Police help Year Six children learn about being better citizens

Around 450 year six children from Northamptonshire schools attended an event last week to learn about becoming better citizens.

The event called the Young Citizens Scheme was held on 18^th, 19^th and 20^th October. It is run by West Northamptonshire Council’s Community Safety Partnership and supported by Northamptonshire Police, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, and the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

The children attended on one of three dates at the Yardley Chase Cadet Training Centre. The aim of the programme is to help children to become better citizens, be safer in their schools and communities, online and on the roads.

The scheme has been running since 2014 and has grown over the years. It is very popular with local schools within Daventry District and South Northamptonshire, and this year included schools in Northampton.

The workshops covered this year were:

• Online Safety
• Fire Safety
• Solvent Abuse
• Personal Safety/Crime Prevention
• Road Safety

Each day ended with an assembly about Healthy Relationships and Hate Crime.

The Young Citizens Scheme helps young people to be better equipped to make choices and understand the consequences of their actions; be better informed of how to react in an emergency, and have a better understanding of and relationship with the range of agencies that operate in the county, such as the police and fire services.

Lindsay Checkley, Community Safety Engagement Officer from West Northamptonshire Council said: “We already work closely with the police and fire service – and we each go into schools separately to share information with students, but this event gives us the opportunity co-ordinate and work together with students.

“I think the Young Citizens Scheme makes a big impact on the Year 6 children, who are getting ready to move onto Year 7. It helps to increase their life skills and their personal skills as they prepare to move to secondary school and into a bigger world.”

Chief Constable Nick Adderley, who attended the event said: “In policing we sometimes see the not so good side of young people, but the reality is that the majority of youngsters will go on to become great people and outstanding citizens.

“By working together in partnership and attacking issues from all angles like this, we can use our shared experiences, and our life experiences to help these youngsters. They are starting to develop their own minds and own thinking, and this is a good time to aid their learning and help to shape their thoughts and journey.”