Young people lead changes to Fearless reporting form used across the UK

The online reporting form for Fearless, Crimestoppers' youth service, has been updated and is now live across the UK, following a youth-led redesign focused on accessibility.

The changes were led by pupils at Goudie Academy, part of the charity Kibble (which supports at risk children and young people across the UK), working alongside Fearless to make the form clearer, easier to use and more accessible, while protecting our promise of 100% anonymity.

This work shows exactly what can happen when young people are genuinely listened to and trusted to lead change.

 Fearless Scotland National Manager Lyndsay McDade accepts a cheque from Kibble 

How the project began

In January 2025, the Fearless Scotland team delivered a series of workshops at Kibble’s Goudie Academy focused on speaking up about crime.

Pupils were thoughtful and very engaged. Rather than passively receiving information, they asked questions, challenged ideas and explored whether the services being discussed would genuinely work for themselves and other young people.

At the same time, pupils were taking part in the Youth Philanthropy Initiative (YPI), a programme that supports young people to research social issues and charities in their community and decide how a £3,000 grant should be awarded.

One class chose Fearless as the charity they wished to represent, recognising the service as one that makes a real difference for young people.

Choosing to create change

As part of the YPI process, pupils explored Fearless in more depth and interviewed Lyndsay McDade, Fearless Scotland National Manager. They asked about the values of the service, its impact and how any funding would be used.

Lyndsay was clear that if Fearless was selected, the young people themselves would lead how the funding was spent and work alongside the charity to create meaningful change.

Through further research and reflection on their own experiences of navigating services, the pupils decided the most effective way to have national impact would be to improve the accessibility of the Fearless online reporting form.

The pupils then created a video explaining why the changes mattered, who they would help and how they could reduce barriers for young people wishing to speak up. The pupils were awarded first place, securing £3,000 to bring their ideas to life.

What the young people changed

Using their YPI award, pupils worked closely with Fearless to redesign the reporting form with accessibility at its core.

They identified barriers that could prevent young people from being able to use the form, particularly those with additional support needs including those who find reading and writing difficult. 

As a result, the updated reporting form now includes:

• three clear, manageable sections
• simpler, clearer and less intimidating question wording
• a text-to-speech function so questions and explanations can be read aloud for anyone who wants or needs that support

The pupils first developed an aspirational version of the form, before working together with Fearless to identify which ideas could be implemented immediately, which would take longer and which could not be progressed in order to ensure that the charity’s promise of 100% anonymity was never compromised.

Fearless colleagues and technical specialists worked through practical and safeguarding considerations to ensure the young people’s ideas were reflected accurately and safely.

Now live

The updated Fearless reporting form is now live.

Thanks to the pupils at Kibble, young people across Scotland and throughout the UK who choose to report crime will now be supported by changes designed and funded by young people themselves. By reducing barriers, they have helped ensure more young people feel able to speak up and report crime 100% anonymously.

“It has been a real pleasure to work with the brilliant young people and staff at Goudie Academy. I have felt so warmly welcomed into their community, and getting to know the pupils and seeing them shine was one of the highlights of my year.

“At a time when young people are so often criticised online and in the media, this project shows what is possible when they are trusted, supported and given the opportunity to lead. I am hugely proud of every single one of them.

“My thanks also go to YPI and The Wood Foundation for their tremendous work across Scotland in supporting youth-led decision-making and participatory budgeting through direct grant funding, and in helping young people better understand the impact of the third sector in their communities.”

Lyndsay McDade, Fearless Scotland National Manager

 27 January 2026