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Students from junior schools across Woking are once again participating in the long-running safety course, Junior Citizen.
The series of fun but informative sessions are offered free to all schools in the Borough. Held at Woking Football Club throughout March, the course aims to teach valuable life skills to keep pupils safe and healthy.
The course is organised by members of the Safer Woking Partnership, and supported by Surrey Fire & Rescue, Surrey Police, British Transport Police, Woking Borough Council, New Vision Homes, Woking Football Club and the Children and Family Health Service.
Many favourite sessions will return, introducing pupils to potentially dangerous or antisocial situations in a safe environment, including the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service smoke filled room, where children receive a demonstration of what it is like to enter a room that is on fire and a Stranger Danger session, led by Surrey Police.
The 999 workshop introduced last year gives young people the opportunity to practice making an emergency telephone call. Whilst an interactive class held by the Woking Borough Council Neighbourhood Team promotes being a good neighbour and educates pupils about antisocial behaviour such as fly-tipping, littering and graffiti.
British Transport Police will raise awareness of the hazards around railway lines and a new session for 2019 run by the Children and Family Health Service will teach healthy eating and the dangers of consuming too much sugar.
Speaking about the scheme, Cllr Beryl Hunwicks, Woking Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Chair of the Safer Woking Partnership, said: “We are pleased to once again see such a high take up for the Junior Citizen course, with almost every school in the borough in attendance at some point throughout the fortnight. It proves that the subject matter is still highly relevant and is testament to the engaging content of the sessions and excellent tutorship of the organisations which give their time to help deliver the course.
“Almost every school child in Woking will at some point have completed this training course over the years, meaning that we can be assured that our young people are being made aware of some of the obstacles that life can throw at them, and be confident in dealing with them safely.”
Jane Spong, Head of Youth and Community at Woking Football Club said: “Woking Football Club is proud to once again host Junior Citizen and be a part of such an important scheme for our borough’s young people.
“We are always very impressed by the mature way in which the young people who pass through the doors handle each different situation, whilst still having fun. We hope that everything they learn stays with them to ensure that they are responsible, safety conscious and community minded individuals as they grow into teenagers and young adults.”
For more information about the Junior Citizen Scheme, please contact Woking Borough Council’s Community Safety Manager, Camilla Edmiston, on 01483 743 080, or email camilla.edmiston@woking.gov.uk