Don't Lose!

Summary

An educational campaign focusing on commercial sexual exploitation. Leaflets, posters and online banners were used in English, Polish, Ukrainian and Russian. Preventative workshops were also delivered to young people and a helpline was made available.

Type of intervention

Classroom setting, phone, public education

Target groups, level of prevention and subgroups

  • (Potential) Offenders | Primary prevention | Young People (12-17 years), Young Adults (18-20 years), Adults (21+ years) | Male and female | Classroom, phone, public education | English, Polish, Ukranian, Russian
  • Children and Young People (Victims) | Primary prevention | Young People (12-17 years), Young Adults (18-20 years), Adults (21+ years) | Male and female | Classroom, phone, public education | English, Polish, Ukranian, Russian
  • Communities and Families | Primary prevention | Young People (12-17 years), Young Adults (18-20 years), Adults (21+ years) | Male and female | Classroom, phone, public education | English, Polish, Ukranian, Russian

Target population

The campaign was developed in two parallel lines: one dedicated to adults, the other one dedicated to a youth audience aged 13-18 years.

Delivery organisation

Don’t Lose! is a campaign headed by The Nobody’s Children Foundation, Poland (NGO).

Posters and cards were distributed in cooperation with project partners (Ministry of Interior, Police, Guards, other non-governmental organisations) in the main cities of Poland, and along the border of Ukraine.

Mode and context of delivery

In order to raise awareness of the general public (including potential offenders and witnesses), posters, leaflets (in the form of postcards) and online banners were prepared. Campaign materials were made available in English, Polish, Ukrainian and Russian. The public education campaign was also supported by the delivery of preventative workshops to youth aged 13-18 years and by a helpline to which young people were signposted to receive help and support.

Level/nature of staff expertise required

Expertise was not required for the dissemination of campaign posters/leaflets alone. However, trained professionals for example non-governmental organisation staff members and teachers, delivered preventative workshops to youth aged 13-18 years and also staffed the helpline to which young people were signposted to, to receive help and support.

Intensity/extent of engagement with target group(s)

The Nobody’s Children Foundation is a non-governmental non-profit organisation working toward the goals of protecting children from abuse and providing help for abused children, their families and their caregivers in Poland.

The Nobody’s Children Foundation ran an educational campaign on the issue of threats associated with commercial sexual exploitation faced by children and youth. The campaign ran during the time that the European Football Championships were held in Poland. The aim of the campaign was to limit the problem by making children and youth more aware of possible threats, increasing knowledge and competences of professionals responsible for child protection and discouraging adults from undertaking commercial sexual contacts with teenagers. The campaign in Poland and in Ukraine was implemented under honorary patronage of governmental institutions, such as the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Education, Police and Border Guard. In Poland the campaign was implemented in the framework of the governmental programme “Safer Together”.

In order to raise awareness of the general public, potential offenders and witnesses posters, leaflets in the form of postcards and online banners in a few language versions were prepared. The materials carried campaign messages concerning legal consequences of undertaking sexual contacts with minors and drew attention to the fact that although minors may look very mature, this never justifies sexual contact. For example, materials aimed at adults contain information such as: “Up to 12 years imprisonment for sex with minors”, “Don’t. You have a lot to lose”, and “Her adult look may be a bluff”, whilst campaign materials aimed at youths contained messages such as “You don’t have a price” and “Sexual contacts in exchange for money or gifts expose you to violence and may destroy your future”.

Youth also participated in preventive workshops based on scenarios and educational games developed by the Nobody’s Children Foundation. During the course of the campaign, almost 1300 teachers were trained on how to run prevention activities with youth aged 13-18 years. Materials included three lesson scenarios with films (films lasted between 2-3 minutes): one scenario concerning the problem of child trafficking, one scenario concerning first sexual relations and one scenario concerning commercial sexual exploitation. Each scenario focused on the story of a teenager who experienced a certain form of exploitation and promoted the 116 111 helpline as a place where children could get help. Also used was an educational game, “Don’t lose!” which is an interactive tool used to stimulate discussion with youth about how to behave and react in various difficult situations which they may encounter.

Evaluations

No evaluation data available.

References

Contact details

Fundacia Dzieci Niczyje
Address: Katowicka Street 31, 03-932 Warszawa
Telephone: +48 616 02 68
Fax: +48226160314
Email: fdn@fdn.pl

RATING: Pioneering

Information correct at March 2019

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