What is TARGET?
Service Six provides the TARGET Project, funded by Big Lottery for three years ( from April 2017)
The project aims to challenge the many and increasing dangers to children and young people online, supporting 900+ young people aged 5-18 year olds in Northamptonshire and Leicestershire.

TARGET fingings
618 young people aged 5-18 years surveyed
51% regularly contacted online by strangers
36% received indecent sexual media including child images
26% sent indecent sexual media
19% asked to meet strangers
8% met strangers

Worryingly only 0.5% reported this to an adult 

The project aims for all young people involved to increase their online protective behaviours, improve their wellbeing and increase their transferable knowledge and skills and as part of the TARGET Outcomes they are looking to create Youth Led Educational Information Workshops.

Research shows that often young people respond better to other young people so Service Six has been coming in once a week this term to work with some students from Year 10, 11 and 13 to assist them in delivering some workshop type assemblies during Enterprise Week, 17th – 10th October, on CSE (Child Sexual Exploitation), cyberbullying and social media. They want to promote the safe use of the internet. 

As parents you can reiterate the message of safety and there are sources of help and advice: 
CEOP - The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre is the UK's national law enforcement agency that focuses on tackling the sexual abuse of children. They have a facility for reporting abuse directly via the CLICK CEOP button on their website. ceop.police.uk 
CEOP Thinkuknow  - Thinkuknow is an education initiative by CEOP providing a wide range of resources for young people, their families and those who work with them. www.thinkuknow.co.uk 
ChildLine - Free helpline and website for young people who are worried about anything, including grooming and exploitation. www.childline.org.uk Call 0800 1111 
The Breck Foundation Raises awareness about playing safe whilst using the internet. A resource for parents and children to “Play Virtual / Live Real.” www.breckbednar.com

One of the stories that they have looked at is Breck’s story where he was groomed online for a long time to gain trust and “friendship” with someone who was actually lying to him and manipulating him. Breck was gaming with some real friends on Lewis Daynes’ server. The stereotypical image can often be of an older man who is pretending to be a child – in fact Lewis Daynes was only 18. Breck went to meet this so called friend and fellow gamer who he looked up to but was brutally murdered on February 17th 2014 aged just 14. This foundation has been set up in his memory to help other young people enjoy playing online but crucially to be aware of some simple rules to stay safe and to always remember that the friends that are made online are not like real friends

Be aware	Opening files, accepting emails, IM messages, pictures or texts from people you don’t know or trust can lead to problems  - they may contain viruses or nasty messages
Report it	Tell your parent, or trusted adult if someone or something makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied
Educate	Someone online might lie about who they are and information on the internet may not be true. Always check information with other websites, books or someone who knows. If you like chatting online it’s best to only chat to your real friends and family
Communicate	Meeting someone you have met online can be dangerous. Remember online friends are still strangers even if you have been talking to them for a long time. Never meet up with them alone and always speak to a parent or carer beforehand.
Keep Safe	Keep safe by being careful not to give your personal information when you are chatting or posting online. Personal information includes your email address, phone number, password, location

 

 

L. Greenaway