Students are taking a stand against gender-based violence with new school programme

School pupils in West Yorkshire are being empowered to speak up against gender-based violence thanks to funding from the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin.

Tender Education and Arts, a charity working to prevent domestic and sexual abuse, received a near £6000 from Mayor Brabin through her Safer Communities Fund.

The money is now being used to deliver an innovative arts-based scheme which is giving secondary school pupils the tools to build healthy, equal relationships and to recognise the signs of domestic and sexual abuse.

Alongside workshops for students, the charity is also delivering community sessions with parents and carers and providing online lesson plans for teachers.

Today, during the 16 Days of Action Against Domestic Abuse, the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Alison Lowe OBE, attended one of Tender Education and Art’s healthy relationships sessions.

Speaking at the visit Deputy Mayor Lowe said:

“The Mayor and I want to build a West Yorkshire where women and girls feel safe and free from harm, and working with young people is key to achieving this.

“It is fantastic to see students feeling confident to speak up, for themselves and their peers, thanks to this programme.

“By supporting grassroots projects through the Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund, we are continuing to work towards a safe, just, and inclusive West Yorkshire for all.”

Chief Executive of Tender, Susie McDonald said:

"All young people deserve to live and learn in communities where they are respected, protected and celebrated.

"We are delighted to be supported by Mayor Brabin for our healthy relationships programme, and to welcome Deputy Mayor Lowe to see our arts-based approach in action.

"The pandemic has had devastating effects on young people's relationships and this funding will help us reconnect them with each other, and safe spaces in which to thrive."

Angharad Turner-Fielder, Tender's Regional Lead for West Yorkshire said:

"Our work in West Yorkshire has never been more in demand, and I am thrilled to see young people's needs recognised through the Mayor's Safer Communities Fund.

"Children and teachers are consistently seeking more support to learn and teach about healthy, equal relationships.

"This funding will make a fantastic difference to how many young people we can support, and our progress towards women and girls' safety."

The Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund uses money recovered by police and prosecutors from criminal activities and channels it back into community safety projects.

In 2022, Mayor Brabin has delivered more than £530,000 of funding to 100 projects, supporting over 23,000 people across West Yorkshire.

Other projects targeting domestic and sexual abuse include a weekly group for 100 women survivors, the funding of accessible resources to support survivors of sexual abuse with learning difficulties, and self-defence and safety sessions for women and girls.

Find out more about the work of Tender Education and Arts on their website.