Co-Creation and Innovation in School Workshops: A Successful Pilot

At Victim Support, we’re passionate about creating meaningful connections and innovative solutions to support our communities. Recently, we teamed up with The Crypt School for an exciting pilot project aimed at helping students understand the impacts of crime and develop empathy. Here’s a look at our journey and the fantastic outcomes we achieved together.

Building Relationships Through Work Experience

Our adventure began with a successful work experience placement for a sixth form student. This positive experience opened the door to deeper conversations with the school about their concerns regarding crime and the best ways to support their students. This collaboration showcased the immense value of work experience in building strong, productive relationships with schools.

Co-Producing Workshops

Our Community Engagement team (of staff and volunteers) joined forces with the school’s pastoral team to co-create the workshop content. Through engaging discussions, we aligned our values with the school’s needs and designed a comprehensive workshop. Lizzy led and designed the sessions, with John and Community Engagement Volunteers Charlotte and Reese providing invaluable support, delivering to all five Year 8 classes.

Engaging Students and Parents

The workshops reached 139 students directly and engaged over 1,000 parents through a detailed write-up in the school newsletter. We also provided various informational leaflets to the school, ensuring that students and parents had access to our services.

Feedback and Reflections

The feedback from the school was overwhelmingly positive. Students appreciated the opportunity to explore the real-life impacts of crime and develop empathy through interactive activities and case studies. Teachers noted the growth in students’ awareness and understanding, emphasising the importance of empathy in personal development.

“It was a very interesting workshop, and it allowed you to think and reflect on the issues people face. It allowed me to stand in their shoes, if only for a moment and think about things from a different perspective.” – Year 8 student.

Test and Learn Approach

Based on observing the effectiveness of student engagement during the sessions, and feedback from students and teachers we learned a lot about how we might develop the workshops for the future. We plan to introduce some interactive games that will encourage different groups to interact. Despite the physical setup of the classrooms posing challenges, the interactive nature of the sessions and the involvement of multiple facilitators proved highly effective in allowing students to engage individually or as groups.

Whole School Approach

Our work in primary schools, particularly with the Hedgehog early-intervention resource, has laid a strong foundation for engaging young children in conversations about healthy relationships, prevention and victim’s rights. By linking these efforts with our secondary school workshops, we aim to create a consistent, trauma-informed approach across all educational stages.

“The workshops really challenged our students to see the world from different perspectives. It’s been brilliant to watch them grow in awareness and understanding.” – Crypt School Teacher

Next Steps

The successful pilot at The Crypt School has set the stage for expanding our workshops to more schools. By continuing to innovate and co-create with educational institutions, we aim to build a safer, more empathetic community for all students.