_{Enhanced statutory curriculum}

The Focussed Education project is a collaboration between the NSPCC, the Zone and Trevi. The project has involved our delivery partners the Zone creating session plans and delivering RHSE sessions to all Plymouth secondary schools. These sessions have been developed based upon the feedback of children and young people as well as adults with lived experience of unhealthy relationships. The sessions aim to develop young people’s critical analysis skills and can be regarded as curriculum enhancements, including subjects which may be regarded as  “tricky to teach”.  Sessions are on the subjects of;

• Brain science – offered to years 8-10
• Gender stereotypes – offered to years 8-10
• Consent - offered to years 9-10
• Pornography - offered to years 9-10.

The Zone have provided a learning pack to support delivery in these areas, containing resources, and ideas for teaching staff and parents/carers, to enable young people to engage in these sessions. These can be found by clicking here[RPC2] . 

The funding for this initial delivery comes to an end in March 23, however the Zone plan to continue to offer these workshops as part of their portfolio/training offer to schools (which includes their offer of Sexual Health Workshops, and Progeny – including Mental Health First Aid for 3 school based staff per secondary and special school, peer listener training and support, universal workshops for Years 7 –11 and Mental Health Awareness Week workshops and resources). These workshops are offered with a nominal charge to schools.

For more information please contact jodie.frost@thezoneplymouth.co.uk
General information about the Zone and the services they offer can be found here

_Evidence

Ofsted (2021) report highlights the importance of carefully sequencing RSHE topics with a particular focus on subjects that young people find difficult, such as consent, pornography and gender stereotypes and identity.

Over half of 11-16 year olds have been exposed to online pornography and it is increasingly playing a role in how young people learn about sex, gender and consent[1].

The Plymouth Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Commission recommendations the importance of educating young people about the harms associated with online pornography, and numerous research evidences the scale of abuse and harassment in schools and colleges related to consent.

Together for Childhood’s Enhanced Statutory Curriculum programme has delivered sessions on Brain Science, Pornography, Consent, and Gender Stereotypes to 4,911 students to date. We have undertaken some analysis of the voluntary anonymous responses of students who undertook a Focussed Education session between 7^th April 2022 and 6^thDecember 2022.

 Based on the 3,645 valid responses, this data shows an average of 71% of respondents reported an increase in knowledge based upon the session.  Furthermore, an average of 73% of respondents reported that they thought the session would impact upon their future behaviours._‍

_{Meeting individual needs}

This link will take you to the Government Tackling Sexual Abuse Strategy (2021).  This report highlights that “abuse does not occur because of a child’s vulnerability, but rather because of an offenders inclination and ability to exploit that vulnerability….all children by virtue of their age are inherently vulnerable by virtue of their age, as well as the power imbalance that exists between children and adults".

This report also highlights that there are some factors that make some children more vulnerable to being targeted and in some instances to displaying HSB.

We have summarised these as;

• Talking Therapy (Counselling) for children between 11 – 18 years old.
• SEND
• Trauma
• LGBTQ+
• Black and minority ethic

Best practice would be to consider the needs of these pupils, and what individual support can be made available to them.

Implementation of Bystander champions and restorative justice:

Restorative justice:

Restorative practice is a term used to describe behaviours, interactions and approaches which help to build and maintain positive, healthy relationships, resolve difficulties and repair harm where there has been conflict.

Using restorative practices creates a more respectful, relational environment, where people feel supported. It leads to better outcomes, less conflict with professionals, more informal support, and improved family functioning.

The emphasis is to build a relationship that enables change to happen. Change sometimes requires challenge as well as support. Working with children and families, rather than doing things to them or for them builds resilience, enhances problem solving skills and fosters a more compassionate way of working with others

How can it be used in schools?

Restorative approaches in schools can aid attendance, reduce exclusions, and improve achievements. It aims to target and alleviate issues such as pupil / staff disputes, disruption, bullying, poor attendance and anti-social behaviour.

Individual work between young people / staff to resolve conflict or harm caused.

Targeted work aimed at those at risk of exclusion.

