Demonstrate positive impacts through robust, independent evaluation
In order to tackle new challenges associated with young people’s use of social media we are committed to the creation of new scenario based programmes of learning, based on stories that children tell us about their online experiences.
We turn the stories that children tell us into short films and develop active learning strategies in response to those films. This approach to learning is built on a substantial evidence base, for example Herbert and Lohrmann (2011), concluded that:
“Active learning strategies are key to effective health education, as they allow students to apply knowledge through practice.”
Ariel Trust is committed to a public health approach to violence prevention and focuses on mainstream prevention education programmes delivered in primary school settings. We are committed to the ongoing evaluation of our work with the aim of both evidencing our impacts but, more importantly, of identifying areas of improvement. We work with independent, external evaluators when the opportunity arises.
Liverpool John Moores University published an evaluation of our work in December 2023. This showed statistically significant impacts in some areas, particularly in children’s help seeking behaviour, but also identified areas for innovation and improvement, which are currently underpinning our work. This particularly focuses on how we actively engage parents in positive responses to children seeking help.
The WHO public health approach to violence, recognises impact at different levels of the socio-ecological model. Ariel Trust is working to affect change at all these levels with the aim of changing the way professionals and communities respond to and talk to children, alongside their aim of developing specific communication skills and behaviours in children.
Individual – improved emotional and communication skills and knowledge of violence; with a focus on children in primary education settings.
Community – changes in community attitudes to violence and statutory services, and increased resilience; engaging parents and teachers as active participants in the learning process.
Organisational – changing organisational ways of working and thinking. Better engagement with children and young people to guide priorities; changing the ways schools implement safeguarding, changing the culture in schools.
Policy – collating and communicating evidence to inform policy; working with local authorities and others, particularly in the Merseyside area.
