Safety Net News Safety Net has a steering group of children who have attended our SNAP sessions.
We provide free assertiveness training to children aged 8-13 who live in Brighton and Hove.
We run Safety Squads for children aged 8-13 who have an interest in community safety.
We also provide support to parents of children who have experienced bullying.
“I
just wanted to say how much Martin enjoyed the SNAP session last week. He has been really positive about dealing with bullying and relationship issues.” (Parent of 9 Year)
Safety Net is a Child Safety Charity based in Brighton.
Safety Net Assertiveness Programme
Coming Up…..
SNAP Taster session for children with special needs aged 8-13 and their parents. Come along to a two hour introductory session with your child and find out about SNAP.
SNAP is funded by Children In Need.
24th February at Whitehawk Youth Centre. Contact Den at Safety Net on 01273 696622 , den.mccartney@safety-net.org.uk
We provide FREE training sessions for small groups of children aged 8-13 who may have experienced bullying behaviour at school or in the community . Our sessions are also helpful to children who have low self confidence, which can mean they have difficulties maintaining friendships or standing up for themselves in a positive, non aggressive way. SNAP aims to provide additional life skills by teaching some simple assertive techniques and raising awareness of steps that children can take to keep themselves safe. SNAP sessions are FREE and take place during the school holidays or after school. We also provide specific sessions for children who are young carers, have special needs or are from a particular ethnic group through partnership working.
Also available
Parents’ Groups We run groups for parents whose children have attended SNAP. This is an opportunity for parents to support each other and learn about the SNAP techniques.
SNAP Safety on the buses Is an anti -bullying and safety training for secondary students who travel to school by bus and for secondary bus monitors.
“It is useful that the children reflected on their own choices and responsibilities as well as the right to feel safe. This will give them the confidence to take control of different feelings and situations which increase self esteem.” (Cheryl,Young Carer’s support Worker)
Coming to a school near you? FREE SNAP SESSIONS SNAP has two new workers;
Tamsin Knight and Joshua French.
Joshua is delivering SNAP sessions in the following secondary schools;
Tamsin is delivering SNAP sessions in the following schools this term;
Brighton Aldridge Community Academy
Bevendean Primary School
Dorothy Stringer
St Mary Magdalen RC School
Longhill
Rudyard Kipling Primary School
Portslade Community College
St Andrews CE Primary School.
Safety Net, Whitehawk Youth Centre, Whitehawk Road, Brighton BN2 5GD. Tel: 01273 696622 www.safety-net.org.uk
Children’s Participation
Hi! I’m Emma, Safety Net’s Participation Worker. Here is the exciting work we have been doing in the different consultation groups. Please call me regarding any of the articles 01273 696622.
Simon Kirby MP shows his support
In December I met with Simon Kirby MP who was very supportive of the work we do. Simon heard the SNAP Kids song, Bully Proof , (www.snapkids.bandcamp.com), watched the Bevendean Safety Squad’s animated movie, “Graffiti on our play equipment makes us feel unsafe” and saw footage of Playground Buddies from 12 schools explaining how the scheme has made a difference in their school and ton them as individuals. Simon said “The work Emma and the children do here is absolutely fantastic and I am very pleased to know more about it and look forward to helping in anyway I can”.
Would your school or youth service benefit from a free children’s safety consultation?
I am happy to offer the following free services across Brighton & Hove for 8-13 year olds: Consultation with your school council on safety issues Me chatting with Simon Kirby MP
Simon left a video message for the children, Harriet, aged 12 years and a member of SNAP said; “Simon was very supportive when he said that what we were doing was great and to hear that from an MP is amazing!”
Help to set up and run a Safety Squad for children living in the same area Presentations in schools assemblies/youth groups etc. Consultations with your school playground buddies to devise a piece of work that can be shown on your school website.
ANTI-BULLYING WEEK SHOWCASE EVENT In November the Safety Net Kids Showcase event was attended by 70 people made up of children, their families, friends and professionals all giving excellent feedback of their experience of the day. The Playground Buddies Peer Support Forum met in the “Consult Café”. Unfortunately, attendance from schools was poor but a special thank you and well done to St Andrews who more than made up for it producing superb video footage
that will be coming soon on the new Safety Net Kids were available to and improved answer questions and Safety Net explain in their own words “The children who interviewed Kids website! the work we do. me demonstrated an emotional intelligence and confidence that Attendees The Safety Net kids roving showed me how important the were reporters were a great work that they have been doing with Safety Net is” impressed success, carrying out a “Vox Adult Attendee. with the Pop” of opinions on safety Bevendean issues. Thanks to all reportSafety Squad movie “Graffiti in our ers, those who took part, to BH park makes us feel unsafe” and the Food Partnership for the refreshSNAP Kids performed “Bully Proof” ments, to those who donated with a dance that had been excelraffle prizes and all staff and lently choreographed by Tirion and volunteers. Bethany!
