Martial arts class Guidance Notes - Clever Never Goes

© Action Against Abduction, 2018.

Martial arts class

Guidance Notes

Please use these guidance

notes in conjunction with the

accompanying PowerPoint

presentation.

Clever Never Goes has been developed to replace the out-dated ‘strangerdanger’ approach. The programme aims to give children practical safetyskills which they can use as they get older and become moreindependent.

Whilst child abduction is relatively uncommon, it’s important that childrencan recognise the potential signs of danger. Teaching children simply toavoid strangers doesn’t work. Most strangers will help rather than harmchildren. Conversely, it is often people known to children that pose thegreatest threat.

Another inherent problem is that many children when warned aboutstrangers understand this to mean ‘mean and nasty’ looking people,rather than simply people who they do not know.

Clever Never Goes moves the focus away from strangers and insteadteaches children to recognise when someone (anyone) is asking them togo with them. We call this ‘Go Spotting’.

‘Stranger danger’ has been around in the UK since the 1970s and is inmany respects ingrained in the way we think about keeping children safe.It is natural for both children, parents and teachers to think and talk aboutstrangers when considering staying safe. However, Clever Never Goesrequires martial arts instructors to steer children towards seeing thedanger in the situation (being asked to go) rather than the person(whether they are a stranger or not). These guidance notes includesuggestions for how to stick to this message, and challenge pupil’sthinking and responses.

Safety without fear

Telling young children that all strangers are potentially dangerous onlymakes them fearful. It creates a climate where children are given less andless independence, which in turn makes them more vulnerable when theydo finally get to spend time outside the home or school without an adultpresent.

With Clever Never Goes were aiming to break this cycle. We want to buildchildren’s – and parent’s – confidence, by giving them practical skills tostay safe.

Remember, a Clever Never Goes lesson should be fun, not scary. It’sabout building confidence, not creating fear!

For more information visit www.clevernevergoes.org

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http://www.clevernevergoes.org/

About the programme

This programme has been designed for martial arts instructors.

It is based on schools resources that have been developed for childrenaged 5 to 9 years-old. If your martial arts class contains a broader agerange you may still wish to use these lessons and the accompanyingresources, but tailor it accordingly.

Accompanying resources

Format and outcomes The programme consists of two lessons:

Guidance on each lesson is provided in the following pages. Each lesson should last approximately 30 minutes. Together the lessons are intended to deliver the following learning outcomes:

1. Children understand the Clever Never Goes rule, and can say what it means in their own words.

2. Children can identify when someone is trying to get them to go with them.

3. Children understand what to do if someone asks them to go with them.

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The programme requires use of a laptop and – ifavailable – a projector, to show a series of slides.

The slides - Clever Never Goes Martial Artsslides (a PPT file) can be downloaded from thewebsite. Slides 7 and 11 have films embedded inthem. (Please make sure these havedownloaded and are playing properly on yourcomputer before the class).

For more visual aids, a Clever Never Goesposter or banner stand are available to buy fromthe website.

Lesson 1: Meet ‘CLEVER’ and learn about ‘Go Spotting’

Lesson 2: Let’s practice ‘Go Spotting’

First of all let’s meet ‘CLEVER’ the robot.

PowerPoint slide 2 showing on screen

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Lesson 1: Meet ‘CLEVER’ and learn about ‘Go Spotting

The rule for staying safe


• Ask the children what they think this means.

• What does ‘someone you’re not expecting to’ mean?

• What does it mean when something has been arranged?

• Older children might want to think about occasions when they areoutside on their own, e.g. walking to school, playing in the park.

Instructors need to look out for discussion about ‘strangers’ (which is verylikely to be mentioned by children).

Ask children if they think all strangers are dangerous (and answer thatmost people will help children).

‘CLEVER’s’ rule isn’t about strangers. It’s about not going with anyonewhen it hasn’t been arranged. Who could that be? (neighbour, familyfriend, parent of a school friend etc. etc.).

‘CLEVER’ uses a simple rule to helpkeep himself safe when he’s outsidewithout his Mum, Dad or anothergrown-up looking after him:

“If someone you’re not expecting to,or don’t know, asks you to gosomewhere with them, just remember:

CLEVER NEVER GOES!”

’CLEVER’ the robot is theembodiment of the Clever NeverGoes lesson and puts a playful andengaging face onto the campaign.

His built-in features help him torecognise when someone is askinghim to go somewhere with them, andjust like your body ‘CLEVER’s’ bodygives him signals that help him torecognise when he doesn’t feel safe.

We’ll be using ‘CLEVER’ throughout the lesson to help the childrenunderstand that CLEVER NEVER GOES.


‘CLEVER’ has sensors in his headthat recognise when someone isasking him to go with them.

They alert him if the person issomeone he’s never met before oreven if it’s someone he knows butwho he isn’t expecting to collect him.

‘CLEVER’ also has a really cool‘Go-Spotter’ that helps him.

The green part is Safe - this is when‘CLEVER’ feels safe, either by himselfor with his family or friends.

The red part is Unsafe. ‘CLEVER's’go-spotter immediately points to redwhen anyone asks him to go withthem.


