West Yorkshire Mayor Visits Leeds College VR Safety Sessions

Immersive technology used to address knife crime and anti-social behaviour

The Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, visited Leeds City College’s Quarry Hill campus on 10 March to observe virtual reality (VR) sessions designed to engage students with issues such as knife crime, gangs, and anti-social behaviour.

The sessions form part of Project On Guard, a programme led by Suffia Hussain from Gushukan Karate Academy in Bradford. Over 25 VR sessions focusing on personal safety have been delivered across West Yorkshire. During these sessions, learners wear VR headsets that place them in realistic scenarios, encouraging discussions about the consequences of decisions and promoting awareness around safety.

Complementary safety and wellbeing initiatives

The VR programme is one element of a broader set of projects aimed at student safety and personal development at the Quarry Hill campus. These include:

• UniteHer Girls Club sessions on self-defence
• Better Man’s Project, which provides male learners with opportunities to discuss key topics while participating in outdoor activities
• Switched on to Women’s Safety sessions, delivered to all male students at Quarry Hill campus

Tom Griffiths, Interim Head of Public Services at Leeds City College, commented on the initiative: “This project has been a fantastic opportunity for our learners. By providing access to state-of-the-art VR technology, we have been able to engage them in topics that both relate to keeping themselves safe, as well as exploring topics that relate to careers in the emergency services and armed forces.”

The use of immersive VR technology in educational settings is part of ongoing efforts to address youth safety and encourage positive decision-making among students in West Yorkshire.