The ‘Personal Safety Zone' showcases a realistic and interactive experience that explores potential dangers that young people and kids may face as they grow up and gain more independence. The new zone deals with peer pressure, coercion, knife crime and county lines and aims to teach children about current risks, what they can do to avoid them and keep themselves and their friends safe.
Speaking about the new zone, CEO Elaine Stephenson said, "Children at a younger age are increasingly being coerced into drug dealing and being groomed into other criminal activity both offline and online. Warning Zone works with 10 and 11 year-olds, educating them in interactive ways on current risks and keeping themselves and their friends safe. Our new Personal Safety Zone addresses resilience to coercion, county lines, knife crime, unhealthy relationships and what to do if you're in these situations.
"This zone has been developed in partnership with schools, our volunteers, the VRN (Violence Reduction Network), OPCC (Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner), the Police's Child Criminal Coercion team, Leicestershire County Council Safe Housing, the Ben Kinsella Trust, the Museum for Justice Nottingham, and Juice - the design company which very generously gave their time, expertise and creativity to make the concept and ideas work in practice. A massive thank you to you all.
"We are opening up more volunteering opportunities, so if you would like to be part of the movement to make our next generation safer, email [email protected] and we'll get you in for an induction."
The Commissioner commended the new zone by saying, "I am always hugely impressed whenever I visit Warning Zone but was particularly impressed at how many issues were covered in such a short space of time during this new zone. Everyone at Warning Zone and Juice has done a brilliant job, and I thank them for their efforts and dedication. My office and I are proud to provide some funding for Warning Zone's projects.
"Crime is constantly changing, and children and young people must be aware of their vulnerabilities. I'm pleased to see that yet again Warning Zone has proven itself capable of renewal and is keeping ahead of the curve when it comes to issues like county lines and knife crime that exploits and affects so many young people.
"It is clear that Warning Zone's value is not only realism and effectiveness but also its reach. Schools from all over Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland are utilising this resource and I would encourage any school who hasn't yet been to arrange to come and see Warning Zone. The education that pupils receive is second to none, and that is the first step in preventing exploitation and crime."
