Hendon student wins £2,000 for online safety tool
Alina Shiraz's SafeStory project was awarded top prize at Middlesex University's 'What’s Your Big Idea' competition.
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Alina Shiraz, a first-year film student at Middlesex University in Hendon, has secured the £2,000 top prize at the 'What’s Your Big Idea: Pathway To Success' competition. Her project, SafeStory, is an online safety simulation tool intended to help pupils learn how to protect themselves. The competition, which took place in July at the university, was delivered in collaboration with Global Talent Solution Hub and received sponsorship from Barnet Council and Brent Cross Shopping Centre.
The 'What’s Your Big Idea' competition aims to foster enterprise and entrepreneurship within Barnet. It provides students, residents, and local employees with a platform to present their business concepts, participate in workshops, and win funding for business growth. Shiraz stated that winning was unexpected, but the validation of her concept's viability was more valuable than the prize money itself. She explained that her motivation for developing SafeStory stems from a desire to create a tool that genuinely assists children in learning safety practices, as current methods like assemblies and printed materials are often forgotten.
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SafeStory integrates three key elements: engaging lessons that children will remember, a confidential channel for children to seek assistance, and Ofsted-compliant evidence for schools to demonstrate effective safeguarding. Shiraz believes her project won because it addressed a specific and recognised problem, with judges understanding its potential to make a real difference for children. She noted that film is the ideal medium for this, as narratives can hold a child's attention and allow them to practice safety lessons through decision-making.
Next Steps for SafeStory
Following her win, Shiraz has taken immediate steps to advance SafeStory. The project has been incorporated as SafeStory Ltd. She is currently developing a prototype through the Venture School sprint, a London-based start-up incubator. The prize funding is being allocated towards script validation by a certified child psychologist, ensuring that safeguarding content for young children is developed with professional oversight.
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Runner-up Project
The competition also recognised Sai Ali, a data science master's graduate, who received the second prize of £1,500 for his project 'Mind Haven'. This platform assists neurodivergent individuals in assessing the accessibility of venues, considering factors like crowd levels, noise, and sensory overload. Ali, working with psychology student Boudica Atheldene, developed a ComfortScore system using publicly available environmental data for over 197,000 locations across Greater London. MindHaven also features NeuroPassport, a private profile to help users find activities and places aligned with their sensory preferences.
Support for Enterprise
Jack Tims, head of careers and futures at Middlesex University, commented that the 'What’s Your Big Idea?' programme consistently showcases diverse and innovative ideas, highlighting entrepreneurial talent within the university's community and the wider local area. Barnet Council provided £2,000 in funding for the event, and Brent Cross Shopping Centre contributed £2,500, also offering a free stand for finalists to promote their businesses. Middlesex alumnus Josef Sucharevitz donated £1,000 towards the participants' prizes. Councillor Philip Cohen, Barnet Council's small business champion, stated that the council is pleased to support the competition as part of its commitment to promoting enterprise and education across the borough.
Questions this report answers
+How much prize money did Alina Shiraz win?
Alina Shiraz won a £2,000 prize for her SafeStory project at the 'What’s Your Big Idea: Pathway To Success' competition. This funding is being used to develop a prototype and validate the script with a child psychologist.
+What is SafeStory and how does it work?
SafeStory is an online safety simulation tool for pupils developed by Alina Shiraz. It aims to help children learn to keep themselves safe by using engaging narratives and providing a confidential route for them to seek help, while also offering schools evidence of safeguarding efforts.
+Who sponsored the 'What’s Your Big Idea' competition?
The competition was sponsored by Barnet Council, which provided £2,000 in funding, and Brent Cross Shopping Centre, which contributed £2,500 and offered promotional space. Middlesex alumnus Josef Sucharevitz also donated £1,000 towards the prizes.
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