29-SEP-05
A new interactive film to address the prevention of Anti Social Behaviour through education is being shown across schools in Bolton.
The film, entitled ‘Up 2 U’, is aimed at 9 to 13 year olds and highlights many aspects of Anti Social Behaviour and disorder including crime, vandalism, bullying, graffiti, hoax 999 calls and drug abuse.
The film goes further to engage pupils in interactive storylines and explores both positive and negative consequences of choices the viewers can make in relation to anti social activity and behaviour.
Ten year old children at St William of York RC Primary School in Bolton recently took part in the film presentation, exploring situations where peer pressure could lead to Anti Social Behaviour.
Faced with a situation in the film where police question a teenager about their part in committing an act of vandalism, the school children considered possible consequences of whether or not to tell the truth and what they would do in a similar situation.
The children looked at fear, which could be experienced to protect others, even amounting to taking all of the blame. The children decided someone in that position should tell the truth to stop the Anti Social Behaviour from continuing and potentially becoming more serious, moving on to make new friends who would provide better role models rather than a bad influence.
Raising awareness among young people about the consequences and detrimental effects that Anti Social Behaviour can have on individuals and communities reinforces Bolton at Home’s continuing commitment to effectively deal with Anti Social Behaviour. This includes a preventative approach as well as enforcement and rehabilitation.
Cllr Noel Spencer, Chair of Bolton at Home said: “Raising awareness of Anti Social Behaviour among young people is very important if we are to achieve a reduction in incidents of Anti Social Behaviour and criminal activity in the future.”
The success of the film will be closely monitored with the use of
questionnaires and surveys to identify whether young people have a better
understanding of the effects of Anti Social Behaviour on individuals and
communities.
