Mapping the local youth violence prevention ecosystem: a foundational study for diversion and navigator mentorship pathways

Violence is a major public health issue with intergenerational impacts, disproportionately affecting children and young people and contributing to educational disengagement and later harm. Within serious violence prevention policy in England, emerging evidence highlights the promise of mentorship-based Navigator models in engaging vulnerable youth. Focused Diversion extends this approach upstream, targeting earlier vulnerability; however, sustained outcomes depend on effective transition into community provision, positioning referral connectivity as a critical protective mechanism within local violence reduction systems. To address this gap, the study develops and applies a novel prevention systems-mapping framework that extends beyond conventional service mapping by analysing referral connectivity, transition pathways, and evidence alignment across community provision within local violence reduction systems. The aim being to map available provision rather than evaluate service use or link provision to youth outcomes. A structured service-mapping and documentary analysis was undertaken, informed by public health and realist perspectives, operationalised through the novel systems-mapping framework designed to assess community prevention infrastructure, referral connectivity, and evidence alignment within violence reduction ecosystems. Publicly available service directories and organisational sources were systematically reviewed to identify sustained, community-based provision for children and young people across five Thames Valley areas. Inclusion required provision for those aged 10–15 – the target age for the Focused Diversion pathway; that CYP can attend regularly; where they are known to staff or volunteers; and where non-attendance would be noticed and followed up. Services were classified by delivery characteristics and aligned to Youth Endowment Fund Toolkit categories to assess evidence strength, prevention focus, accessibility, and relevance to violence risk mitigation, particularly at the point of Navigator mentor transition. Mapping identified a prevention landscape dominated by universal, activity-led provision, particularly sports and after-school programmes, forming the primary engagement infrastructure. Targeted and specialist interventions (e.g., mentoring, CBT, trauma therapies) were present but limited. Provision was largely open-access and delivered through community-anchored, place-based settings, supporting early protective factor development, alongside opportunities to extend reach through outreach and flexible delivery. Evidence alignment showed concentration in mid-evidence, variable-impact models, with notable opportunity for developing transition and seasonal provision. The mapping highlights a prevention system with a strong universal foundation but opportunities to strengthen depth, connectivity, and continuity. Thinner targeted and specialist layers may constrain progression for higher-need cohorts exposed to escalating violence risk. Transition and seasonal gaps—particularly summer employment—represent missed prevention opportunities during periods of heightened vulnerability. The framework demonstrates utility as both an analytical and operational tool, informing step-down pathways, commissioning, and the embedding of community provision within a public health violence prevention approach.