Your Body, Your Rules is the anti-sexting project launched by SI Cannock and District in 5 local high schools last September. The Ambassadors, Y12 and Y13 students, who completed the training have been delivering the project to Y8 pupils as well as advertising their presence throughout the rest of their schools. It has had tremendous success, resulting in students having a much greater understanding of the consequences, often emotional, of sexting, or sending nudes, as well as the legal aspects – it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to either request, send or distribute a nude photo. Schools report much more openness, youngsters in a position to refuse to take and send such a photo, even to ‘sexting’ now being a ‘dirty word’.
Sue Arnold, Deputy Police Crime Commissioner has supported the project from the beginning and invited Soroptimists and school Ambassadors to give a presentation about the project to Cannock Cadets and invited guests, among them Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire Miss Susie Lillingston; High Sheriff of Staffordshire Mrs Pippa Gee and Assistant Police Chief of Staffordshire Ms Jenny Simms
The presentation took place at the Civic Suite, Cannock on the evening of Monday 8th April and was a huge success. Following on from their formal presentation the Ambassadors demonstrated their knowledge of the issue and their passion for helping young people to avoid any involvement with it during an Any Questions session.
Soroptimists paid tribute to the wonderful way all of the schools – staff and Ambassadors – work together, sharing ideas, discussing the various aspects, advising on ways of handling situations. It is this which has helped to shape the project and ensure it will continue. Cadets in Cannock will be sending members to the Ambassador training which will be held in July, the current participating schools will send new Ambassadors for training and it is hoped that other local schools will join the project too.
Sue Arnold thanked everyone for the incredible work they have done and the wonderful results they have all achieved. Any school wishing to be involved can phone Cannock Soroptimists on 07971 597406 for more information.
Photo: Cannock Soroptimists, YBYR Ambassadors and special guests at the Presentation Evening
Names – back row, l to r: Ambassador, Soroptimist Trish Mellor; Ambassador; Soroptimist Jackie Prince; Sue Arnold, DPCC; June Bould, President SI C&D; Miss Susie Lillingston, DL; High Sherriff of Staffordshire, Mrs Pippa Gee; ACC Ms Jenny Simms; Ambassador
This presentation Evening follows the SI Award of the Best Practice in Education details below:
On Saturday 27th October, at the Soroptimist International Federation of Great Britain & Ireland annual conference, Cannock & District were given the Best Practice award for Education for their Your Body, Your Rules, anti sexting project!
With 8,000 Members in 352 Clubs in 29 countries including Great Britain, Ireland and countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Malta Soroptimist International of Great Britain & Ireland (SIGBI), works at a local, national and international level to educate, empower and enable opportunities for women and girls.
The six key areas of work are Advocacy, Economic Empowerment, Education, Environmental Sustainability, Food Security and Health Care and Violence and Conflict Resolution. SIGBI has consultative status at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) at the United Nations (UN).
The Your Body, Your Rules anti-sexting project has been launched in Five local schools: Cannock Chase High, Cardinal Griffin College, Chase Terrace Technology College , Staffordshire University Academy and Kingsmead High School. Ambassadors from years 12 & 13 have attended workshops on how to spread the message to their fellow students on the dangers & consequences of sending and receiving nude photographs and to provide support to those who feel pressured to do this. It is hoped that after the half-term break, the initiatives they have developed will start to be seen in the schools.
June Bould, President of SI Cannock and District represented the club at the conference, held in Liverpool, along with other members who all took to the stage to accept the award.
June’s quote
Jackie Prince, one of the Soroptimists that organised & delivered the training to the ambassadors at the workshops said ‘We are delighted to receive this award as recognition that our belief that peer to peer learning on healthy relationships is essential for our young people. Our ambassadors have worked very hard to produce a number of methods of getting the message across that sending or distributing nude photographs is unacceptable. We hope that the project will continue to grow in the future’