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EdShift CIC Act Out Speak Up Project

In 2018, 173 people were killed in domestic violence-related homicides, according to data obtained from 43 police forces across the UK - an increase of 32 deaths on 2017.
The impact this will have on future generations is unknown but what we do know is a domestic or dating violence incident takes place every 24 minutes and it is believed that 1 in 5 children in the UK are also witness to or exposed to this crime during childhood. 4,626 incidents of domestic abuse were reported to Calderdale Police in 2018, an increase of 6.1% from the previous year.  Furthermore at the end of 2019 The NSPCC called for a 'radical rethink' after a study revealed almost 19,000 victims of sexual grooming had been identified in a year.


EdShift CIC is a drama-based learning company that provides workshops and digital resources in mainstream and alternative education. We work with young people aged from 7 to 16 years across Calderdale, with an initial focus on the most deprived areas. Our Act Out/ Speak Up project works with whole schools; pupils, teachers, parents  & carers to champion and promote healthy relationships through drama-based approaches.


We aim to challenge deep rooted social norms and gender-based inequalities that reinforce domestic violence, child sexual exploitation and the impact these have on a victim’s mental health and well being. We campaign to raise awareness across the whole school, encouraging everyone to take a zero-tolerance approach to sexism, sexual harassment and abuse, empowering schools and building stronger, safer communities.

The project aims to prevent abusive behaviour from forming and increase victim empathy by equipping participants with the skills, information & resources to identify, speak up and safely leave harmful relationships before abuse happens. Workshops aim to form and challenge children & young people’s beliefs and expectations of relationships, educating participants of the deep-rooted social norms that reinforce domestic violence and sexual exploitation and how these link to gender.

The project promotes that abuse and exploitation is ‘everyone’s business’, encouraging pupils, staff and parents and carers to ‘talk about it’, empowering the communities to become more proactive in tackling domestic abuse and exploitation.  The project equip's young people with up to date information and resources on how to report domestic abuse and exploitation to police, leading to earlier identification, reduction in risk escalation; leading to safer, more cohesive communities.

Our Act Out Speak up Project is the vehicle with which we will drive social change and eradicate domestic violence & child sexual exploitation from our communities. It will enable EdShift to become one step closer to achieving our vision, that one day, in this world every one will have the skills and courage to seek and achieve, healthy, equal and fulfilling relationships. 

We have set ourselves our 20/20 mission.

20 schools in 2020.  
 
We are therefore asking for vital funds to help deliver the project in 20 schools.

In order to do this we are raising money from a diverse number of sources to help contribute to the development of vital resources so that children and young people can engage in an embedded learning experience. 

Be a part of the radical rethink;  help us dramatically redefine relationships to the next generation and beyond. 
 






Organizer

Ellie Brook
Organizer
England

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