The first YOYO Awards were held on Wednesday, 9 May at the Hallam FM studios in Sheffield and were attended by the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Dr Alan Billings.

Over 50 school children from across South Yorkshire attended the event compered by Hallam FM drive-time presenter Simon Morykin.

YOYO stands for You’re Only Young Once and is an initiative delivered in South Yorkshire schools.  The lessons provide pupils with the opportunity to produce videos, podcasts and radio advertisements aimed at their peers, educating them in staying safe from activities that may cause them harm.

Themes covered in the 29 schools visited to date include guns and gangs, drug awareness, alcohol awareness, healthy relationships, CSE and hate crime.

Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner said: “The pupils in schools across South Yorkshire have produced some remarkable products in the form of videos and radio advertisements.

“I congratulate each of them that have taken part in the initiative.  They each have something to take away from these lessons to listen back to and share with friends and family and for the schools to be very proud of.

“Congratulations to all of the winners.”

The winners on the day included King Edwards Vll School for their #dabdontstab hashtag as part of their guns and gangs lesson.   The Most Creative Content Award went to Wales High School for the inclusion of sound effects in to their road safety radio advertisements. Barnsley Academy was the winners of the YOYO Ambassadors Award for their contribution to domestic abuse podcasts and XP School in Doncaster who also covered domestic abuse won Best School.  Winterhill School in Rotherham won the Overall Contribution Award with their Fire Safety Awareness podcasts.

The Shining Star Award went to Matt Stanton who attended one of the summer schools held in the Hallam FM studios.  Matt’s radio advertisement on knife crime was of such high quality that it made it on to the airwaves in the form of a radio advertisement for the YOYO campaign.

Matt’s radio advertisement ran throughout January and February on Hallam FM and included his original work along with a voiceover explaining the YOYO project.

Schools in attendance at the awards were Darton College, Barnlsey, Kirk Balk Academy, Barnsley, Outwood Academy – Carlton, King Edwards Vll School, Sheffield and Barnsley Academy.  The pupils each received a tour of the Hallam FM studios and were interviewed by Senior Lead Tutor Chloe Yates on their experiences with YOYO and what they have learnt from the YOYO lessons.

The YOYO project is funded by The South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner and delivered in full day sessions by Bauer Academy.  There are currently 157 products uploaded to YouTube and on the YOYO website all produced or including pupils who have taken part.

YOYO has already generated almost 5,000 hits on YouTube with the most popular watched video being about bullying and produced by pupils in Outwood Academy – Shafton.

For more information on YOYO please see the website – http://yoyosyorks.co.uk/ or YouTube