Keep Safe is a multi-award winning initiative that works in partnership with Police Scotland. The initiative works with local communities to create a national network of Keep Safe places for people to go if they are feeling lost, scared or vulnerable when out in the community. A free Keep Safe Scotland App maps out all of the Keep Safe places and enables users to plan routes in advance and also provides a link to report hate crimes to Police Scotland.

Free Keep Safe cards are available. These detail information about a persons health conditions, communication requirements and emergency contact details. These are particularly useful for people who may have alternative communication or who may need additional support when out in the community.

Situation

The I Am Me Scotland charity was started as a community project in Renfrewshire to raise awareness of disability hate crime. It was set up by community members and a steering group of young people and disabled people. The group managed to secure funding to commission the local theatre company to develop and deliver a live hard hitting drama which highlighted the impact and consequences of disability hate crime. During focus groups undertaken to find out about disabled peoples experiences of prejudice and hate within the community, some people shared their personal experiences of being targeted because of their disability and highlighted that there were times when they felt unsafe or had stopped travelling independently due to fear or anxiety….

Read the full case study here.