Engaging Youth

Young Firefighter success

Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service has been successful in securing £13,500 worth of funding to continue is collaboration with Carlisle and Eden CDRP to run the Young Firefighter Project.

The CDRP Leadership Group met on Wednesday 15 August and voted unanimously to continue financially supporting the scheme. The scheme is designed to reduce anti-social behaviour, engaging young people from the local community in an intensive eight-week, ten-day work experience course. The current course is due to finish this afternoon (Friday 24 August).

A passing out parade and presentation ceremony will be held for the six participants who have completed the course on Tuesday 28 August at 12.15, which the media are welcome to attend.

The project is funded by the Carlisle & Eden CDRP and delivered by specially trained firefighters from Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service. They work with 13 - 19 year olds who are often recommended to the project by agencies such as, Connexions, local schools and other youth organisations.

The course is specifically designed to challenge the young people by trying to get them to: adopt a new set of personal values; understand the consequences of anti-social behaviour; work within a team; see the advantages of improving their performances and learning; and gain self-esteem and confidence.

During the course each student is involved in ladder and hose drills, team building exercises, first aid, climbing / abseiling, water rescue, breathing apparatus, road awareness training, consequence sessions and pass out parade.

Each session costs £3,000; there are four courses a year open to 10 -12 participants, the CDRP has just granted a further £13,500 of funding for the next financial year helping to secure this unique project. A similar scheme in London costs £10,000 per session.

To date the have been three courses with 30 young people going through the programme. The Cumbria scheme has several unique parts. Each young person is visited at home by one of the instructors before the course starts, this is aimed at breaking down barriers, getting the young people interested and gets the admin out of the way, so they can get straight on with the practical side. Each young person is give a learning log book, this records their progress through out the eight weeks, no other course of its type in the UK uses this tool. At the end of the course each student receives a certificate and a reference from an instructor, additionally contact and support for each student is maintained after each course.

CDRP Chairman Cllr Mary Robinson said:

the CDRP and Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service are determined to continue working with young people and local residents, to support improvements to the quality of life for people living in the District and prevent Anti-Social Behaviour. This project is another example of forward thinking and proactive multi-agency working and one we are pleased to continue to support financially.

Cllr Judy Prest portfolio holder for Health and Wellbeing said:

once more the CDRP has demonstrated that it is proactively working with the community to address a local issues. By providing funding to the Young Firefighter Project the partnership has significantly reduce criminal damage and anti-social behaviour in the District and additionally support the drive to make Carlisle a Cleaner, Greener and Safer place for all residents to live and work in.