\n Sessions put participants face-to-face with real-life scenarios using VR to bring the dangers to life and encourage honest conversations around decision-making and consequences.\n<\/p>\n
\n The programme is led by Suffia Hussain of Project On Guard, an award-winning community safety initiative from Goshukan Karate Academy WY.\n<\/p>\n
\n At the centre of the scheme is Virtual Decisions, an immersive VR platform (Image: Supplied)\n<\/p>\n
\n Ms Hussain said: “The feedback has been incredible.\n<\/p>\n
\n “Young people are engaging in a way that\u2019s real.\n<\/p>\n
\n “They\u2019re not being lectured to, they\u2019re being immersed in decisions, then supported to unpack what it all means for them and their world.”\n<\/p>\n
\n At the centre of the scheme is Virtual Decisions, an immersive VR platform that places young people in high-stakes, realistic scenarios.\n<\/p>\n
\n One parent whose daughter took part in the sessions said:\u00a0“She came back from the workshop telling me about situations she\u2019d never thought about before.\n<\/p>\n
\n “It\u2019s opened her eyes and mine as well”\n<\/p>\n
\n After taking part, they engage in group discussions to reflect on the experience, challenge dangerous beliefs, and build empathy.\n<\/p>\n
\n One recent session, Virtual Decisions: Knives, was delivered at JTI Masjid Southfield Square.\n<\/p>\n
\n Mohammed Azeem, a volunteer at the mosque who helped organise the session, said: “I was able to see just how intense the pressure on young people can be \u2014 and how difficult it truly is to make the right choices.\n<\/p>\n
\n “Suffia is a brilliant facilitator \u2014 experienced, trauma-informed, honest, and non-judgmental.\n<\/p>\n
\n “Her approach resonates deeply with young people, and her impact is clear.”\n<\/p>\n
\n The programme is open to schools, youth services, sports clubs, and community organisations working with young people aged 12 to 18.\n<\/p>\n
\n The programme is open to schools, youth services, sports clubs, and community organisations (Image: Supplied)\n<\/p>\n
\n There are four strands available: Knives, Gangs, Influence (grooming and control), and Identity.\n<\/p>\n
\n Alison Lowe OBE, West Yorkshire\u2019s deputy mayor for policing and crime, said: “This immersive learning approach really captures the attention of young people and is a crucial tool in our partnership efforts to tackle serious violence.\n<\/p>\n
\n “By using technology to educate, we can do more to change attitudes and behaviours and ultimately save lives.”\n<\/p>\n
\n Akhtar Malik, development manager at BYDP, said the sessions are much needed.\n<\/p>\n
\n He said: “This is a great partnership project between BYDP and Project On Guard \u2013 Goshukan Karate Academy WY and is much needed in tackling knives and gang cultures across West Yorkshire.”\n<\/p>\n
\n It is being delivered in partnership with the Bradford Youth Development Partnership (BYDP) and is fully funded until March 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sessions put participants face-to-face with real-life scenarios using VR to bring the dangers to life and encourage honest…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":343337,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8814],"tags":[748,393,4884,1860,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-343336","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leeds","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-leeds","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115026065137033847","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/343336","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=343336"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/343336\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/343337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=343336"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=343336"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=343336"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}