Restorative circle approaches can be adopted with groups of young people.

Make Amends is a victim support commissioned service for Devon and Cornwall. A project of Shekinah, Make Amends delivers Restorative Justice across this area. The service provides support to people who have been affected by crime, conflict, anti-social behaviour or harm caused by the actions of others.

Make Amends offers training to both staff and pupils in restorative approaches and language in order to embed this ethos into school culture.

If you would like to become involved in generating restorative opportunities, then we recommend attending the Restorative Justice Champions training. Being a champion will equip you with more knowledge about Restorative Justice and will help you to think creatively about where and how the restorative justice process can be used. This course will give a deeper overview of Restorative Justice and how to identify how and when to make referrals to the Make Amends team. This will also give the tools to allow you to be able to champion restorative justice within your own sectors and amongst your peers. This course can be used for staff or to train young person ambassadors. The training can be delivered online in one three-hour session.

Based on the Restorative Justice Champions Course, Working Restoratively with Young People combines theory with extensive practice opportunities to enhance skills and ability to support young people in a restorative way. It encourages learners to explore some of the issues of working with young people and strategies for using a restorative approach to achieving positive outcomes, this includes using arts and crafts.

This training is delivered as a 1-day session.

For more information please contact Claire Baldock on claire.baldock@shekinah.co.uk

Useful Links:

Shekinah - Make Amends

Restorative Practice | Schools (oxfordshire.gov.uk)

Restorative practice in schools | Restorative Justice Council

Bystander:

Bystander intervention is an approach we have been testing in Plymouth to support the strengths we have in our communities to promote pro-social norms. Bystander intervention provides reassurance that supports individuals to be the friend, work-colleague and team-mate that they simply want to be.  Bystander interventions offer individuals and communities a range of options to safely act to support others.

More information about Bystander intervention is given by International specialist Graham Goulden in this clip

More information about Graham can be found on his website grahamgoulden.com

As part of Plymouth’s safer streets 3 funding, we now have a network of trained professionals across the city who can deliver this session for free.  While the focus of the training is on the evening and night time economy, it is suitable for any person who wants to learn more about being a good friend, a good colleague or a good community member. For more information contact Plymouth.TFC@nspcc.org.uk or call 01752 422577

Problematic sexual behaviour:

Young people’s sexual behaviour falls on a continuum and can range from age or developmentally appropriate behaviours, through to those which may be abusive or harmful.  We encourage schools to utilise their knowledge of these continuums (the Brooke traffic light tool and Hackett continuum are the two most widely used) to analyse where behaviours may fall.  All Plymouth Schools should have access to a licence to allow them to access training to understand and use the Brooke Traffic light tool. The Hackett continuum is freely available by clicking here and the training offered by the Plymouth Safeguarding Children's Partnership will go into more detail about these continuums.

The NSPCC are developing a toolkit aimed at young people who may be displaying problematic sexual behaviour.  If you would like to understand more about this please contact the NSPCC on 01752 422577 or email ADD.

 School prevention campaign development (Young Voices):

The young voices project was delivered by Together for Childhood and involved working alongside groups of young people across Plymouth with the aim of them creating their own campaigns to address peer to peer harm and promote healthy relationships amongst their peers and contemporaries.  

The campaigns themselves can be found here and could be used as part of RHSE[RPC6]  delivery.

We have also created a guide to inform schools about how they can create their own young voices campaign group. The guide for teaching staff can be found here ADD.

The Together for Childhood team in Plymouth can offer support and guidance to schools in setting up and runinga group.

We encourage schools to utilise the data they have gathered from CPOMS and other systems to understand the safeguarding priorities for their schools.  This can be used as guidance to focus the theme of campaign development on a topic which is of high priority and importance.

‍

In this section you will be able to explore support which can be put in place for young people you identify as having experienced sexual abuse (including peer to peer abuse, intrafamilial abuse, and abuse that has taken place online).  This section also includes information about support for children and young people who display harmful  or problematic sexual behaviour to others (peers, adults or younger children, online and offline), or whose behaviour is deemed as harmful to the young person themselves.

