Rugby students launch groundbreaking ‘Project Prevent’ to help combat crime

The group from Rugby High School developed ‘Project Prevent’ to raise awareness and prevent grooming, harassment and assault - crimes they and their fellow students are most concerned about - as part of an initiative backed by previous years High Sheriffs of Warwickshire, Rajvinder Kaur Gill, Sophie Hilleary and David Kelham DL.

Karen Lynch MBE, the 691st High Sheriff of Warwickshire and current High Sheriff of Warwickshire, is championing the Young High Sheriff programme as a key part of her own year of service.

She said: “Working with schools in the way we are working with Rugby High School is a very real and practical way to bring awareness of crime as well as an opportunity to empower our younger generations to play a role in the prevention of crime.

“I am delighted The Young High Sheriff initiative has become a regular feature in the calendar for Warwickshire schools and that we are passing the baton to champion this from High Sheriff to High Sheriff and from school to school.”

The project, which is set to be launched at a special assembly on June 30, features a range of actions including: the launch of a student-designed website with Prepare, Protect, Prevent advice; PE lessons dedicated to helping students learn what to do in different situations to avoid assault; distribution of attack alarms; and posters signposting to more information about preventing harassment, grooming and assault.

The group of 25 Project Prevent team members will also act as ambassadors to answer questions from other students about the project, and in total 380 students will have access to the classes, information and tools the project team have created.

It has been led by the students as part of the Young High Sheriff programme. The High Sheriff is the King’s representative in the County for all matters relating to the Judiciary and the maintenance of law and order, and is the oldest Royal appointment, dating back over 1,000 years.

The launch of the Young High Sheriff Programme, which has been running and developing for two years, gives the ancient role a modern focus and has enabled young people across Warwickshire to get involved.

The creation of Project Prevent involved 50 students, including the newly-appointed Young High Sheriff, participating in a ‘Have Your Say’ workshop in December 2024, in which they highlighted crimes that were of concern to them.

Different teams selected the crime they most wanted to work to prevent, with the results then taken to a whole-school vote, resulting in the highest number of votes for ‘Project Prevent’, whose priorities were highlighted as grooming, harassment and assault.

The team went on to take part in two further workshops that allowed them to refine their proposals with help from Crimebeat, (the charity of the High Sheriff), community crime prevention experts and council community safety partnership leads, then to formulate a high-level plan using different workstreams to bring the project to life. The result was the strapline ‘Prepare, Protect, Prevent’ including the actions that will be launched later this month.

Sarayu Kotha, Sera Deepak, Iris Parsons and Clara Lewis, students from Rugby High School and the four project team leaders, said “Project Prevent is an amazing programme that helps spread awareness on how to approach situations where someone feels unsafe and how to PREVENT possible assault or harassment. Our aims, as a team, are to encourage preventative measures opposed to reactive measures.”

Mark Grady, Headteacher at Rugby High School, said: “We are proud and privileged to be hosting this event at RHS – a wonderful way for young people of Rugby to have their voices heard and make a difference in their communities.”

The students’ crime prevention ideas have also helped contribute to the Warwickshire Police and Crime Plan for 2025-2029.

Emma Daniell, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Thank you to all the students who participated in the Have Your Say workshop and for their hard work considering difficult issues. We have shared their views and the information they have produced into our office so as they can provide further evidence and support in developing our Warwickshire Police and Crime Plan for 2025-2029.”