We are incredibly proud to share that Breaking Barriers has been named as a finalist for the Spark the Change Award at this year’s National Arts and Cultural Education Awards in recognition of our Crossing the Line production.
The National Arts and Cultural Education Awards, organised by Curious Minds, celebrate outstanding work being done across the country for children and young people in and out of school. This year, 25 judges reviewed more than 250 submissions across 10 award categories making the shortlist a significant achievement in itself. The awards will take place on Wednesday 21st October at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
About Crossing the Line
Crossing the Line is a 20-minute monologue and facilitated workshop initiative for years 5 to 8, addressing Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE), county lines and grooming. Written and directed by Breaking Barriers’ Artistic Director Parvez Qadir, this Theatre in Education initiative was developed through extensive research and consultation with police, social workers and young people, ensuring the stories and experiences at its heart are authentic and recognisable to the audiences it reaches.
Each session includes a pre-show film called Blurred Lines, a 20-minute live monologue, a 30-minute facilitated discussion, a resource pack of activities, and pre/post evaluation to assess the show’s impact and student understanding of these important topics.
Since its launch in 2019, Crossing the Line has been commissioned by Greater Manchester Police, East Lancashire Police, Rochdale Council, Salford Council, the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit and the National County Lines Coordination Centre. It has reached over 21,500 young people across 200+ schools, delivered free of charge through statutory partnership funding.
The impact is independently evidenced. After a single session, young people show a 60% increase in awareness of grooming and its signs, and a 33% increase in understanding of peer pressure. Following the programme, no student has reported having nobody to turn to for help.
What this recognition means to us
We have always believed that theatre is one of the most powerful tools we have for reaching young people and starting the conversations that really matter. Crossing the Line tackles a subject that is urgent, complex and often invisible to the young people most at risk and it does so through storytelling, in a format that meets them where they are.
To be recognised alongside such an exceptional group of finalists, drawn from organisations across the country, is something we are very proud of. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank schools, partners and young people who have been part of the Crossing the Line journey up to this point.
The full list of finalists can be found here.
If you’re interested in hearing more about Crossing the Line and bringing it to your school or community setting, please email us at hello@breakingbarriersrochdale.com