Wrap around support/therapeutic victim support:

it is essential that any child who reports that they have experienced sexual abuse is listened to and reassured that their what they have said will be taken seriously.  

It is unusual for children to verbally disclose sexual abuse in a single clear narrative. They may make semi or partial verbal disclosures, or withdraw allegations.  Children and young people may also “show” their distress through their actions or behaviour.  

The centre for expertise on child sexual abuse has recently published its signs and indicators template - Click here to view

Using the Signs and Indicators Template professionals are able to note what they have observed directly into the template, using practical evidence-based guidance. The template is designed to provide a common language amongst professionals to discuss, record and share concerns that a child is being, or has been sexually abused.

LTFI - Helping children and young people recover from sexual abuse

Letting the Future In (LTFI) is designed to help children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse to rebuild their lives.

LTFI is currently offered by the NSPCC in Plymouth.  This service offers support to children and young people aged between 4-to 17-years-old so that they can recover from the impact abuse has had on their lives. Referrals can also be made for children or young people with learning disabilities up until the age of 19.

Parents and carers are critical to the child or young person’s recovery, so LTFI staff work with them to help them support their child throughout the therapeutic process. Siblings who require support may also be provided with a service.

You can discuss the LTFI service, which is offered by the NSPCC in Plymouth by calling 01752 422577

First Light - Support for Children and Young People

First Light  have specialist advisors for children who have significant experience of supporting young people and their families through the criminal justice system.

Children and Young People are entitled to a range of special measures to help them give evidence in court – these can be explained to young people and their carers by a  dedicated advisor.

First Light can help facilitate access to specialist aftercare services so that children and young people have the best chance of embarking on a positive and healthy future. First Light work with  partner agencies, including the NSPCC to ensure provision the highest level of care and support.

For children affected by sexual violence, assault and/or grooming, First Light offer two age appropriate services.

• Talking Therapy (Counselling) for children between 11 – 18 years old.
• Play Therapy for children between 4 – 11 years old.

The services aims to help all children and young people begin their recovery process.

Helpline: 03458 12 12 12
Email: info@firstlight.org.uk‍

SARC Children’s service

The SARC (sexual assault referral centre) offers a dedicated children’s service for children up to their 18th birthday who have been raped or sexually assaulted.

The children’s service ensure that every referral for a child or young person is reviewed by the clinical team, to make sure that all health needs are addressed. They consider a broad range of support services for children and ensure appropriate onward referrals to relevant services, including the Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) service.

You can contact SARC by calling 0300 3034626.

Children who have experienced recent cases of sexual assault (10 days or less ago) in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are cared for at our facility in Exeter. They will be given immediate medical care, a forensic medical assessment, emergency contraception if required, and support and advice about what to do next.

Rape crisis

https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/support-for-children-and-young-people/

This service is available to any young person between the ages of 13-21 who has experienced sexual violence. This includes rape, historic abuse, sexual exploitation, on-line abuse, sexual assault and sexual harassment (only covers Devon and Torbay – not Plymouth)

safeguarding referrals (social care and the police)

The Department of Education document Keeping Safe in education 2022 emphasizes the activities schools should and must do to keep children safe.  Paragraphs 51-67 of Keeping Children Safe in Education  gives specific guidance regarding what schools and colleges should do if they have concerns about a child.  The guidance in this whole school approach document does not replace this, but should be viewed as complimentary.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sexual-violence-and-sexual-harassment-between-children-in-schools-and-colleges

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1101454/Keeping_children_safe_in_education_2022.pdf

If anyone has concerns that a child has been harmed, or is at a risk of serious harm they must call the local authority children’s services team by calling the Multi-Agency Hub on 01752 668000 (or 01752 346984 out of hours) or email gateway@plymouth.gov.uk.

You'll be asked to follow up your call by submitting an inter-agency referral form which you can download from the Plymouth Safeguarding Children Partnership website (opens new tab)

If a child is in immediate danger or a crime has been committed, the police as well as children’s services should be contracted.

Call 999 if the child is in real danger now.