The yellow part is Hmmm. This is for when ‘CLEVER’ is unsure aboutsomething. It tells him to be alert in case anyone asks him to go withthem.

Let’s think about how ‘CLEVER’ stays safe

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Tongue twister

Get the children to say the tonguetwister…can they say it five timesreally quickly?



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Let’s practice ‘Go Spotting’

Play the first two ‘Go Spotting’ films. Can children spot when someone isasking them to go with them?

One option is to tape a long piece of string onto the floor. On one endadd a SAFE sign, and the other end put UNSAFE, and in the middle placea HMMM?

Play the films and ask the children to stand on the string indicatingwhether they feel SAFE, HMMM? (if they’re unsure) or UNSAFE.

At the end of each film get the children to explain their choices. Pick upon any conversation about whether the adults are strangers or not. It’snot whether the person is a stranger or not that is important, it is whetherhe or she is asking them to go that matters.

Scene Comments

Scene 1: At the bus stopA young boy with his father is engaged inconversation by a man whilst they are allwaiting at a bus stop. It’s SAFE. Even thoughit’s a stranger! He’s not asking the child to go.

Scene 2: Man in carA man invites a girl into his car, offeringsweets. No suggestion the man knows the girl.UNSAFE. What would the children do if theman started to get out of the car?

Follow the link on slide 7 to play the video. The password is cleverThe first two scenes play until 1:01, then stop the film (the rest of the scenes are played in the second lesson).


It’s important to emphasise to them that their strongest asset is mostlikely to be their voice.

Let’s practice!

How loud can the class shout ‘help!’?

‘CLEVER’ has super speedy wheelsso that he can run away.

You can run away too.

‘CLEVER’ has a mouth so that he cantell someone what has happened.Like ‘CLEVER’ you should always tellan adult you trust if something hasupset you.

Get the children to give examples ofadults they trust and could tell.




He can get people’s attention withhis flashing red light and his reallyloud alarm that makes quite a noise.

You can shout for HELP.

What you and ‘CLEVER’ can do?There are a number of things ‘CLEVER’ does to stay safe if someone askshim to go with them.

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Re-cap the first lesson

• Can everyone remember the Clever Never Goes rule (slide 3)?

• What features does Clever have to help him recognise if something isunsafe? (slides 4, 5 and 6)


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Play the six ‘Go Spotting’ films. Can children spot when someone is askingthem to go with them?

One option is to tape a long piece of string onto the floor. On one endadd a SAFE sign, and the other end put UNSAFE, and in the middle placea HMMM?

Play the films and ask the children to stand on the string indicatingwhether they feel SAFE, HMMM? (if they’re unsure) or UNSAFE.

At the end of each film get the children to explain their choices. Pick upon any conversation about whether the adults are strangers or not. It’snot whether the person is a stranger or not that is important, it is whetherhe or she is asking them to go that matters.

If someone is asking a child to go with them then the child needs to actfast. A polite but firm “no” and keep walking may be fine. It may benecessary to shout for help or run away. They should NOT get into adiscussion with them. Children can over-think this: “I’d call my Mum” or“I’d ask the woman to show me my Mum’s number in her phone” etc. Theyneed to disengage quickly.

Scene 1: Father of friendA young girl is invited into the car of a manwho is the father of one of her friends.UNSAFE. Why is it unsafe? It hasn’t beenarranged. Remind about the rule.

Scene 2: Man with dogA girl stops to play with a dog. The ownertalks to her and gives her a treat to feed thedog. SAFE/HMMM. The man hasn’t askedthe child to go. Hmmm: caution he may yetstill ask her to go/caution around dogs.

cont

Follow the link on slide 11 to play the video. The password is cleverYou may wish to re-cap the first two films played in the previous lesson. Otherwise, simply move the film forwards to 1:01.


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Scene 3: Woman in carA woman orders a girl into her car saying“your Mum sent me to pick you up”.UNSAFE. What difference does it makebeing a woman? Remind about the rule.What could the girl do? (don’t engage withwoman; seek help).

Scene 4: SkateboardA man invites a boy into his house, afterseeing the child carrying a skateboard.UNSAFE. Going inside a house, is still‘going’.

Scene 5: Group of childrenA man with a dog invites a group ofchildren to go with him to walk the dog.UNSAFE. What difference does being in agroup make? Still need to use the rule.

Scene 6: OnlineA girl exchanging messages online is invitedto a nearby park. UNSAFE. What differencedoes it make online?


Final re-cap

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Thank you for participating in the Clever Never Goes programme anddoing your bit to keep children safe, not scared!

Please let us know what you think about the programme by rating it, visitwww.clevernevergoes/martialarts.

If you have any comments on this lesson plan or the resources pleaseemail: [email protected]

Remember, if you would like to purchase a Clever Never Goes poster orbanner stand to support your lessons, please visitwww.clevernevergoes/shop .

Remind children about the CleverNever Goes rule.

Thank you, and feedback…


http://www.clevernevergoes/martialarts

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.clevernevergoes/shop

Martial arts class Guidance Notes - Clever Never Goes

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