A leading child protection charity is set to reach out to more young people in the Scottish capital by extending a programme aimed at arming children with the knowledge they need to stay safe from abuse and neglect.
NSPCC Scotland will roll out its Speak Out Stay Safe Programme to an additional 2,000 children across 18 primary schools in Edinburgh after receiving £9,900 from the Aberdeen Asset Management Charitable Foundation.
The charity sought additional funds to extend its work in city schools during 2017. The NSPCC wants its programme to reach every primary school in the UK within the next two years and provide a generation of children with the knowledge and understanding they need to stay safe from abuse and neglect.
The Speak Out Stay Safe programme is designed for children aged between 4 and 11, taking an age- appropriate approach to the difficult subjects of abuse, neglect and bullying. Through assemblies and workshops, and by using different tools such as mascots, posters and kits, they give essential safeguarding information in a lively, interactive and memorable way. Children are taught to understand abuse in all its forms and recognise the signs of abuse, know how to protect themselves from all kinds of abuse and know how to get help, and the sources of help available to them, including the charity’s Childline service.
Karin Walker, NSPCC Scotland Edinburgh Area Coordinator said: “We’re hugely grateful to the Aberdeen Asset Management Charitable Foundation for supporting the expansion of our schools service in Edinburgh. Statistically two children in every primary school in Scotland are suffering from abuse or neglect. This funding will support our skilled volunteers in delivering a vital service which covers the difficult topics of abuse, neglect and bullying in a child focussed and relevant way. Being able to teach children at primary school about abuse enables schools and children to identify problems sooner and ultimately makes sure that children with problems in this area get the help they need to have the happy childhood they deserve.”
Euan MacNeish of Aberdeen Asset Management’s Edinburgh charity committee said: “This programme uses specially trained volunteers to talk to primary school children about abuse and £9,900 from our Charitable Foundation means they can extend this essential work and have the materials they need to support the effective delivery of this programme to schools across Edinburgh.”
Last year, Aberdeen Asset Management’s Charitable Foundation gave £15,000 to the NSPCC’s schools service in Aberdeen, enough to cover the total cost of operating the schools service in the Granite City for a year, enabling children to be informed on how to stay safe from abuse and know what to do if they have a worry.
The Aberdeen Asset Charitable Foundation was established in 2012 to formalise and develop the Group’s charitable giving globally. The Foundation seeks partnerships with smaller charities around the world, where funds can be seen to have a meaningful and measurable impact and the firm encourages its employees to use their time and skills to support its charitable projects. The main focus of the Foundation is around emerging markets and local communities, reflecting the desire to give back to those areas which are a key strategic focus of the business and to build on the historic pattern of giving to communities in which Aberdeen employees live and work.
For more information visit http://www.aberdeen-asset.co.uk/aam.nsf/foundation/home
If you are interested in volunteering with the School Service in Edinburgh please email Karin.walker@nspcc.org.uk or go to www.nspcc.org.uk/services-and-resources/working-with-schools/speak-out-stay-safe-service/