Launch of Mr Shapeshifter project to protect 9-11 year olds from exploitation and abuse

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The first stage of a roll-out into Rochdale primary schools and communities designed to help children aged 9-11 and adults combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, part of an ambitious partnership between GW Theatre Company and Rochdale Council, will be launched at HOME in Manchester on Friday 26 April.

The Mr Shapeshifter [MSS] story comes in three different forms, an animation, a children’s book and a live theatre piece, but in all three it’s an exciting, modern fairy tale about the way some adults abuse the trust of children on and off-line and how children can work together with trusted adults to protect themselves.

The acclaimed GW Theatre Company stage production of MSS has been touring into schools since 2015 and was developed with a consortium of local authorities, including Rochdale and Oldham.

The animation was produced in collaboration with BAFTA award winning Fettle Animation and GW Theatre crowdfunded to produce the book.

It is intended to reach as wide an audience as possible and is available online for anyone to use, supported by free to access activities. The play, animation and book can be used separately or together and are supported by learning materials built into special educational packages.

GW Theatre Company is proud to be extending its partnership with Rochdale Council to deliver a unique whole community approach to keeping young children safe, built around the key message of ‘Be Protected – Be the Protector’.

The project will reach 9-11-year olds in all Rochdale primary schools, as well as more vulnerable children in other settings. Special work will then emanate outwards to engage with parents, carers and families.

GM’s Deputy Mayor, Bev Hughes, is the key speaker at the launch: “Sexual exploitation and abuse of children is abhorrent. Children have a right to be protected from harm and it is ever more important that they learn when the behaviour of a person is wrong. The Mr Shapeshifter play is a really helpful way to teach children about these issues and the interactive basis means that it is done in a way they can understand. It’s a really valuable initiative”

Director of Children’s Services in Rochdale, Gail Hopper is also speaking: “We have had a great experience in Rochdale and schools typically have had great benefit from the work of GW Theatre, who also engaged us in the development of the play from the outset and took advice from professionals who would understand what would have most impact.

“The interactive nature of the play helped in the understanding of what messages are important for children and from seeing the animation that’s been used to inform it.”

Dave Jones of GW Theatre believes the work can go GM wide: “This work could make a huge social impact. This animation, book and play will carry powerful messages and learning to thousands of children, parents, carers and families. If something doesn’t feel right, then it isn’t. Tell someone and keep repeating yourself until you are heard. It could be a transformative piece of Greater Manchester safeguarding work helping many vulnerable children to be safer"

Writer and author Mike Harris on the challenge of writing the play, the animation and the book:

“Working out how to deal sensitively but honestly with this subject for 9-11-year olds was a massive creative challenge.

“We didn’t want to be part of the problem by undermining the childhood of our audiences, but equally we felt we didn’t want to talk down to them or deny them essential information.

“So, MSS can be read at several levels depending on the individual, the group and the judgement of teachers, parents and guardians.

“At one level it’s an exciting modern fairy story about how two unlikely friends defeat a ‘supervillain’ who, ‘drains childhood so he can live forever’, at another it’s about grooming and the abuse of power.

“Once we’d worked out how to do it (without once mentioning the word sex) it was a privilege to have the chance of doing it in three completely different formats, as a play, an animation and a book, with each one dealing with the subject slightly differently.”