Sovereign Comics, Liberty Lines and Youth Unity's successful Crowdfunder Campaign.

County Lines: A Comic Book

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/county-lines-a-comic-book

"Our groundbreaking comic book will empower children to recognise the signs of exploitation and raise concerns if they or their friends are at risk."

County Lines is the first comic book designed to open a conversation with children who are at risk of grooming and exploitation in the UK's drug-trade.

Our groundbreaking comic book will empower children to recognise the signs of exploitation and raise concerns if they or their friends are at risk.

“We’ve identified barriers to education for some groups. In certain areas, some influences stop students from getting ahead. Even if they’re good at a certain point in time, the influences in the area stop their progression, so before we can even touch on things like mathematics or English - the core subjects of the curriculum - there are other things that aren’t being looked after. For instance, they have a ‘PSHE' system in some schools, but how effective is that if they’re not really talking to the people that need these issues taken care of?”

Dean Richards, Co-founder of Sovereign Comics

County lines refers to ‘organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas within the UK, using dedicated mobile phone lines or other form of “deal line”. They are likely to exploit children and vulnerable adults to move and store the drugs and money.' — Home Office, 2018

'Child Criminal Exploitation is common in county lines and occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child or young person...They [organised criminal groups] will often use coercion, intimidation, violence (including sexual violence) and weapons.' — Home Office, 2018

“We’ve always felt that what we have our approach to societal issues, and problems required a level of innovation that we’re bringing but not seeing out there. Seeing how well this fundraiser has gone has just reaffirmed the need for what we’re doing.

We come from communities where loved ones or family friends or people we know are connected to youth going through child grooming and are becoming victims to county lines.”

Paul Nelson, Co-founder of Sovereign Comics

Our use of technology

The interactive version of the comic book will give children the opportunity to explore different narratives, with their choices determining the outcome of the story. This will encourage young people to explore different decision-making models and their consequences within a safe space.

We did it

On 20th April 2021 we successfully raised £12,125 with 265 supporters in 55 days. For more on this project please visit:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/county-lines-a-comic-book