Pupils learn to play their part in the community

Release Date: 02-Jul-2009

The impact of knife crime, gang violence and anti-social behaviour on individuals, families and communities has been highlighted to young people in a series of hard-hitting school sessions.

These issues are hardly out of the news - but there are few opportunities for young people to hear about them first hand and ask questions of victims, criminals and their families as well as the enforcement agencies and charities tackling them.

Play Your Part is a series of talks, discussions, advice and question-and-answer sessions for year-eight pupils, aged 12 and 13. It is backed by the Safer Bristol Partnership and has been taking place at secondary schools across Bristol for the past three years. Last year 2000 young people took part. This year a record 11 schools took part with four schools already registering their interest for next year.

Jo Buck, youth project coordinator, from Avon and Somerset Police, whose involvement with Play Your Part is funded by Safer Bristol, said: “Using emotive stories, the day is designed to inspire young people to be good citizens, promote respect for themselves and others and encourage them to stand up for what is right.”

Brian McCutcheon, chair of Safer Bristol, added: “The Play Your Part activity is really important. Alongside the work our partner agencies do on a day to day basis, it is only by engaging with our young people and encouraging them to contribute towards making their communities a safer place to live, can we progress towards our vision of making Bristol the safest city in the world.

“This activity allows us to enter into a dialogue with them highlighting the importance of their role, so they can enjoy the benefits of safer communities in the future.”

The day is coordinated by Avon and Somerset Police and brings together Avon Fire & Rescue Service, the Red Cross, HMP/YOI Ashfield, Network Rail and Parents r Us. The young people and their teachers are given the chance to feed-back and suggest improvements at the end of each day.

During the day young offenders who are nearing the end of their sentences at HMP/YOI Ashfield speak to the pupils about what prison is like and how they ended up there. They discuss the impact it has had on their family and friends and what awaits them when they are released. The pupils are encouraged to ask questions and challenge the myth that prison is a soft punishment.

Reducing arson through education is tackled by the Arson Task Force, a partnership between Avon Fire & Rescue Service and Avon and Somerset Police. Fire officers explain the dangers and consequences of arson and playing with fire by using emotive films and pictures. The dangers of making hoax calls to the fire service are also explained.

The Police stage a number of different sessions depending on current issues in the school or society. The most popular are:

Knife crime awareness – this includes an emotive film called Linval’s Story about a young man from Easton who died after being stabbed in 2004. The consequences of carrying knives are then explored, including the impact of getting a criminal record and how crime can be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers.
Out of Your Hands – a session developed by the Home Office aimed at reducing the number of young people becoming victims of crime, especially robbery. Pupils learn how to look after their property when out by looking at a robbery from the viewpoint of the victim and the offender. The students are also encouraged to register their property on the immobilise website.
Internet Safety – challenging young people on what they know about the internet and empowering them to take control of the risks.

The Red Cross provides a hands-on session that equips the students with first aid skills and shows how to treat major injuries such as wounds until help arrives or the casualty gets to hospital.
Drug addiction and the impact it has on families is explained by Parents R Us, the charity formed by Bristol mums who speak from the heart about their own experiences. The young people have the opportunity to ask them questions.

Author: Vicky O'Loughlin

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