It may only be 40 minutes long but 'Chelsea's Choice' will hopefully keep thousands of Norfolk teenagers safe for years to come. The touring production, now seen by 8,000 youngsters in the county, tackles the tough, frightening and often silent subject of Child Sexual Exploitation. Chelsea's Choice helped me to recognise the signs of CSE; think about how I could help a friend and highlighted the increasingly difficult and ever changing role facing teachers in 2015. My PSE teacher, Miss Allen, and Abigail McGarry, Norfolk's Safeguarding Children's Board manager, have been giving me their thoughts on the value of 'Chelsea's Choice'.
Q: What was the reason for sending the company into schools to perform Chelsea's Choice?
Safeguard Children's Manager (SCM): The play works because it covers so much – child sexual exploitation, different forms of grooming, healthy relationships, and internet safety – directly and without patronising the audience.
Q: How effective is the production?
SCM: Very. When asked in a survey if the play had an impact on students, 80pc of schools replied 'strongly agreed' whilst the other 20pc 'agreed' Miss Allen (MA): The production highlights how all of us, friends, parents and teachers have a responsibility to keep each other safe.
Q: What do you think is special about Chelsea's Choice that makes it stick in young people's minds?
SCM: One of the most powerful images is the final scene where Chelsea realises that she is being exploited and is totally isolated and traumatised, while in the background her old school mates are carrying on as usual and developing healthy relationships. It demonstrates how frightening child sexual exploitation is and how it could happen to anyone, without realising.
MA: The actors were young, approachable and playing the part of 'one of you' very convincingly. I think we sometimes have a preconceived opinion that groomed young people are damaged or from broken homes, or sexually promiscuous, so anyone that doesn't fit those labels is 'safe'. This production broke down those barriers and made us look beyond them.
Q: Will more teenagers in Norfolk get a chance to see Chelsea's Choice?
SCM: Unfortunately we could not afford to pay for more than one production per school, but hopefully those year groups and teachers will use and pass on their new knowledge to others around them.
For more information on Chelsea's Choice, visit: http://www.alteregocreativesolutions.co.uk/chelseas-choice/
Emily Oxbury, 14, Thorpe St Andrew School
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here