New pilot programme for Tameside schools launched to challenge violence and harassment against girls

A new pilot programme has been launched in Tameside to educate both boys and girls about what constitutes violence against women and girls and what its effects are.

The scheme, which has been commissioned by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council and developed in partnership with safeguarding leads, commissioners, teachers, parents and young people, will be delivered by the national relationships charity, TLC: Talk, Listen Change.

Across the borough, the pilot will run for between eight and ten weeks and will be implemented in a number of forward-thinking schools, including three primary schools which have launched the programme already and a number of secondary schools aiming to join the pilot this September.

Leaders at the schools, which include Millbrook, Hurst Knoll St. James' C of E and Holy Trinity C of E Primary Schools, are committed to tackling negative beliefs and attitudes to women in the classroom, which led to their decision to get involved with the pilot.

Teachers and government officials are concerned about the disturbing rise in incidents, with the National Education Union (NEU) linking the rise to increasing use of phones and social media among school-aged children.

This shocking rise was highlighted in recent research by Safe Lives that showed nearly half of boys and a third of girls aged 13 & 14 thought that hitting a partner would be ‘okay’ in at least one of twelve scenarios they were presented with.

These feelings are also transferring into the classroom, with another recent survey from

the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) finding that nearly a third of girls

surveyed don’t feel safe from sexual harassment in school.

The pilot programme’s lessons will focus on a range of topics including emotional wellbeing, identifying unhealthy & abusive behaviours, online literacy & objectification and informed approaches to consent, using age appropriate content to support healthier relationships.

There will also be a section on how to spot incidents of sexism and public harassment with lessons on allyship designed to create a holistic approach to supporting safer schools for women and girls.

Outside of the classroom, the pilot will also aim to build frameworks for reporting and policy, including incident recording and how to set school policy to create a supportive environment for girls across both primary and secondary education.

John Hughes, Service Manager for Talk, Listen, Change said: “The sad fact is that we’ve seen a shocking rise in sexism in our schools over the past few years.

“Many children now have near limitless access to a range of potentially harmful online content that is being spread by hugely influential online figures. This content is negatively influencing a generation of young people, and has the potential to impact the safety of women and girls throughout the school system.

“That’s why this new pilot is so important. We need to be having frank, honest conversations with children that might be exposed to these attitudes and help them to understand how to build healthy relationships and how to support each other.

“Ultimately, we want to create a supportive environment for girls across every school in the country. They have a right to feel safe and supported in the classroom, on the playground and throughout their lives at school, and we’re totally committed to educating both boys and girls about what constitutes violence against women and girls and what its effects are.”

Jonathon Hobday, Headteacher at Hurst Knoll St James’ CE Primary School said: “When we were given the opportunity to be part of this pilot project, we jumped at the chance.

“Being part of the pilot means we can shape the learning and understanding of our children now and the children who will access this programme in the future. We are very proud of our diverse community and the measures that we take to ensure that everyone feels welcome, safe and valued. If people feel secure, then they can thrive.

“Governors, teachers and parents are all concerned about the content being accessed by young people, especially online, and want them to have the knowledge and understanding to challenge inappropriate content and to be an ally for those being targeted. By working together with our young people and their families, we hope to make the world a safer, more welcoming place for everyone’”

Cllr Eleanor Wills, Tameside Council Executive Member of Population Health said: “While this is a national issue, we want to be as proactive as possible at a local level in helping to tackle it.

“Helping to educate and support young people in challenging violence and harassment against women and girls is a huge step in starting to change behaviours now and in future years. I hope the young people come away from the sessions feeling informed, heard and empowered.”