HSB assessment and referrals

Harmful sexual behaviour is described as;

"Sexual behaviours expressed by children and young people under the age of 18 years old that are developmentally inappropriate, may be harmful towards self or others, or be abusive towards another child, young person or adult.”  (derived from Hackett, 2014)

All sexual behaviour expressed or displayed by children and young people should be viewed as existing on a continuum from developmentally appropriate and expected through to abusive or harmful.  In order to understand whether the behaviour you have observed or have received a report of is harmful sexual behaviour, we would recommend that you use existing tools, and reference these in any referrals you make and when recording your concerns internally (e.g. on CPOMS).

The most widely known tools are Brooke Traffic Light tool and Hackett’s continuum

Upon reaching your initial assessment of where the behaviour falls, you should then follow the Plymouth Safeguarding Children’s partnership professionals guide.

In accordance with this guide, if you are concerned about a harmful sexual behaviour being displayed you should be seeking advice from your Designated Safeguarding Lead, and contacting the Plymouth MASH and police.

The main assessment undertaken when assessing a young person’s harmful sexual behaviour is an AIM 3 assessment (or variation for pre-pubescent children).  AIM assessments determine which support should be made available for that young person and their family.  There are a number of agencies and teams across Plymouth who are trained to undertake these assessments including the NSPCC, Youth Offending Team and Targeted youth work team.  If you are seeking an assessment or service for a young person in Plymouth all referrals should be made via the same route.

All professionals who think an AIM assessment is necessary should make a referral by completing the Targeted Support Request form.  ADD LINK TO TEAM These requests will be discussed by a panel which sits weekly, and includes representatives from the local authority, YOT and NSPCC to determine the best service for that child or young person.

If you are not sure about a behaviour, you can seek consultation from NSPCC staff locally by calling the duty line on 01752 422577

Circles South West are able to offer services to young people aged between 10-20 yrs.  For more information about circles of accountability and support, please click here ‍

There are a range of other services and resources which may be assistance, and we would recommend that you peridiocally check the NSPCC learning website and the CSA centre website.

Safety Planning in schools – the CSA centre have recently published a guide to safety planning following incidents of HSB in schools click here to view‍

Part A looks at the key actions for a school when an incident of harmful sexual behaviour has occurred, including a safety plan template for recording and reviewing arrangements, whilst Part B focusses on broader practical advice such as how to communicate with children, and their parents, and an appendix with useful links and resources.

If you would like to seek some advice and guidance regarding safety planning, you can seek consultation with the NSPCC on 01752 422577.

Online harms – the Internet Watch Foundation and Childline have teamed up to create a tool called Report Remove. ‍

This involves young people creating childline account (verifying their age)  and reporting the image to the Internet Watch Foundation with a request that they take steps to trace and remove the image(s)

Restorative Justice can be used in some instances where there has been an incident of HSB. The Make Amends Staff are trained in HSB, and can give you advice regarding whether a referral is appropriate.

Call on: 01752 203480
Email on: reception@shekinah.co.uk

evidence:

The LTFI service is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (NICE, 2017) and was showcased as an example of commissioning practice in the Home Office’s commissioning framework for support services for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse in England (Home Office, 2019).

We advocate that children and young people play a crucial role in the design, delivery and review of activities and policies which impact upon them directly.  This is commensurate Article 12 of the the UN convention on the rights of the child.  

The following are some examples of ways that you can ensure that pupil voice is at front and centre of work taking place in your school to prevent peer to peer harms.

Quality Assured RHSE -EMPOWER

The EMPOWER project is an example of co-creation with children and young people.  

A healthy relationship is a relationship with friends, family or loved ones that is built on a solid foundation of respect, honesty, communication and trust.‍

What is EMPOWER?

Over the last 2 years, together for Childhood has worked within several schools across Plymouth to create EMPOWER groups. The aim of this is to give a student voice, to feedback on RSHE provision (resources, lesson plans), using a quality assurance template developed by young people based upon a set of 5 key messages for how healthy relationships education should be delivered. These 5 key messages are contained in appendix A, alongside the PSHE Association evidence-based principles.

