LINK_UP

What is LINK_UP?
LINK-UP is a new digital platform to “bring people together, to learn together”, at a distance, in a shared experience format, to encourage young people to think for themselves. LINK-UP is a unique engagement tool that combines interactive decision based drama with Personal Social & Health Education (PSHE) in schools and at home.
By developing a new digital format whereby young people watch Round Midnight’s ground breaking film Virtual_Decisions and interact with a live host, they are able to explore topics of significant challenge, in a safe space, whether this be in their classrooms or from the comfort of their own homes.
Using the Virtual_Decisions film allows young people to explore peer pressure; positive vs negative role models; joint enterprise; loyalty vs snitching; grooming; criminal exploitation and keeping yourself safe. These topics can be incredibly difficult for young people to discuss openly, but the LINK_UP programme creates a safe, anonymous, space for participants to share their thoughts and perhaps their concerns around these challenging issues.
Live Facilitation
Unlike other theatre based digital projects, LINK_UP involves live facilitation and a high level of interactivity.
Interactive
Unlike other remote digital platforms, LINK_UP is designed to be interactive so that participants can engage with important PSHE topics.

PSHE Specific
LINK_UP is a platform designed to open up virtual discussions about tough subject matters in the PSHE curriculum.
Flexible
LINK_UP will help PSHE educators to adapt to a changing climate. This digital platform allows participants to engage with PSHE topics both at home, and at school.
Research
During the research for LINK_UP we welcomed remote discussions with educators – from June to September 2020 – to further explore topics young people find challenging and to assess teaching approaches to ensure LINK_UP’s relevancy and impact.
Development
Whilst the LINK_UP programme was in development, we worked very closely with our project partners at BDH Immersive in order to make sure that both the brand new technology and the content were ready for audiences.
What is next?
We are excited about the future of LINK_UP and are looking forward to running live trials with focus groups across February and March of 2021. To follow our journey with this exciting new tech please find us on social media.
Combining Theatre with Technology to support PSHE Educators
LINK_UP Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective One: To recognise the influence others have over us
Outcomes: The participants will be able to:
- Discuss their understanding of positive vs negative role models and peer pressure
- Explain how to spot the signs of a negative role model
- Teach others how to spot the red flags of negative role models (i.e. signs grooming and intentions behind a friendship) and discuss these influences with adults/positive figures
Learning Objective Two: To recognise the risk of technology in our social circles
Outcomes: The participants will be able to:
- Discuss their understanding of joint enterprise
- Explain how to use their tech for good in risk taking situations (reporting incidents without the fear of “snitching”)
- Teach others about joint enterprise and raise awareness around the filming and sharing of harmful content as a criminal act
Learning Objective three: To recognise the skills it takes to 'keep yourself safe'
Outcomes: The participants will be able to:
- Discuss their understanding of what it takes to ‘keep yourself safe’, particularly in a risk taking environment
- Explain the signs of criminal exploitation
- Teach others the tools it takes to ‘keep yourself safe’ as a young person

Research
We are currently running consultations with schools to help us in our research for LINK_UP. We are thankful for the educators and pupils who have supported us in our research phases. Without this support, we wouldn’t be able to conduct our research so thoroughly.
In our research we have so far reached over 100 young people via:
- Virtual Consultations
- 1 to 1 teacher-led interviews
- Socially Distanced Consultations
- Teacher-Led Consultations




Funded by:

Interested in LINK_UP?
We would love to hear from you! For more information, please contact us:
PHONE : 0121 440 8188
EMAIL : info@roundmidnight.org.uk
Alternatively, fill out the form on this page and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.