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Here is a ‘snap-shot’ of some of the Street-focused safety training for young people.
This training can be delivered to secondary school mainstream and supported learners as well as a version for FE and HE students
Street-Strong Street-Safe – for young learners
A ‘County Lines’ Response
Combatting Child Criminal Exploitation and Knife-Crime
So what is County Lines?
‘County Lines’, is the name given to the criminal exploitation and trafficking of children and vulnerable people within the UK. You may have seen mention of this over the last weeks in many newspapers and other media. The corresponding guidance to combat this has been prepared by the National Crime Agency and supported by the Home Office, Ending Youth and Gang Violence and Exploitation forum, of which I am a member. Let me give you this simple example of a County Lines scenario.
A parent/teacher/carer or other Safeguarder is contacted by the police and informed that, Chrissie, a 14-year-old boy/girl in their charge, from ‘Bigtown” has been arrested in ‘Seasidetown’ in possession of class A dugs and £600 in cash. They were found in the house of a vulnerable adult with learning difficulties, called David. David has absolutely no connection to the child. Chrissie is a persistent missing from home however this is the first time they have been arrested. Initially this sounds like the young person is a minor drug dealer, maybe under the charge of the vulnerable adult – however in this case, this is not correct!!!
Chrissie had been groomed over a period of time by an established drug dealer from “Bigtown”, that had spread his dealing operations from the City, to ‘Seasidetown’, (County). Less organised criminals, less gangsters, more of a market place.
This same drug dealer/gang member had previously sent down a ‘team’ of his street dealers and ‘soldiers’ to establish the drug market.
These criminals quickly identified Dave as vulnerable and ‘cuckooed’ (invaded!!) his address, making it their drug-dealing den by force or coercion.
So, in fact the pair are better described as victims and not only should we be looking to prosecute the drug dealer/gangster for dealing, but also for potential slavery, exploitation and human trafficking!!!
This is obviously only a very basic example as this activity can also occur within a city or town, and not just City to County. There are other aspects of County Lines that you will discover when you read the National Crime Agency guidance.
‘Street-Strong, Street-Safe’ is a highly interactive one-hour workshop, specifically designed to increase awareness, educate and challenge young people’s understanding of the dangers of criminal exploitation and the consequences of becoming involved in travelling to other regions or away from ’home’ areas, in order to deal class A drugs or commit associated crime. (County Lines)
By using ‘Real-Life-story-delivery’, the scenarios presented also explore and address; grooming, drug abuse, debt bondage, street-gangs, CSE, grooming, social responsibility and diversity. Also specifically addresses gun and knife-crime.
This resource has been specifically designed for children between the ages of 11 -17 years, and has been widely delivered across the UK in mainstream, PRU and supported learning establishments.
The workshop consists of learners following a virtual- journey taken by 15-year olds Adam and Natasha, as they are groomed and subsequently exploited by an older male, Lee, to travel from their local area into neighbouring regions, to become involved in drug dealing and associated crime.
Throughout the input, the learners will watch as the pair become involved in real life situations, and will discuss their actions, reactions and the possible outcomes and consequences of Adam and Natasha’s behaviour.
The workshop will enable young learners to explore, reflect and challenge some of the behaviour that the pair demonstrates and to discuss potential solutions as to the difficult situations that they find themselves in.
The resource aims are to educate young learners and offer advice, potential solutions and guidance that will empower them to build a personal resilience to criminal exploitation and to assist them to address and/or combat the threats of individuals that wish to do them harm.
Please contact me if you would like to book this session or discuss other training available for your children or staff.
Dean Coady OBE 07885597690 deancoady@urbanpuresolutions.com
Please note, I have delivered this Gangs Awareness training in many schools and colleges throughout the UK and it has also been an absolute honour to also have been requested to deliver this training at local Mosques in the Manchester area. Thank you Al Furqan, Ar Rahman Mosques- Moss Side and Didsbury Mosque, for your support in sharing this message.
Girls and Gangs Project
Includes general delivery and also specific training for young women in Secure Training Centres
Cody’s Choices – Child Sexual Exploitation (made in company with NWG)
10% of any fees obtained from the above CSE training pack, will be given to National Working Group. This organisation is a registered charity and supports those affected by Child Sexual Exploitation- (Charity Ref 1125632)
Each of the Citizen Projects are not only educational but also early intervention models, designed to directly identify, explore and address the vulnerability of young people affected by the threat of Extremism, Child Sexual Exploitation and Street Gangs.
The Citizen project is an interesting and interactive engagement product, designed for children and young adults, between the ages of 11-17 years, parents and carers and also safeguarding professionals that work with young people.
The aims of each Citizen project resource are to increase awareness, to educate and to challenge young people and the adults that support them, in relation to their understanding of the dangers of potential Extremist activity, Child Sexual Exploitation and the threat of Street Gangs in our communities.
The Citizen Projects can be used to facilitate both individual and group delivery and intervention and may also be used to increase the awareness and knowledge of teachers, social workers and other safeguarding staff and organisations that have children and young people in their charge.
Each of these projects consists of learners following a cyber-journey taken by the two main characters, as they travel through the area that they live in.
The presentations have the general appearance of an interactive computer game accessed via tablet PC, with the main ‘story-line’ being re-enforced by video clips or by discussing realistic scenarios that the characters become involved in.
All Citizen Projects are 1 hour in duration and facilitate plenary sessions, whereby the learners discuss the actions, reactions and the possible outcomes of the main character’s behaviour.
This inclusive approach has been specifically designed to allow learners with limited academic ability, and/or those individuals who may not have English as their first language, to fully engage in each session.
Each exercise enables young learners to explore, reflect and challenge the behaviour that these characters demonstrate and will allow them a forum to discuss potential solutions, as to the difficult situations that the characters find themselves in.
The intention of each project is not only to educate young learners, but to offer solutions that will empower them to build a personal resilience against those involved in Extremist activity, Child Sexual Exploitation and Street Gangs.
I have researched, developed and designed corresponding lesson plans, trainer’s notes, interactive power-point presentations and feedback sheets in relation to all projects mentioned above.
I have also prepared a strategic delivery document, which details a proposed system of engagement with schools and other organisations that have children and young adults in their charge.
All of the Citizen Projects have been trialled, amended and trialled again in some challenging areas throughout Manchester.
Albeit the positive feedback from Safeguarders attending these inputs is always welcome, it is the young people’s response that motivates me to continue to develop new approaches to the threat, risks and vulnerabilities facing them.
I am continually working on new engagement and safeguarding products, so please check out the rest of this web-site to see if I can assist you in your efforts to support others”.
urbanpuresolutions.com 