The Safe Project

Bullying is a real problem in schools. Every school has their own bullying policy but very few have an anti-bullying charter.
Based on feedback from its close links with the local community, Plymouth Sound felt they could play an important part in helping to develop an initiative to tackle the problem of bullying in all Plymouth secondary schools, working closely with the people most affected – the students themselves.

Our objective was to help students take ownership of the problems surrounding bullying and feel empowered and positive about tackling them. It was important that they led the process of putting together and implementing the COUNTRY’S FIRST EVER CITY WIDE ANTI BULLYING CHARTER.

Supported by 12 out of the 14 secondary schools in Plymouth we toured the schools using our Black Thunder Bus to promote the initiative, talk to students and teachers, collect suggestions and offer support and literature. We also asked for student volunteers to join our SAFE panel to drive the initiative forward.

As a result, we received an enormous response from the young people with over 800 suggestions for inclusion in the Charter.

We worked closely with the Youth Enquiry Service, Devon & Cornwall Police and Connexions Devon & Cornwall but, most importantly, we enjoyed the full support of Principals and staff from the participating schools. With input from these organisations and the young people who volunteered, we were able to set up The Safe Panel.

From the all the suggestions received from the young people, The SAFE panel were able to identify the four main areas on which to base The Charter:

  • Physical Security,
  • Counselling & Communication,
  • Reporting
  • Punishment and then define the key elements for each one.

The SAFE Charter was successfully launched in print version in time for the start of the new school year 2006.

For Phase two of this initiative Plymouth Sound Unite have joined with BlueScreenIT to develop a website design competition to create an interactive web based platform of the Safe Charter.

This project will enable young people to have continued ownership of this project, whilst enabling students to gain IT skills and experience through getting involved in a real world project to be completed to specific standards.