The Polygon was involved in a collaboration between local schools, Hampshire charity Yellow Door, and a researcher from Southampton Solent University producing a powerful short film exploring the issue of sexual harassment.

In November 2024, The Polygon School and Yellow Door, a charity focused on preventing and responding to domestic and sexual abuse, attended an event together showcasing *Screening Sexual Violence.  This was a web resource developed as part of a British Academy-funded research project led by Dr Donna Peberdy, Associate Professor at Solent University. The project examines how film can be used as a tool for education, awareness, and social change.

Inspired by both the resource and a talk from Dr Peberdy, Chloe Foster (The Polygon School) and Wayne K (Yellow Door), who were working on a collaborative project together exploring violence against women and girls (VAWG), expressed a desire to create their own film with students at The Polygon School.  They wanted to show how they could be part of the solution, not just seen as the problem.

Working with boys aged 12–16 at The Polygon School, Dr Peberdy was joined by MA Film Production student Fergus Mclean and PhD Art in Education student Emma Morrissey. Together, the Solent team ran creative workshops to explore the students’ ideas and help them shape the narrative. The students developed the concept and story and were later invited, along with their teacher and a representative from Yellow Door to Solent University’s state-of-the-art studios for a script read-through.

Chloe Foster, teacher and Head of PSHE at The Polygon School, is incredibly proud of what the young people achieved through the project and recognises the power of schools collaborating with local organisations such as Yellow Door and Solent University. She says:

“This project began, quite humbly, in a coffee shop in Portswood back in July 2024 – a charity and a school coming together to explore creative ways to support young people in navigating complex conversations about VAWG, and how to approach these issues meaningfully in schools. I am extremely proud of the project we designed together, the journey our students have been on, and the incredible experiences they’ve had through this unique collaboration. I believe this film represents a valuable resource for schools to use within PSHE lessons, created by students to inspire and educate their peers. Donna and Solent University have been absolutely incredible. From empowering students, to shaping scripts, to handing over real tech and trusting our young people to use it – they didn’t just help us make a film. They helped young people find their voice.”

The resulting film,  Now Your Turn, was shot over the summer, with students from both The Polygon School and Crestwood Community School taking on acting and filmmaking roles.  Director Fergus says:

“There is a unique magic to a film set, amongst the logistical challenges, that brings a strong sense of unity to a group of people. Watching the boys develop - from averted eye contact and nervous laughter to genuine sincerity and important conversation through the journey of a shoot day - has been hugely gratifying.”

On Thursday 23 October, the University rolled out the red carpet for a special screening of the film to celebrate the students’ achievements.  Alongside families and teachers, organisations from across the region attended the packed event, with many requesting copies of the film and expressing interest in collaborating with the University on similar initiatives.

Congratulations to everybody involved in the project and the recognition it thoroughly deserves.