Young people help to design new child protection campaign

Young people from across Angus helped to put the campaign together with Child Protection Scotland.

And the #speakupcampaign has been designed by young people in the county, in partnership with Child Protection Scotland.

Working closely with CPC Scotland, care experienced young people from the Angus Promise Hangout young people developed their ideas about how best to encourage other young people to speak up and tell their friends and/or an adult if they do not feel safe.

They also created a choreographed-style dance video as another way to send out the message to as many young people as possible. Aileymill Primary School in Greenock and Aberdeenshire Council’s Pupil Participation Forum also worked to co-design the campaign, which highlights that some children put on a mask or a happy face to hide that they are having a bad time, even if they’re being neglected or abused.

Councillor Lynne Devine, Angus Council’s Children and Learning convener, said: “Times have been extremely tough for some young people of late and it’s very easy for them to withdraw and hide their experiences and feelings when things aren’t going well for them and they’re having a bad time.

"We want all our young people to be empowered to speak up and tell someone if they don’t feel safe, at any time in their lives. Involving young people in creating campaigns like this one is so important. They are placed within our target audience and best know what messages will work and how best they can be delivered.”

Rebecca Laing, Senior Practitioner, Angus Council’s Children Families and Justice Department, said: “I’m so proud of the young care experienced people in our Promise Hangout group for helping to drive this campaign. Speaking about their own experiences was at times hard for some of the group, but their doing so has helped shape this significant campaign and ensure the important message reaches as many young people as possible.

"They’ve also added value to the campaign by coming up with their own choreographed dance and I am sure that will ensure the message reaches even more young people.”

Details can be found on the CPC Scotland website.