A CAMPAIGN has been launched to offer support to 16 to 25-year-olds in Worcestershire and help them stay safe.
GET THERE has been started by the Worcestershire Get Safe Partnership which has worked with youth groups and community services for young people over 16 across the county.
The scheme will develop a specific response to tackling child criminal exploitation, including guidance for practitioners and a website for young people.
Three launch events were held in partnership with Heart Of Worcestershire College and held at The Spires Theatre on their Worcester campus.
On the VIP guestlist for the performance, alongside college students, were school students and the youth groups who helped develop Get There with 152 young people attending throughout the day.
At the launch, a professional theatre company highlighted what exploitation was and how it could escalate quickly.
The drama was hard-hitting and covered topics including drug trafficking, criminal and sexual exploitation, explaining to young people about methods perpetrators might use to engage and then exploit young people.
Young people had the chance to ask questions anonymously and answer polls about how confident they felt spotting the signs of exploitation and who they would tell if they were worried about themselves or a friend.
Results showed – after the events – young people had a better understanding of what exploitation was and were more confident about spotting the signs.
They also highlighted the top issues young people were concerned about – sexual abuse, knife crime and drink spiking in pubs and clubs.
Tina Russell, Chief Executive of Worcestershire Children First and Director of Children’s Services said: “These events are another example of the impact that GET THERE can make within our community.
“To have support from our local colleges and young people to create these events to discuss an uncomfortable topic such as exploitation is a great success for Worcestershire.”
Worcestershire Children First received an iESE Certificate of Excellence at a recent awards due to the exemplary standard of the work demonstrated in their submission for GET SAFE and GET THERE.
• Visit worcestershire.gov.uk/getthere/ for more on the scheme.
