PCC brings online safety pilot to secondary school.

An interactive safety project that has already engaged thousands of young people across County Durham and Darlington has now been rolled out to a secondary school in a move to keep older children safe.

Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen’s visit to Ferryhill School at the end of February was an opportunity to meet the first cohort of Year 7 pupils to embark on the Commissioner’s Challenge Platinum Award Scheme designed around the theme of cyber safety. Around 180 students at the school are being offered the chance to undertake the challenge and all those who successfully complete the modules will be entered into a prize draw with the opportunity to win an I-Pad.

Since the PCC rolled-out the Commissioner’s Challenge programme county-wide in September, more than 3,000 primary school pupils have signed up.

Developed and delivered by community organisation Approach Too, in conjunction with the PCC, the interactive project encourages young people to take part in a host of crime prevention activities including litter picking, safe road practices and property marking with UV markers to secure bronze, silver and gold badges. The aim is to equip them with them with the knowledge they need to make safe choices now and in the future.

The initiative has been so successful, the Commissioner is now offering it to Year 7 pupils at Ferryhill School with the promise of a Platinum Award for those who successfully complete the six challenges set out in the Commissioner’s Challenge work booklet. A ceremony will take place after Easter to honour those who secure the award and if the pilot is success, the Commissioner could roll it out countywide.  

The PCC attended a launch event alongside Assistant Chief Constable Tonya Antonis who chatted to the pupils about rising levels of online crime and the risks this posed.

Launching the award scheme, Commissioner Allen said: “I am excited to launch the Commissioner’s Challenge Platinum Award to Year 7 pupils at Ferryhill School. Online safety is an important issue for all young people and their parents, with the risks of internet-based fraud and exploitation growing all the time. These crimes are often preventable, and I am pleased to be working with Approach Too to share valuable insight and practical skills that will help young people protect themselves and their families online.

“The programme is designed to empower young people to become effective leaders so they can share their new-found knowledge to protect their peers, siblings and parents. In this way, they will play an active role in making their communities and the world around them safer, stronger and more resilient to cybercrime.

“The programme is being delivered before the transition to the teenage years and will hopefully strike a chord to help prevent future harm. I was very impressed with the interest and energy of our first cohort of Year 7s. As trailblazers of this project, we will be listening to their experiences to benefit other pupils taking part in the scheme in the future.”  

The Commissioner’s Challenge booklet was developed by Jack Gooday – a fourth year student studying cyber security under the supervision of the North East Business Resilience Centre (NEBRC). The PCC is already working with the NEBRC on a project to provide educational institutions across the county heavily subsidised cyber security services to provide them from a cyberattack.

Steve Handley, Assistant Headteacher of Ferryhill School, said: “The Platinum Commissioner’s Challenge will see 180 students complete a series of tasks which will help keep themselves, their family, and friends safer, stronger and more resilient to cybercrime.

“We live in a time where smartphones, computers and the internet are such a fundamental part of modern life it's difficult to imagine how we'd function without them. From online banking and shopping, to email and social media, it's more important than ever to prevent cyber criminals getting access to our online accounts, data, and devices.

“Simple steps can help us stay safe and secure online, and that’s what the Platinum Commissioners Challenge is all about. Very big thank you to Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen for giving the young people in Ferryhill the opportunity to lead on such an innovative project.”

Martin Wilson, from the North East Business Resilience Centre, added: “Small, simple steps can make a huge difference to our online safety and vastly reduce the chances of our accounts being hacked; the Platinum Challenge not only explains some of these steps but empowers young people to understand how to keep themselves and their loved ones' accounts safer.”

The theme of prevention unites all the PCC’s Police and Crime Plan priorities and throughout her term she has dedicated funding to expand youth provision to reduce the risk of young people becoming victims or perpetrators of crime. She has also pledged to divert young people from the criminal justice system through a range of educational, employment, leisure and training activities.

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