Safety messaging is often delivered through posters, leaflets, or social media campaigns. But what if people could experience these messages instead of simply reading them? This question inspired the Safer Streets Virtual Reality project, an innovative collaboration between the University of Northampton and the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s Office.
Now in its fourth year, the project brings safety education to life using immersive virtual reality. By combining academic expertise with community safety initiatives, the project aims to communicate important safety messages in a way that is modern, engaging, and memorable.
The impact of this work has already been recognised. In 2024, the project won the Association of University Chief Security Officers Initiative of the Year Award for Security and Community, highlighting its success in improving community safety while providing valuable educational opportunities for students.
The Safer Streets VR project began with a clear and important challenge:
How can we better protect students, particularly women and girls, within the night-time economy?
Traditional safety messaging was no longer having the desired impact. Posters and campaigns often struggled to capture attention or create lasting behavioural change. Something more immersive and engaging was needed—something that would allow people to see situations from different perspectives and understand the consequences of their actions.
The project was made possible through funding from the Home Office’s Safer Women at Night (SWaN) initiative, which enabled the Northamptonshire OPFCC to invest £30,000 in cutting-edge VR equipment.
This investment included a “classroom in a box” VR setup and an Insta360 camera kit, allowing realistic and interactive scenarios to be created and delivered in educational settings.
However, technology alone does not create meaningful experiences. To truly make an impact, the project required authentic content that reflected the real experiences and concerns of students.
Led by Dr Kardi Somerfield, students and staff from the University of Northampton worked closely with the OPFCC to design and produce immersive VR scenarios focused on safety awareness.
This collaboration created a distinctive co-creation model. In exchange for access to the VR equipment, the university contributed its creativity, research expertise, and technical skills to develop powerful and realistic scenarios aimed at student audiences.
The result was a partnership that benefited everyone involved. Not only did it significantly reduce the costs associated with professional content production, but it also enhanced the educational value of the project.
Most importantly, it placed students at the centre of the solution, allowing them to contribute directly to initiatives designed to improve safety within their own communities.
The Safer Streets Virtual Reality project has had a significant impact by using immersive technology to deliver engaging safety education. Through a collaboration between the University of Northampton and the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s Office, the project has demonstrated how virtual reality can effectively communicate important safety messages while providing students with valuable real-world experience.
The project has been showcased at the Merged Futures conference between 2022 and 2025, reaching around 350 delegates each year and highlighting the potential of VR to support community safety initiatives. It has also been presented at knowledge exchange events bringing together academics, law enforcement, government representatives, and industry specialists to discuss issues such as violence against women and girls and the role of technology in prevention.
National recognition came in 2024 when the project won the Initiative of the Year – Security and Community award from the Association of University Chief Security Officers. The judges praised its innovative and immersive approach to safety training, enabling students to explore real-world risks within a safe and controlled environment.
The project has also been published as a best practice case study by the College of Policing, leading to interest from other police forces and third-sector organisations seeking advice on implementing similar VR-based safety education initiatives.
Importantly, students played a central role in designing and producing the VR scenarios. Their involvement ensured the content was authentic and relevant, while also helping to build practical skills and empower students to promote safety awareness within their own communities.
