Work in Schools

work in schools

Our mission is to bring about a culture shift in the way services are delivered to young women affected by criminal exploitation and violence. We are funded by the Mayor’s Office Young Londoners Fund to deliver work in schools to young women and girls and to staff to bring this culture shift to the classroom.

Why Schools?

Young women and girls aged 11-18 in state schools in London need support in order to:

build healthy relationships
recognise signs of exploitation
grow strategies to keep themselves safe
grow self-esteem
feel confident accessing services that are open to them (within and outside of school)

Please click here for an informative flyer on our Schools offer that you can share with your colleagues.

School staff with responsibilities for safeguarding and pastoral care need increased knowledge in order to:

understand the ways young women and girls are affected by 'gangs' and county lines, and the barriers to them accessing services
be able to spot the signs a young woman or girl is being exploited in the context of 'gangs' and county lines
be able to better engage with and support young women and girls affected by 'gangs' and county line activity
grow knowledge and understanding of services open to young women and girls, therefore better able to signpost

How Will We Work with Pupils?

We will speak at assemblies for 30 - 60 minutes.

We will also host group work sessions. We will work with 14 pupils for 3 x 60 - 90-minute workshops. In these sessions, we will explore consent, the ways young women and girls are affected by gangs and county lines, relationship mapping, and safety planning.

Through these activities, young women will:

have increased knowledge and understanding of the ways young women and girls are affected by 'gangs' and county lines activity
move closer to their desired outcomes
have increased knowledge of healthy and unhealthy relationships
demonstrate increased resilience
be more confident in approaching school safeguarding and pastoral support staff

How Will We Work with Staff?

Schools are invited to select from the following options:

Seminar to all staff
Individual case consultations
Presentation to governors
School contextual safety plan
Review of safeguarding policy

Through these activities, staff will:

have increased knowledge and understanding of the ways young women and girls are affected by 'gangs' and county lines
be better equipped to recognise and engage with young women affected by 'gangs'

School Report and Recommendations

We will create a report for schools reflecting on our collaboration. The report may include:

Introduction to Abianda and local context
Recap of activities delivered
Overview of learning from sessions
Evaluation responses
Conclusion and recommendations

Want Abianda to come to your school?

Please contact our Schools Lead Amanda on amanda[at]abianda.com. She will set up an introductory conversation to learn more about your school and discuss timelines.

Amanda will be able to provide guidance on selecting pupils for the group work (up to 14 pupils identified by the school as vulnerable to criminal, sexual and/or financial coercion, who should also be group work-ready).