Dragons Den Success £800 awarded for Bully Proof Vests The SNAP Kids have come up with the novel idea of having t-shirts saying “Bully Proof Vest” as merchandise for the Bully Proof song. In order to raise funds to produce these, SNAP Kids presented a pitch to BHLink’s Dragons’ Den in November and after some hard bartering we were successful! Page 2
Audience member, Abi Wilson, from BHT
Legal Immigration Service wrote to me; “I thought the girls from SNAP Harriet, Tirion & me in front of the Dragons! were brilliant! I was really impressed to hear how much they had progressed since their time with SNAP and with the song they had come up with, which I’ve had in my head ever since!
It must have been an intimidating experience, but they were confident and presented their idea for the “Bully Proof Vests” brilliantly. I was bullied when I was at school and I am sure that if I had had a group like SNAP to go to outside of my school, then it would have helped enormously. Well done to them and the SNAP steering group – keep up the good work!”. T-shirts only £5 please see me!
Safety Net, Whitehawk Youth Centre, Whitehawk Road, Brighton BN2 5GD. Tel: 01273 696622 www.safety-net.org.uk
S A F E T Y NE T
Safety Net Kids Christmas Party
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Party Time The day before the Safety Net Kids Christmas party, children from SNAP, Bevendean Safety Squad, their family members and volunteers Joshua and Harriet make the hummus from Trailer Trash helped us prepare yummy delicious food from dips and salads to fruit balls! It was the first time I had run a food session and the feedback was really positive. We all had fun and everyone worked really well as a team, thank you!
The next day came and it was party time for Safety Net Kids! 30 representatives from the various consultation groups came together to have fun and realise the bigger Safety Net team they are a part of , by meeting children from the other groups. Spots Vs Stripes First Duncan and Melissa from Groundwork ran a games session that included Frisbee throwing and skittles. Both teams did really well, thank you Duncan and Melissa! Yummy Food We then sat down at the beautifully decorated Christmas tables and enjoyed the food prepared by the kids the day before. It was great hearing “I made that salad!” Gen, Joshua and Shelly were also excellent bartenders giving out SNAP Fruit Shots!
Christmas Party2009
Take to the Dance Floor Individuals dazzled us with their talent, from stand up comedy to singing, then we all had a good old boogie. It was such a special moment when the SNAP Kids stood up and did their dance routine to Bully Proof watched by the other children who soon picked up the dance moves brilliantly!
Emma
Playground Buddies identify their Playground Buddies are children own early who are specially trained to help warning signs other children feel safe at play which help times. This can be them to recthrough ognise introducing inclu“The most important when sive playground part is a child could they games, helping notice a child need to get help. This children who which is upset also helps them to may be upset quicker than a empathise with their or lonely or teacher could.” peers. taking injured children to a first (Goldstone Buddy) They also learn about body aider. language and identifying a network of adult support in Buddies learn how to
school (Helping Hand)
Tamsin Knight is our new Buddy Trainer. Since December she has trained children from Bevendean and Cottesmore Primary Schools. Future Buddy training will be taking place at St Mary Magdalen RC and Rudyard Kipling Primary Schools.
To book our FREE two hour introductory Buddy Training,contact Den or Tamsin on 01273 696622 (Weds-Fri).
‘My Journey and Me’ Bus travel is a daily part of many secondary school children’s lives.
on their journey to and from school.
A lot of work done has already been done by schools and the Brighton and Hove bus company to make bus journeys as safe and pleasant as possible. CCTV cameras have been installed and some schools even have student bus monitors to tell the driver and teachers about poor behaviour.
If you are interested in finding out more about ‘My Journey and Me’, email Joshua:
Unfortunately, bullying is still an issue on some buses, and many children feel unsafe and unhappy
Joshua French (our new Secondary School Bullying Prevention joshua.french@safetynet.org.uk. worker) is delivering sessions to help vulnerable children. In the sessions, students learn how to make themselves as safe as possible on the bus. They are also
shown how to guide their thoughts towards becoming increasingly confident and assertive in challenging situations. Sessions are being delivered at Longhill School and Patcham High School. Safety Net is keen to widen the scope of the project in the future. Nobody should feel un-
happy on their way to and from school
Safety Net, Whitehawk Youth Centre, Whitehawk Road, Brighton BN2 5GD. Tel: 01273 696622 www.safety-net.org.uk
Safety Net, Whitehawk Youth Centre, Whitehawk Road, Brighton BN2 5GD. Tel: 01273 696622 www.safety-net.org.uk