Like us on Facebook and spread the advice and news.

The more of you that like our page on Facebook the wider the information will get out. 

We have been using social media since the website went live and it is the place to go for the most up to date information. So if we are running an event in your area you will find out about it much quicker. We also follow some great people on Twitter so check us out there too. we are @stopthinkdorset on Twitter and SSCTstopthink on Facebook.

This week with the IFA in Berlin I have been keeping an eye on the new technology coming out. There is some really interesting kit coming out some of which I link to on our Facebook page. I particularly like the 'Double' an iPad robot. I could do with one of those! So many potential applications.

Until next time keep them safe.

The August edition is now available in the parents section.

Inbetween sunbathing, dodging rain and watching the Olympics why not sit down put your feet up and read our newsletter. It's guaranteed to help you relax*.

*The SSCT cannot be held responsible for the amout you actually relax whilst reading the newsletter.

Over the summer we will be loitering outside Supermarkets.

Please stop for a chat if you see us or pick a leaflet. A copy of the leaflet is available on the parents internet safety section of this website. Whilst on that section check out the parents internet safety presentation too.

After a little delay we finally now have a presence on Twiter and Facebook

Keep up to date with what is happening on the StopThink website from the comfort of your social media. As we make changes and add content we will let you know on both our Facebook page and through Twitter.

Stop, Think Dorset

“Stop, think Dorset”

This site is for everyone across Dorset.

We have worked hard with the young people of Dorset and our partners at http://www.digibug.co.uk to create this site. Its aim is to provide a one-stop shop for advice, support and resources for Young People, Carers and Professionals across Dorset. If you have something you think fits the bill then please forward to Jeff Grey (ssct@dorset.pnn.police.uk). I will then contact you for more information and to ensure it is suitable for the site and it's users.



“Stop, think – words can hurt” This is the message being called loud and clear by organisations across Dorset.

The recently formed Anti-bullying Strategic group is running a conference for young people, and those who work with young people, in Dorset this week.

Made up of representatives from Dorset Police, Dorset County Council and staff and pupils from schools across the county, the group aims to form a cohesive action plan to tackle problems with bullying.

Taking place at the Winfrith Conference Centre tomorrow (Thursday 17 November) the event is working with young people, parents, carers and communities to battle bullying in the county.

Six young people will be presenting their own “life stories” to the conference.  They each have their own experiences of bullying, and hope that their stories can help other young people to deal with their problems.

Tasked with developing an anti-bullying strategy that works across all aspects of children and young people’s lives the group has worked with youth groups, schools and children to create an action plan to stamp out bullying.

Split into four themes the strategy is being hammered out by Dorset’s youth to create an effective plan to prevent and support victims of bullying.

Toni Coombs Dorset County Council Cabinet member for children’s services said:

“We take bullying very seriously and want victims to know that they aren’t alone.  There is help available and support for those who are being bullied.  This campaign is very important to raise awareness of our community stance on bullying, and to show bullies that their actions won’t be tolerated.”

The themes being discussed at the conference are education and training, policies and procedures, participation (young people, parents, carers, communities) and data (reporting, recording, analysis and evaluation).

The conference is an opportunity for all those involved or interested in anti-bullying work to review the strategy and its accompanying action plan.

The priorities of the strategy are to achieve the following:

• Consult widely with young people to understand what bullying means to them.
• Identify what young people consider to be bullying.
• Identify what young people wish us to do in order to respond to bullying – and develop the strategy and action plan to support this.
• Create an effective bullying monitoring tool that is user friendly
• Secure ‘buy in’ from all those working with children and young people to report bullying incidents in order that the strategic group can monitor and effectively respond when appropriate
• For children and young people to lead in the development of a DCC anti-bullying policy

A full day event, the conference is a great opportunity for young people to communicate their feelings in response to bullying.

Say hello to a few of the members of the North Dorset E-safety group from Shaftesbury School.

The group will be linking in with the Dorset Safeguarding Children’s’ Board. They will meet prior to the E-safety subgroup meetings which take place quarterly. The idea being that the groups will canvas other young people to find out what issues they are having online.

This will not only inform the board but also allow the Safe Schools and Communities Team to adapt the education packages they take into schools. They will also act as a point of contact so new trends or concerns can be passed on straight away.

A group of teenagers from Bournemouth have each received a Teenage Award Scheme certificate from Dorset Police for helping to build a school in Africa last year

The youngsters – aged between 12 and 18 years old – made up an expedition of 22 Scouts and Explorer Scouts who went to Uganda for over five weeks during the school summer holidays in 2010 to build a school in the south of the country.

The group, who are from the 38th Bournemouth Scout Group based at Winton and Avon Explorers based at Iford, worked with their Scout leaders for three years to raise the £120,000 required to complete the project.

Inspector Mike Claxton, Neighbourhood Inspector for Bournemouth North, presented the teenagers with their certificates at the Scout Group AGM at Butchers Coppice in Bear Cross on Thursday 23 June.

Inspector Claxton said: “These teenagers should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved and they are a great example to others.

“Going out to Uganda and helping to build this facility is an extremely impressive achievement. But to have also worked so hard to raise so much money to fund the project makes this a truly exceptional accomplishment.

“We so often hear about the bad things that a minority of teenagers get up to, but the hard work and achievements of these young people clearly shows that teenagers in Dorset contribute so positively to our communities.”

The teenagers left the UK at the start of the school summer holidays and spent over five weeks in Uganda building the school – and as members of the Scouting Association, they camped for almost the entire time that they were there.

The expedition – named ‘Nile 2010’ as the location where the build took place is near to the source of the River Nile – resulted in a school being built near Jinja, Uganda to help disadvantaged children in the area.

The teenagers worked and camped alongside Ugandan Scouts, and the school that they helped to build has proved extremely valuable to the young people of Jinja.

Mike Harley, expedition leader, said: “The whole leader team is very proud of what our young people achieved. We are also grateful to the many people who supported our expedition and project.

“We are looking forward to providing further support to the school in the future.”

The Teenage Award Scheme was set up in January 2010 by Dorset Police to recognise the achievements of teenagers living in Dorset.

Anyone between 13 and 19 years of age can be nominated for an award.

To nominate a teenager, simply email teenageawardscheme@dorset.pnn.police.uk with the teenager’s name, contact details, age, address and details of the good deed that they are being nominated for – along with the nominator’s contact details.