New scheme launched to promote healthy relationships

A healthy relationships programme is being delivered in schools to address misogyny, inappropriate behaviour and domestic abuse.

The bespoke programme is being delivered across Kirkby-in-Ashfield as part of the £750,000 Home Office funding through Safer Streets, secured by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire with support from local partners, to help end violence against women and girls and make public spaces safer.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire, Ashfield District Council and Nottinghamshire Police have teamed up with domestic abuse charity Equation and local schools to deliver the course. The programme provides interactive and awareness sessions to address gender-based violence, domestic abuse and adverse behaviours towards women and girls.

The sessions will help build young people’s understanding of relationships, encourage them to aspire to have healthy relationships and begin to recognise when relationships become unhealthy. The projects will also raise awareness of support services available for young people such as Juno Women’s Aid and Childline.

The projects will:

• Raise self-esteem, confidence and aspirations
• Improve understanding about the young peoples’ selves and their identity
• Promote choice
• Promote benefit to working with others
• Encourage healthy relationships and access to support
• Increase understanding of young peoples’ rights and responsibilities over their own bodies

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said: “Promoting healthy relationships from a young age is so important when it comes to preventing violence against women and girls because it is much harder to unravel entrenched toxic attitudes in adults.

“Safer Streets funding is allowing us to reach even more young people who will hopefully grow up to care for and respect their partners. By instilling the right attitudes now it will prevent issues such as misogyny and domestic violence in the future.”   

 Cllr Helen Ann Smith, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Community Safety and Crime Reduction at Ashfield District Council, said: “The Council and its partners are positively engaging with local schools to address domestic abuse, improve feelings of safety and provide safe spaces for young people.

“Through the £750,000 Safer Streets funding that we have secured, we are delivering a number of initiatives to enhance community safety and make the District a safer place to live, work and visit.’’

Antonio Taylor, Community Safety Manager at Ashfield District Council, added: "As a Council and partnership, we are absolutely committed to addressing violence against women and girls and making our public spaces safer.

“Early discussions with young people are really important to help understand what a healthy relationship is and what is acceptable. The work will promote confidence to make healthy choices, how to access support and report incidents if any concerns arise.’’

Anthea Tainton, Chief Executive Officer at Equation, said: "We are delighted to be building on the work being delivered across schools in the Ashfield area, our targeted projects help us to engage with those young people who want to learn and understand more about healthy relationships.

“Young people know they want to have and deserve to have healthy relationships, but they don’t always understand what that looks like. Equation’s projects support young people to identify healthy qualities, make positive choices alongside building self-esteem and confidence.”