Ayr MSP spearheads new summer safety campaign for young people

Ayr MSP, Siobhian Brown, was on hand to help launch a new Scotland-wide campaign aimed at keeping young people safe over the summer.

The Minister for Victims and Community Safety joined members of Fearless – the youth service of Crimestoppers - to help launch the scheme at the St Enoch Shopping Centre in Glasgow.

The campaign, funded by Network Rail Scotland, will focus on key topics including pro-social behaviour, violence prevention and the importance of speaking up to make communities safer.

Together with partners, the youth service kicked off the campaign with one of several ‘Fearless Summer Sessions’, planned to be held over the summer holidays in locations across Scotland.

The charity hope that by engaging with young people on social media platforms and in their local communities, it’ll ensure that as many young people as possible are empowered with their vital information.

Lyndsay McDade, Fearless Scotland Manager at Crimestoppers, said: “I’m delighted to be launching our summer campaign with support from our partners and the Minister for Victims & Community Safety, Siobhian Brown.

"The summer holidays can be a challenging time for some young people without the structure and safety of school, so it’s vital that they’re aware of key ways to keep themselves and their friends safe and making positive choices.

“We hope all young people in Scotland have a happy, safe summer. Remember, if you know information about crime, you can speak up at fearless.org 100 per cent anonymously 24/7, 365 days a year.”

Minister for Victims & Community Safety, Siobhian Brown, said: “I welcome the launch of the Fearless Summer Campaign. We want all young people to enjoy their summer break responsibly, so they can have fun while keeping themselves, their friends and their communities safe.

“It is vital that young people know that if they see any behaviour that concerns them, they can report it anonymously through Fearless, either online at Fearless.org or by calling 0800 555 111.”

Innis Keith, Health, Safety & Environment Director at Network Rail Scotland, said: “We’re proud to be supporting the Fearless summer safety campaign to help keep passengers and communities across Scotland safe while tackling crime on the railway.

“During the summer holidays we often see an increase in young passengers using rail services and while we want them to enjoy their summer break, it’s vital they stay safe when travelling and reaching their destination.

“Our partnership with Fearless will provide young people with the knowledge they need, as well as a platform to report crime 100 per cent anonymously.”

George Reader, Director of St. Enoch Centre, said of the event: “We are very pleased to be collaborating with Fearless again for their summer campaign to encourage pro-social behaviour and increase opportunities for young people.”

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