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Over 2150 Renfrewshire schoolchildren are to take part in one of Scotland's biggest community safety programmes.
All primary six pupils from across Renfrewshire's primary schools will get the chance over the next four weeks to take part in Renfrewshire's innovative Safe Kids Experiential Learning Event. A range of local services from the Council to the Police will come together at the event to help children learn how to avoid dangers through practical experience. The pupils will get the opportunity to deal with some of the most relevant safety issues facing young people of today, such as bullying, surfing the net safely and making 999 calls.
Safekids 2006 is a safety event to be organised by Strathclyde Fire & Rescue and a safety community project made up of Renfrewshire Council, Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park Rangers, and Strathclyde Police.
Councillor Anne Hall, Renfrewshire Council’s Spokesperson for Community Safety, said: "The idea of the event is that the best way for youngsters to learn is by doing. So the different organisations involved will provide various scenarios which could affect children's safety to show how they should deal with them.
"We hope that the pupils will become more aware of the potential dangers around them, and that we'll help them to develop the knowledge and skills to keep them safe. Hopefully they'll remember the safety messages because they've had an enjoyable experience."
The community safety scenarios will include a bullying scenario presented by Strathclyde Police; water safety presented by Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park rangers; home fire safety guidance from Strathclyde Fire & Rescue; railway safety advice from the British Transport Police; Internet and chat room advice from Johnstone Castle Learning Centre; a session on drugs and alcohol issues given by Renfrewshire Drugs Service; cycle safety from the road safety section within Renfrewshire council's planning and transport dept and bus safety from Stagecoach buses.
To capture the children's imagination, the scenarios will be presented in as authentic a way as possible. There will be mock-ups of:
- a bedroom for the home fire safety session
- advice and a chat room for the Internet safety session
- workshop on bullying and its effects
- single decker bus from Stagecoach
- water hazard identification
- imitation railway track
- discarded needles and drugs room
- cycle helmet safety demonstration
Press Release: Friday 24 March 2006
