Young people spread a message of crime prevention

Young people from six schools across Bristol are to take to Colston Hall‘s main stage to share a message of preventing crime, speaking out and staying safe.

The event is part of a project called What Would You Do? launched in 2014 by Crimestoppers, Avon and Somerset Police and charity Unique Voice across 30 of Bristol’s primary schools. So far it has reached over 1,800 young people and their families, educating young people about gang crime, online safety, healthy relationships, mob mentality and exploitation. This year it has expanded into Weston-Super-Mare as well as the greater Bristol area, to engage even more children.

Young people from six primary schools across Bristol are learning about crime prevention through creative methods

The six-week school-based programme uses creative mediums to inform 9-10-year-olds about the importance of reporting crimes in their own communities, and the fact that they can remain anonymous when doing so. Children are encouraged to explore difficult issues and challenges that they may face using dance, drama and music.

The programme will culminate in the Colston Hall performance for children at Victoria Park Primary School in Bedminster, Greenfield E-ACT Academy in Knowle, Sea Mills Primary School, Nova Primary School in Shirehampton, Fair Furlong Primary School in Withywood and St Peter’s C of E Primary in Bishopston.

“The event at Colston Hall is a one-off event to celebrate the project,” says Claire Farnham, director of Unique Voice. “After six weeks of learning, we rehearse with some of the young people from these schools – ‘champions’ who have done well in the preceding weeks. Everything is led by the young people and comes from their point of view. There will be videos from the sessions, video animations supported by child performances and the young people themselves talking about what they’ve learned. It’s all come from the young people.

“Unique Voice have been doing this programme for four years, teaching the young people about things that will affect them and using creativity to do it. We’re really excited to show what the children have been up to.”

In 2017, a film inspired by the programme and featuring young people at primary schools across Bristol was created. The film has been used locally and nationally to raise awareness of how people can report crime anonymously and confidently.

The project has also resulted in an increase in the number of people who say they would now turn to Crimestoppers as a tool in reporting a crime. Before participating in the programme, 62 per cent of young people surveyed said they know the number and context in which Crimestoppers can help; this rose to over 85 per cent following completion of the programme.

The data from the survey also suggests that the project has impacted on young people’s understanding of community by participating in exercises that encourage a vision for a safer environment to live in, which can only be a positive thing for Bristol.

What Would You Do? takes place at Colston Hall on May 14 from 6.30pm. To find out more about the project, visit www.uniquevoice.org/early-intervention-commissioning/what-would-you-do