Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP)
Improving mental health and building resilience
Merseyside Youth Association’s Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) is a peer education programme that provides young people with the language and framework to explore and challenge the attitudes, beliefs and cultural norms that underpin gender-based violence, bullying and other forms of abuse, while building resilience and promoting positive mental health.
The programme empowers pupils to identify and communicate concerns with peers and school staff by supporting schools to take a ‘whole school’ approach to early intervention and prevention of bullying, harassment, and risky behaviours.
How does the programme work?
The Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) programme explores a series of ‘scenarios’ involving a range of behaviours, such as name-calling, sexting, controlling behaviour and harassment. Using a ‘bystander’ approach individuals are not considered potential victims or perpetrators; instead, they are empowered and active bystanders with the ability to support and challenge their peers in a safe way.
MVP is based on five core components:
- Exploring violence through a gendered lens;
- Developing leadership;
- Adopting a bystander approach;
- Recognising the scope of violent behaviour; and
- Challenge victim-blaming.