The initial Empower Plymouth Project involved a group of young people who co-designed a whole school approach to Healthy Relationships. The young people defined healthy relationships as “…a relationship with friends, family or loved ones that is built in a solid foundation of respect, honesty, communication and trust”. The group built on the PHSE Association principles with 5 key themes:

A - Wrap around support must be available to young people after RSE delivery

B - Delivery and resources must be interactive and interesting

C - Up to date

D - Relevant

E - Confidence in delivery

Why use EMPOWER?

EMPOWER groups have been identified as a way for young people and pupil voice to underpin and assess if education in schools meets the 5 key messages.

Schools can use the EMPOWER template to quality assure their resources or session plans and then co-create an action plan, between teacher and student to facilitate a positive change.

Creating an EMPOWER group and using the EMPOWER template is an excellent way to demonstrate that your school listens to, and values, the pupil voice.

Creating an EMPOWER group

The following is some points to consider when setting up an Empower group within your setting.

1. Identify a group of pupils who can work together to explore the resources to be used in the sessions.
2. Schools should be mindful of any particular needs the young people may have and be aware that some young people may have or are involved in unhealthy relationships (including sexual abused, domestic abuse). Schools should ensure that wrap around support networks are available for the group of pupils to offer support when needed.
3. Schools should be mindful of the age/stage of development of the pupils in the group and ensure that the resources are matched to the age/stage of development of the group.
4. Student within the group should demonstrate a passion for wanting to improve resources and learning within the school.
   ‍

Staff Involvement

Although the EMPOWER group itself will consist of students, there is also the need for a dedicated teaching staff member(s) to provide support to the group. These staff members can assist in co-ordinating when the group meet and be accountable for sharing the feedback the EMPOWER group to the relevant people.

The original Empower group co-designed a training video where they discuss a variety of resources, how they could be delivered and reflected on the 5 key messages (view here). This resource is useful for staff supporting the EMPOWER group, to better understand the EMPOWER concept.

Staff can also help to support the group to develop their understanding of healthy relationships. The original Empower group created a resource “What is a Healthy Relationship” (view here) that could provide an introduction.

How to facilitate an EMPOWER group

The EMPOWER group should meet on a regular basis to review resources.  resources the school would like the group to quality assure need to be identified before the group meet, and available for the group to view in the session.

The EMPOWER Template (Appendix B) is then used to review the positives and negatives of the resources, as well as considering whether it meets the 5 key messages.

Once reviewed, the group and teacher will agree on recommendations of how the resource can be changed, taking into consideration the groups views, and the teachers’ knowledge of the curriculum. A date is then set for this to be reviewed.

Accountability

Our learning from supporting EMPOWER groups within schools is that often young people felt that, although their voice was heard during the session, they were unsure this would lead to positive changes to their resources and education. We have therefore introduced a review template (Appendix C), so that changes to resources can be monitored, and the young people within the group can be assured that their views are valued and have subsequently led to changes to their PSHE resources. This also provides the opportunity to monitor any impact to education that the changes have may have made.

Appendix A:

Definitions of the 5 key messages from young people (ABCDE)

A = Wrap around support
Best practice would be for schools to develop facilities to support students that may be affected by subject matter or wish to seek out more information. We can provide an information sheet of local services that schools can use to signpost.

Advanced warning of lesson subject to be given at least a week prior to lesson allowing young people to raise any concerns.

This should be repeated on the morning of delivery alongside a health warning at the beginning of each and every session.

B = Interesting and interactive
Lesson allows for opportunities for learners to express opinion and ask questions.

Resource/delivery encourages debate and discussion enabling exploration of young person’s understanding of message.

C= Up to date
Consider whether resource is out of date in terms of culture, technology, law and best practice.  

D= Relevant
Resource speaks to young person’s experience. Facilitator will need to be mindful of the group they are delivering to, and have an awareness of the culture and diversity of group receiving the lesson.

Information needs to be accurate and current; topics covered should have some practical application to their daily lives.

E = Confidence in delivery
Staff are able to deliver the content with some level of confidence, and facilitate discussion with students, thereby raising student’s confidence to ask questions and explore the topic.

