationships.
Our approach
How We Work
We don’t wait for crisis, and we don’t work 9–5. We meet young people where they are: in schools, homes, streets, parks and cafés and walk alongside them through the hardest transitions.
1
A Shame-Informed Approach
We believe shame sits at the root of violent behaviour. That's why every part of our work is grounded in shame-informed, trauma-aware practice. By naming and addressing shame, we create space for dignity, trust, and healing.
2
Urban Therapy
Conventional therapy doesn’t work for everyone. Our client base won’t sign up for weekly sessions on a couch, their lives are complex, unpredictable, often chaotic. Urban Therapy responds to that reality.
- We meet young people on their terms: day or evening, in cars, parks or cafés.
- We combine practical help (education, housing, returning from county lines) with therapeutic care.
But the practical is never the point - it’s the pathway. Every lift, every check-in, every bit of support is an opportunity to build attachment and mentalisation: helping young people recognise and regulate emotions, and see themselves and others with new clarity.
That’s how we help them build safer, healthier, violence-free lives.
Our framework
AMBIT
We are trained as an AMBIT team by the Anna Freud Centre. AMBIT (Adaptive Mentalization-Based Integrative Treatment) helps us work effectively with young people facing overlapping challenges: mental health difficulties, trauma, substance misuse, and violent behaviour.
It’s not just a model - it’s how we run as a whole organisation:
- With young people face-to-face
- Between team members through reflective practice
- Across professional networks to strengthen collaboration
- In our team culture, always learning and adapting
This makes us consistent, reliable, and trusted — for young people and the systems around them.
Our work in action
WHAT WE DO
Together, these approaches form a whole-system response to serious youth violence: practical, therapeutic, and relational.
Urban Therapy
Long-term, relationship-based support for young people in West London affected by violence, exclusion and trauma. We work in the community, showing up consistently and without judgement.
School inclusion project
A school-based programme working with students, families and staff to prevent exclusion and reduce harm. DRIFT supports young people at risk of disengagement by rebuilding trust, addressing shame and strengthening relationships across the whole school community.
The Shame Initiative
A new national systems-change programme addressing shame as a root driver of exclusion, racial inequity and violence. We work with schools, social care and youth organisations to redesign practice, language and processes that unintentionally harm young people.
Testimonials
What others say about us