£73,000 boost to keep young people safe!

A school-based programme which helps young people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight avoid being exploited or drawn into knife crime, has been extended thanks to a funding boost of more than £73,000 from Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones.

Choices is targeted at pupils in year 6 and 7 (aged 10-12) to offer extra support during the potentially vulnerable transition period from primary to secondary school. It aims to empower them to make positive decisions in an ever-changing world and includes teacher training, teacher-led classroom sessions and theatre-based pupil workshops.

The programme is part of a comprehensive approach to the prevention of serious violence, coordinated by the PCCs’ Violence Reduction Unit (VRU). Donna Jones has reaffirmed her commitment to the project, by agreeing to extend the funding for it until March 2026, which sees the project’s total funding reach £360,000.

Since Choices was first introduced in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, it has been delivered to 7,665 pupils and 445 school staff, across 92 schools. After training, 92% of staff reported feeling more confident, with 90% more knowledgeable in using creative thinking to reduce risks related to county lines, knife crime and exploitation.

Speaking about the extension of the programme, Donna Jones said: “It is vital that we help these young people to make the right choices at a time of great change in their lives. I am delighted to be able to extend the reach of this Choices programme into the new school year.

“Research shows that children in Year’s 6 and 7 are more likely to disengage from education and because of that, they are more vulnerable to exploitation or getting involved in crime.

“Knife crime, gang violence and county lines drug operations are all risks for children at this age if they make the wrong decisions.

“This innovative Choices programme aims to reduce that risk, while enabling children to make healthy decisions, build positive relationships and respond in the right way when facing potentially risky situations.”

Designed and delivered by Artswork in partnership with BearFace Theatre, Choices aims to improve protection from risks, build trust in schools, police and the wider community. The VRU works in partnership to prevent serious violence across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and this programme is one of several designed to make our communities safer.

The programme supports a trauma-informed approach and is an evidence-based model, which includes training for teaching staff.

Alongside lived experiences, there is a preventative approach to help reduce the risk of children entering the criminal justice system and becoming victims of abuse.

Training for staff includes how to raise awareness of knife crime, child-to-child violence, county lines, and exploitation, while also ensuring they become aware of and how to support children who come to them with concerns.

The strength of the Choices programme comes from not using scare tactics or directly focussing on the sensitive topics of knife crime and exploitation, as the emphasis centres on supporting children to identify risky situations, make positive choices, resist peer pressure and seek help from trusted adults.

The programme is mainly delivered by school staff, ensuring that Choices is a sustainable initiative which staff can use with future groups of students as well as other year groups.

Further information can be found here Choices – Police and Crime Commissioner