The above are the key messages from young people regarding what makes an effective delivery.  We recognise that many of these will overlap with the PSHE Association evidence based principles of good practice.  The below table suggests where we think these points correlate.

‍

PSHE Principle

EMPOWER Comparison

1. Start where children and young people are: find out what they already know, understand, are able to do and are able to say.  For maximum impact involve them in the planning of your PSHE education programme.
B, C, D.

2. Plan a ‘spiral programme’ which introduces new and more challenging learning, while building on what has gone before, which reflects and meets the personal developmental needs of the children and young people.
B, C, D.

3. Take a positive approach which does not attempt to induce shock or guilt but focuses on what children and young people can do to keep themselves and others healthy and safe and to lead happy and fulfilling lives.
A, D, E.

4. Offer a wide variety of teaching and learning styles within PSHE education, with an emphasis on interactive learning and the teacher as facilitator.
A, B, C, D, E.

5. Provide information which is realistic and relevant and which reinforces positive social norms.
B, C, D.

6. Encourage young people to reflect on their learning and the progress they have made, and to transfer what they have learned to say and to do from one school subject to another, and from school to their lives in the wider community.
C.

7. Recognise that the PSHE education programme is just one part of what a school can do to help a child to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and understanding they need to fulfil their potential.  Link the PSHE education programme to other whole school approaches, to pastoral support, and provide a setting where the responsible choice becomes the easy choice.  Encourage staff, families and the wider community to get involved.
A, B, C, D, E.

8. Embed PSHE education within other efforts to ensure children and young people have positive relationships with adults, feel valued and where those who are most vulnerable are identified and supported.
A, C, D, E.

9. Provide opportunities for children and young people to make real decisions about their lives, to take part in activities which simulate adult choices and where they can demonstrate their ability to take responsibility for their decisions.
B,C,D,E.

10. Provide a safe and supportive learning environment where children and young people can develop the confidence to ask questions, challenge the information they are offered, draw on their own experience, express their views and opinions and put what they have learned into practice in their own lives.
B,C,D,E.

Appendix B:

EMPOWER QUALITY ASSURANCE TEMPLATE

Name of resource

‍

Date of EMPOWER Quality Assurance  

Age group relevant to

Subject matters resource can be used for

Positives

Negatives

Did the resources meet to 5 key messages?

Yes/No

Comments

A. Wrap around support

Was advanced warning of the lesson content given, and signposting for support provided after?

B. Interesting and interactive

Were opportunities provided for discussion / opinion sharing? Was the lesson engaging?

C. Up to date

Is the resource out of date in terms of culture, technology, law and best practice?

D. Relevant

Is the resource relevant to young people’s experiences and can be applied to their lives?

E. Confidence in delivery

Was the teacher confident with delivery and have sufficient subject knowledge? If you have not seen this resource delivered, how confident do you feel teachers would be?

Additional feedback for teacher delivering resource

‍

Any other comments

Overall score for resource

/10

EMPOWER group and Teacher joint recommendations for change

‍

Date to be reviewed

Page Break

Appendix C:

EMPOWER REVIEW TEMPLATE

Name of resource

Date of EMPOWER Review

Following EMPOWER quality assurance, what has been changed about the resource and/or it’s use?

What impact has this change had?

Consider the delivery, learning, engagement.

Revised score

/10

Are there any further improvements that can be made?

EMPOWER template can be used to quality assure again if necessary

If further changes are needed, when will this be reviewed?

10.2 advisory group (young voices)

Evidence

Please explain the current impact of this grant and your work.

During our evaluation of the Young Voices project, we held three focus groups with students who created campaigns, conducted a survey in the SEND school, held interviews with four members of teaching staff, and completed two further focus groups with young people who had seen the campaigns created by their peers.

Impact for individual children and young people who have been part of participation groups

Our evaluation findings suggest that the young people who developed the campaigns recognised a range of positive benefits from being involved in Young Voices, including more confidence, feeling a sense of pride and achievement, and feeling motivated and empowered to ensure their voices were heard on a range of subjects.

