Children in Hull have helped to create signs for parks which will aim to curb antisocial behaviour (ASB) and boost feelings of safety.
Via a pilot project led by the Safer Hull Community Safety Partnership, the signs will be installed at parks across the city, helping to create safer environments and make them more appealing to visit.
The Young Mayor and Hull Youth Parliament requested the youth-friendly signage, which contains a QR code allowing children, young people and their families to report anything that makes them feel unsafe.
Year 4 pupils from St Nicholas Primary School in Hull have created an illustration for the signs, and they gathered at Oak Road Playing Fields to help launch them.
Sarah Leaf, Head of School, said: “At St Nicholas Primary School, we firmly believe that it is important for children to have a voice and to understand that their opinions matter.
“Initiatives such as Youth Parliament help our pupils develop confidence, responsibility and a sense of belonging within their community.
“Working with the artist to design child-friendly signage for parks across Hull has also been a fantastic experience.
“Seeing one of our pupils’ designs displayed in local parks is something we are immensely proud of.
“It demonstrates to children that their ideas can make a real difference and have a lasting impact on the community around them.”
The Young Mayor, Eunice, below, said: “I think it’s so important to see action and change stemmed from the voices of young people.
“I am so proud of the relationship between us Youth Reps and Hull City Council as it shows how valued our voices are as young people – and the new park signs, designed by young people, shows exactly that.”
Hull City Council’s portfolio holder for communities and community safety, Councillor Ted Dolman, said: “We want everyone who uses our parks to have fun in a safe environment.
“Anyone who experiences something in a park which might leave them concerned can use the QR code on the signs to contact StreetSafe.
“StreetSafe allows you to report safety concerns in public places, which could be ASB-issues such as vandalism, but might also be where you feel unsafe because somewhere isn’t lit well enough, or a broken piece of park equipment creates a hazard.”
The QR code takes users to a short, anonymous form where they can pinpoint the location on a map and answer a few simple questions about what made them feel unsafe.
Users may also be asked when it happened, whether they have reported the concern to the police and some optional questions about themselves, helping police and partners better understand who feels unsafe, where and why.
As stated on the new signs, people should still ring police on 999 rather than use the QR code should they encounter an emergency situation or a crime in any of Hull’s parks.
Portfolio holder for Children’s Services, Councillor Linda Tock, said: “StreetSafe can be used anonymously, with no need to share your name or any other details.
“Information shared via StreetSafe can be used by the council to allow us to understand what is making people feel unsafe in a particular area, and what action might need to be taken, potentially in conjunction with police and other partners.
“I’m really pleased that the Young Mayor, Hull Youth Parliament and the children from St Nicholas Primary have come together to create these signs.
“Via our Children and Young People’s Plan, we recognise how vitally important the power of listening and responding to the voice of children and young people is, where their experiences can help us to shape a safe city that we are all proud to call home.”
A second, similar sign, below, has also been created which was developed and agreed in partnership with the Hull Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) Partnership.
Wider engagement to help shape the project came from groups such as Fitmums and Friends, which undertook a consultation with members across Hull and the East Riding about their safety whilst out exercising.
For more information on Hull’s parks and open spaces, visit Home – Parks and Open Spaces.