The Metropolitan Police has launched a website for young people to inform them about crime and safety issues ranging from bullying and drugs to gang crime.
Aimed at 11- to 16-year-olds, the Safe website presents facts on policing and crime as well as advice sections and information on the law and people’s rights.
Young people from a range of backgrounds helped to design the site. Ollie Hughes, a 16-year-old from Wandsworth, said:
“Young people are a lot more internet savvy than their parents and we’re usually a lot more comfortable online and know how to research and find information, so I think Safe will be used by young people to find things out.”
On the contacts section of the site young people can find the name of their local Safer Schools police officers, who are tasked with working closely with secondary schools in London to address crime and safety concerns. There are also resources for teachers.
Chief Superintendent Adrian Hanstock who oversaw the development of the site, said: “Safe is a website designed in partnership with young people for young people. They are big users of the internet and consume a lot of information online so the Met needs a presence in that space.
“The new site also provides a dedicated page for teachers and hosts a number of resources including teaching packs, links to support organisations and crime prevention films.”
From an article by Janaki Mahadevan Children & Young People Now, 29 July 2010
