BIRMINGHAM, UK. July 10, 2026 – Birmingham immersive technology specialist Virtual Decisions has received the Midlands Education Award for Innovation in recognition of its pioneering virtual reality programmes that help schools and youth justice organisations educate young people about knife crime, antisocial behaviour and county lines exploitation.
Using immersive virtual reality, the programmes place participants in realistic situations where they must make decisions and experience the consequences in a controlled environment. Designed using trauma-informed practices, the experiences encourage learning and discussion while avoiding the risk of retraumatisation. The programmes are currently being delivered in schools, pupil referral units and youth justice settings across the UK.
Originally developed in Birmingham, Virtual Decisions‘ programmes are now used throughout the UK and overseas. Since 2020, they have engaged an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 young people. Created by co-founders Stuart Lane and Claire Downes, the VR experiences and accompanying educational resources are embedded within youth justice teams, local councils, schools, police forces and Violence Reduction Units, helping address issues including knife crime, antisocial behaviour, exploitation, identity and peer influence.
Stuart Lane, Co-Founder of Virtual Decisions, said: “Winning this award is a proud moment, but the work is what matters. We’re using immersive technology to reach young people at the point where early intervention can make a real difference. These programmes are built to be honest about the realities of knife crime and exploitation, without ever putting young people back in harm’s way.”
The programmes continue to make a positive impact in schools and local communities. A teacher working with Nuneaton Bedworth United to Achieve said: “The children talked very highly of how good the session was and how much it had made them think. Both packages have really supported our children to see how things can go so wrong if you take certain paths in behaviour and life. It has also got the children talking to school staff more openly about things they see.”
Virtual Decisions partners with schools, local authorities, youth services, police and crime commissioners across the Midlands. Its VR programmes are designed to strengthen existing early intervention and violence reduction strategies by providing practical support for practitioners alongside measurable outcomes.
Following its success across the UK, the company is continuing its international growth with new partnerships in Ireland and Australia. Virtual Decisions has also commissioned additional VR experiences, broadening its programme offering to address a wider range of issues affecting young people.
