Course for youngsters at risk of offending

Young people at risk of offending have begun a course at Rochdale Fire Station which will earn them a qualification

Young people at risk of offending have begun a course at Rochdale Fire Station which will earn them a qualification.

The group of young people from the Rochdale area, who range in age from 10 to 14 years old, started the course with a road traffic collision demo in the station yard.

Four of the youngsters volunteered to be 'casualties' for the demo and were cut out of a car by crews from Blue Watch as the others watched on.

Morgan Beales, aged 13, said: "It was really scary - I just couldn't move and I kept my eyes shut. It felt real and it will definitely make me think about my behaviour because it's so much effort for the firefighters to help you and get you out if you've been messing around in a car and have an accident."

The young people will complete five afternoon sessions with Blue Watch at the station over the school holidays to gain the anti-social behaviour element of the ASDAN Fire and Rescue qualification.

The course is aimed at raising awareness of the consequences of anti-social behaviour and providing the young people with a greater understanding of the work of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) in a bid to bring down the number of anti-social behaviour related incidents such as nuisance fires and hoax calls over the school holidays.

All the young people have been referred onto the course by the Rochdale Youth Offending Team (YOT) prevention team because they are at risk of offending and anti-social behaviour.

The ASDAN Fire and Rescue programme is divided into eight modules: communication, practical skills, safety and health, community safety, anti-social behaviour, road safety, teamwork and leadership.

GMFRS' Children and Young People coordinator for Rochdale, Sarah Draper, said: "The course is quite flexible and we can choose what courses to deliver - we've been focusing on the anti-social behaviour module because it's relevant to this particular group of young people because of their age and background.

"We included the road traffic collision demo to give them a flavour of the road safety module because although they're too young to drive, we want to prevent them feeling peer pressured into getting into a car with someone who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

"They will gain one credit of the ASDAN accredited qualification for the anti-social behaviour module and if they want to continue with any of the other modules we can deliver those by working flexibly with the young people to fit those other modules in."

The youngsters will collect their certificates at a ceremony on Saturday, August 18, when they will also perform a demonstration for their YOT workers, parents and guardians.

Blue Watch Manager Ian Read said: "We're really happy host this group of young people at the station - it's a good opportunity to reach an age group on the cusp of anti-social behaviour, fire-starting and crime and teach them something constructive, hopefully before it's too late."