Avon Fire and Rescue

Avon Fire & Rescue Service (AFRS) Youth Interventions are co-ordinated from the purpose built Youth Development Centre at Bedminster Fire Station. The purpose of the Youth Development Centre is to deliver safety education to young people across the 4 unitary authorities in Avon. And in addition train and support all AFRS operational fire fighters to deliver elements of the AFRS Education Strategy at a local community level.

The Youth Development Centre was formed in July 2005 to develop a Youth Intervention programme for the AFRS region, and become the focus for all Youth initiatives in AFRS. So far the following programmes have been developed and are in the process of being delivered:

Fire Skills Course

The FireSkills course is designed for key stage 4 pupils not engaged in mainstream school, Pupil Referral Units, Youth Offending Teams and Young Offenders in custody at Young Offenders Institutions. The course aims to deliver core safety messages, team working activities and crime awareness (specifically arson and hoax calls). In addition students on the course will be given the opportunity to take and pass 3 qualifications:

* Unit 1 Preparation for Employment.
* Key Skills Communications.
* Key Skills Working With Others.

The course is available to all organisations in the AFRS region; students are selected via a referral system ensuring the right students for the course are given priority. The course costs £100, and 20 courses are run each academic year.

SPARKS

The SPARKS programme is designed to be delivered to key stage 2 pupils in Yr 4/5. The package is delivered by local fire fighters to schools on their station ground. The pack delivers core messages in an interactive carousel ending with a quiz to confirm understanding. Pupils then take home a questionnaire for their parent or carer to fill in. This encourages adults to take stock of their safety awareness and invites them to request a Home Fire Safety Visit. The SPARKS pack is delivered free and managed by the YDC.

Fire Setter Intervention Programme

The YDC coordinates the Fire Setter Intervention programme through referrals from parents and carers. The programme is designed to address fire setting behaviour and fire play in young people. Interventions are designed to prevent further fire setting and its potential tragic consequences. There are 25 trained Fire Setter Intervention Officers supported by the YDC, and AFRS also retains the services of a specialist psychologist to help in more serious cases of fire setting behaviour.

Ashfield Young Offenders Institute (Fire Cadets)

The YDC coordinates the Fire Cadet scheme in Ashfield YOI. The programme is run in accordance with the National Fire Cadets Syllabus and takes place within the YOI. YDC supports and provides instructors for the scheme.

Safety Education and Youth Intervention

Safety education and Youth Intervention are essential elements for all FRS to be active in. The young are responsible for a significant number of fire related crimes and accidents. In addition they are an easily influenced group who in turn influence a number of vulnerable and at-risk members of the community (elderly, single parent families etc). Educating young people is therefore, an important element when looking at the reduction of fire deaths, arson and hoax calls.