A virtual reality approach to safety messaging.
Welcome to the case study for the Safer Streets, Virtual Reality project, a unique collaboration bringing safety messages to life through immersive technology. This initiative is a four-year collaboration between students and staff of the University of Northampton and the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner's Office (OPFCC). We use a virtual reality approach to communicate safety messages and initiatives in a modern, immersive way.
The project focuses on creating VR scenarios for safety-related topics.Recognised for its impact, the project won the Association of University Chief Security Officers (AUCSO) Initiative of the Year award in 2024 for Security and Community. Explore this site to learn more about the project's origins, how it works, the vital role of our students, and its impact on community safety and education.
The innovation behind safer streets, virtual reality.
The Safer Streets Virtual Reality project began with a clear challenge: how can we better protect students - especially women and girls - within the night-time economy? Traditional safety messaging wasn’t cutting through. We needed something more impactful, more immersive, and more memorable. Enter VR.
From Funding to Innovation
Thanks to the Home Office’s Safer Women at Night (SWaN) fund, the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (OPFCC) was able to invest £30,000 in cutting-edge VR technology, including a ‘classroom in a box’ and Insta360 camera kit. But hardware alone wasn’t enough. To truly innovate, the project needed authentic, relevant content - and that’s where the University of Northampton came in.
A Distinctive Co-Creation Model
Led by Dr Kardi Somerfield, students and staff from the University of Northampton collaborated with the OPFCC to co-design and produce the immersive VR content. In return for access to the equipment, the university provided the creativity, research, and technical skill to develop powerful scenarios that speak directly to student audiences.
This cross-sector partnership didn’t just save significant costs on content creation—it elevated the educational value of the material and put students at the heart of the solution.
