Violence Prevention in the Barber Shop

The Scottish Violence Reduction Unit (SVRU) designs and supports multi-agency,
innovative pilot approaches to tackling violence in Scotland. Supported by the
Scottish Government and Scottish Police Authority, the unit has adopted a public
health approach, treating violence as an infection, which can be cured. We are
interested in helping to develop and pilot projects working in the prevention arena
with a focus on mental health, substance misuse and childhood trauma as it relates
to interpersonal violence or self-directed violence (e.g. self-harm, suicidal ideation or
suicide attempts).

The SVRU (in collaboration with Brothers in Arms Scotland and The University of
Strathclyde) have developed a pilot prevention project in Glasgow involving local
barbers. A workshop has been co-developed with a group of barbers and people with
lived experience of suicidal thoughts, behaviours, and bereavement by suicide.
The aim of the workshop is to upskill barbers in “reaching in” to open up
conversations about male mental health and suicide when cutting men’s hair. Clients
will be signposted to Brothers in Arms Scotland, who will provide the “aftercare”
element of the partnership. 

Read more about the project and its evaluation