Young people talked about how their involvement in the project had brought about positive change, particularly in relation to boosting their confidence. For many, this was because they had seen the positive impact of their work and had opportunities to do things outside of their comfort zone, like being on video, public speaking and talking to the media.

“I was so anxious. I have very bad anxiety, so like talking to people was horrible… And it felt like it was all sort of worth it in the end to like know that we had done that and got it across to the other people in our school”

“I do feel a bit more confident after doing this because beforehand I was not really very confident. If I saw myself on a video I’d be really embarrassed, but I’m kind of improved on that because of the project”

Young people also said that having the opportunity to voice their opinions meant a lot to them and that being involved in Young Voices had empowered them to want to do more.

“I used to be quite a quiet person, obviously not quiet in class or anything like that, but if I have an opinion I will keep it to myself, I don’t feel like I should be able to share it, but now after that I feel like I can”

“Just by doing this project I feel more confident to simply volunteer for anything else, because I said I would not volunteer for literally nothing even though I really wanted to because I was scared. So, just by doing this I feel like I’ve got a boost of confidence”

Impact on peers and contemporaries who have seen the campaigns

‍

Our evaluation suggests that students in the schools who had seen the campaigns took away very clear messages and learning about healthy relationships.  

The feedback from other students in the schools had been very positive. They said that the campaign messages had been clear and relevant to their lives, and the mediums used to share the messages made them interesting. Young people appeared to take very clear learning from the campaigns that could be applied to tangible examples.  

“Maybe I have played a role in somebody else, making them feel uncomfortable or something like that, and just learning how to change that and how to change yourself to be the better version of you, because if you’re the better version of you then the other person, they’ll be a better version of them as well”

“Like say they were in that situation at the minute. They might feel like they can’t dig their self out. They can’t carry on and go through. But if they watch the video they might be a bit like, oh, well she’s done it, I might be able to do it.”

Changing young people’s knowledge / attitudes / behaviours around healthy relationships  

Our evaluation findings suggest that throughout the project, young people learnt a great deal about healthy relationships and found that the process of participation was more educational. They recognised clear benefits of this approach and how it could be beneficial to their peers.

It was clear that the young people who had developed the campaigns appreciated the participatory approach, enabling them to talk about healthy relationships in a way that encouraged them to give their opinions, learn from each other, and have in depth discussions that generated greater learning than they were used to in lessons.  

“They could use a more practical approach because I know I realised and I see it with quite a lot of other people, learning something it’s better to do with a practical approach, so just be more involved with stuff and then it will help them reflect even more that they’ve been in a sort of pretend scenario, just making that and then addressing it and having feedback on it, it may actually let them reflect on it that, oh yeah, this is what actually is happening, I know now this is what to do if someone’s actually in what I was just acting out there. I don’t really know how to say it but be practical a bit more”.

Having these discussions helped the young people to learn about things they hadn’t previously considered, to think about healthy relationships in a different way, and to realise that unhealthy relationships can affect anyone.

“To think about it really, what we’ve done, because most of the time in a relationship, most people see that if it’s an abusive one it would be the male against the female or something like that, but we’ve addressed it, it can happen to anyone, whether they’re male or female, whatever gender or sex they are, it can happen anytime. So, it’s not just the females that actually get abused, it can be across all genders”.

Our evaluation suggests that the young people who developed the campaigns, those who saw them, and teaching staff, all recognised the benefits of peer-led campaigns in terms of the relevance of the messages as well as the way they were shared.

“I think where it’s children it’s more relatable, because like if an adult done it, it may just be like more, well a bit less obvious how we would feel if it was in our situation” (student)

“but I think it’s quite effective how it was students from our school, so we could realise how it actually happened here, and they did do a very good photography from the video and that, and it really did explain it clearly how it was like, it was our school, so like it’s saying that could be someone in our school. It gets the message across” (student)

“They’re all over it. I would never have thought to go, right, let’s skim it down to a short clip. Let’s make it TikTok like, because I’ve never watched TikTok in my life. But they know and they know what's relatable” (teaching staff)

10.3 reverse mentoring

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