About
About usThe story so far
Deflect and Protect Cic was founded in February 2024 by Alistair Barfield as an extension of his previous media literacy work.
Deflect is a digital harms training provider focused on the benefits of the internet.
In our first year we have delivered training sessions throughout the UK to local authorities, academy chains, violence reduction partnerships and the Home Office.
Delivering to over 3000 participants and receiving 100% positive feedback. In addition we have engaged in consulting work, developing ways to improve the criminal justice system for neurodivergent people as well as introducing neurodiverse friendly training environments.
Most of our training is focused on the connection between autism and extremism, how our community is radicalised online and effective measures to understand our vulnerabilities regarding this. We have now expanded to delivering training sessions focused on other forms of digital harms including, blackmarket gambling and teenagers and media literacy interventions with young people.
We will continue to expand our offering partnering with other organisations nationwide and helping to equip young people with the ability to make positive choices.
Our Values
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Autistic owned and operated
At Deflect and Protect, we firmly believe in the principle of 'nothing about us without us.' It's essential to our philosophy that a representative from the neurodivergent community shares the lived experiences of neurodivergent individuals.
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Keep young people safe from online dangers
Young people spend more time online than any other group. Dangers that are present online may differ to that in real life however they are just as important to understand. We look at the risks of Radicalism, extremism, Gambling Harms, Online Misogyny movements, Eating Disorders, Self harm and negative messaging online. We explain how these can impact young people as well as best practice for how to engage and prevent damaging outcomes.
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Understanding young peoples lived experiences
We believe in empowering young people to share their lived experiences online, without value judgements from adults. Understanding that the internet represents an amazing tool for young people to socialise, learn and grow as individuals but can also represent significant risk.
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Bridging the generational gap
The internet continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, it can be difficult to understand and navigate the online world. Young people live online, they explore their world through the internet, in order to protect and empower young people from online dangers we must first understand their existence.
Director + FounderAlistair Barfield
At the age of 7, I was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD shortly before being excluded from my primary school. Needless to say my experience growing up in education as an autistic man were difficult to say the least. My experiences moving around forms of special needs and mainstream educational settings coloured my outlook on figures of authority. I was young, confused and angry, as many young neurodivergent people find themselves today.
I took these negative experiences and returned to education in early adulthood determined to make a positive change to my community, being a role model. I graduated from a specialist teacher training university, Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln. With a BA honours degree in Education Studies.
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I continued my professional journey working in SEND (Special Needs departments) both in pastoral and educational roles throughout a variety of educational institutions. I left these roles to work closer with adults who were neurodiverse. I wanted to understand how the experiences of education/young adulthood had affected my community further, as part of this role I delivered media literacy training. I wanted to continue and expand this area of work and felt like the only opportunity for my community's voice to be empowered was to found my own organisation.
In February 2024 Deflect and protect was founded as a Community Interest company with a clear purpose. To explain young people's lived experiences online, the dangers they may encounter and how adults can empower young people to use the internet in a positive manner.
The internet as a tool for goodEmpowering young people online
In an increasingly frightening and uncertain world, as the generational divide continues to grow, Deflect and Protect will be here to help you steer our young people away from harm and into making positive choices.
The internet is an integral part of our young people's lived experiences, their chosen form of communication, socialisation and often their self expression is through the internet. We do not believe in excluding internet access to young people, but rather through education we can teach young people to use this incredible tool safely and avoid harm.