Four recent York St John graduates play a central role in a new e-safety campaign

It has been piloted at a number of North Yorkshire schools and has been so successful it will be rolled out across the county from April.

One key element of the county wide campaign is an interactive play looking at the issues of concern involved. Theatre academics from the University's Faculty of Arts, Rachel Conlon and Jules Dorey Richmond were commissioned to work in partnership with the campaign to create the play and have employed four recent Theatre graduates from the University to be actors in the piece.

The play, It Was Only A Text, looks at four young people who, through the medium of social media, experience the potential risks associated with online safety. It is based on issues that young people are worried about, as described in the charity’s research. 

Rachel Conlon, Theatre lecturer at York St John, said: “We are delighted to be working in collaboration with North Yorkshire Safeguarding Board, NSPCC and Connecting Youth Culture."

Jules Dorey Richmond, Theatre lecturer, said: "This high profile project will initially be delivered to young people within secondary school settings throughout North Yorkshire, but it is envisaged that this highly beneficial work will be developed for both a younger audience and parents in a bid to stop sexual exploitation of vulnerable young people.

“This project is part of the Faculty of Arts commitment to social engaged arts practice, and sits alongside the Prison Partnership Project, the International Centre for Community Music and Converge.”

Charlie Land, from Connecting Youth Culture, said: "The arts is a highly effective tool for engaging young people in social issues of concern.”

William Shaw, from the NSPCC, said: “Keeping children safe online is one of the greatest child protection challenges of this generation. The internet offers a wealth of opportunity and potential, but it can also pose some risks. We know about these potential dangers, but children don’t always.”

Nick Frost, the Independent Chair of the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Board, said: “Internet safety is a challenge locally and indeed nationally. We all have a role to play in safeguarding our children and young people and that is why we wanted to run a preventative campaign that informs parents, carers and children and young people about the importance of staying safe online.”