STUDENTS GIVEN CRIME PREVENTION MESSAGE
29th April 2005
Sixth form students in Gloucester are to be given a lesson in crime prevention, thanks to a newly produced video and DVD.
The film, which is accompanied by a booklet, has been produced by Gloucester’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership in conjunction with Gloucestershire University.
It has previously been distributed to the University’s freshers, and is now being extended to take in Gloucester youngsters who are planning to head to universities around the country in September.
The ‘Wise Up’ series aims to offer students simple tips on how to avoid becoming victims of crime. Safety advice ranges over a wide area of issues of particular importance to students including personal safety, protection of mobile phones, drugs awareness, vehicle security and hate crime.
The video was made by Gloucestershire University’s Film Studies tutor, Bob Brocklehurst, with the assistance of many of his students. Additional funding was provided by Crimestoppers, Endsleigh Insurance, CRIMEBEAT and Government Office South West.
“The last thing we want to do is worry students unnecessarily, “ said Pat Dabbs from Gloucester CDRP, “but we do want them to think responsibly about their safety – especially if this is their first time away from home.
“We have been working with the University of Gloucestershire for the last few years and have tried to come up with practical ways of helping the students to reduce their chances of becoming victims of crime.
“In previous years, we’ve had stalls at the Oxstalls Campus in Gloucester during ‘Freshers’ Week’ to give crime prevention and fire safety advice, we’ve produced leaflets on safe accommodation, given away UV marker pens and post-coded mobile phones for the students.”
Both the ten-minute DVD and booklet have been sent out to heads of Sixth Forms throughout the city for use with Year 13 pupils.
“As students are currently considering their futures, completing their UCAS forms, choosing accommodation, locations and equipment to take with them, this is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of personal safety issues without raising fears for the future,” added Pat.