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KIDS KNIFE AWARENESS & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY EDUCATION PROGRAMME |
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Written by Gary Payne
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Monday, 14 July 2008 |
KNIFE STATS “70 people stabbed in the UK everyday” – Daily Star“25,000 people mugged or stabbed at knife point in the last year” – Daily Star“More than 50 people killed in London alone this year” – Daily Mail“There has been a 75% rise in teenagers being admitted to hospital with serious stab wounds in the past 5 years” – Daily Mail OUR GOAL We believe something has to be done urgently to tackle the increased anti-social behaviour that is leading to the growth of knife related crime. The Media is constantly asking for ideas on how to solve these problems in society and the Life Skills for Children team would like to contribute to as many TV, radio, media programmes or articles to demonstrate to the people of this country that there are groups that can make a positive change in our young people. Our goal is to provide a 1 hour FREE workshop and presentation of the “Life Skills for Children” programme in London. The workshop will be to a group of children and will specifically tackle knife awareness training. We would like to invite guests to the workshop of whom are in the position to positively change the lives of millions of children in this country. Guests will include :- · National Media – papers, tv and radio· MP’s – Prime Minister, David Cameron, Ed Balls, Jack Straw etc· Boris Johnson· Cherie Blair· Teaching Unions· High ranking Police officers· Heads of education· Families of other victims of knife related crime· VIP’s The event will be only an hour in duration, but will serve as a good opportunity to put the decision making people in a room with the press and establish a positive way forward to end this crime through education. We appreciate that the “Life Skills for Children” programme is only one part of the big problem solving puzzle and combined with the relevant measures including the appropriate justice, potential boot camps, parental education, specialist organisations helping specific groups, we can collectively change the youth of this country.
LIFE SKILLS FOR CHILDREN PROGRAMME As an Edge Weapons Defensive Tactics Instructor, 3½ year ago I developed a preventative measures programme called “Life Skills for Children” which tackles some of the fundamental problems children experience today in a friendly and educational way. After completing a very successful pilot of the programme in several schools and with children aged between 5 to 16 yrs, we started approaching both local and central Government for support to install the programme into schools as part of the PSHE curriculum. “It is important to understand that the Life Skills for Children programme is a preventative measures course designed to educate children in a number of skills including social responsibility. This education is best delivered from the age of 5 years plus. We have the opportunity to positively change the next generation of teenagers.” - Gary Payne “For those children already experiencing a lack of education and social responsibility, the Life Skills for Children team provide educational boot camps designed to shock, educate and establish a positive move forward in these peoples young lives. This boot camp includes some hard hitting education, which will conclude in the delivery of some motivational life skills training to give the young people a more positive outlook on their future.” – Gary Payne THE GOVERNMENTS RESPONSE SO FAR During the last 2 years we have tried to establish a number of meetings with key ministers in Government to assist us in deploying the programme Nationally.All of our attempts to make positive contact through letters, emails and phone calls have been ignored. We have received some very polite letters pushing us from department to department, but no meetings have ever materialised. It frustrates me to read in the media articles about the Secretary of Education claiming £157,074 of tax payers money to keep his standard of living and our programme that will save lives costs from as little as £1.21 per child. I would love the people of this country to know that there are programmes available that can seriously change the downward spiral effect that the youth of this country is experiencing and yet the Government with all its might put their own greed and wealth in front of the welfare of the children. I have copies of letters from ministers including Ed Balls and Jim Knight refusing to even acknowledge a meeting with me on this subject – Ludicrous. THE PROGRAMME The Life Skills for Children Programme is a 4 week non-physical course in personal safety and communication skills. Through a number of interactive exercises the children develop practical and realistic skills to improve their self-confidence, communication, awareness and gain a better understanding of social responsibility. They also benefit from positive interaction with others and the ability to learn independently. The programme tackles real issues head on such as knife defence. Let’s teach our children about social responsibility and how to avoid a potentially dangerous environment in which a knife can be used. Our research has demonstrated that children increase their skills through active participation and as a result of this the children learn techniques through a series of method acting based scenarios.The programme contributes too many Government Initiatives including: · Emotional Health & Wellbeing· PSHE & Citizenship· Cross-curriculum dimensions· Every Child Matters · Healthy Schools · Successful Learners· Confident Individuals· Responsible Citizens· Schools Sports Participation initiatives“Experiences that I went through today were incredibly useful. I came with the idea that Life Skills would be nothing more than a lecture. It’s an inspiration.” S Azim, Pupil, Denbigh High School, Beds“The Life Skills course will engage children and take them through some essential skills which will allow them to be more informed, confident and responsible people who strive to reach their goals in life.” K Smith, Head of Year 12, Cottesloe School, Bucks Further information on the programme and a DVD presentation visit www.lifeskillsforchildren.co.uk The “Life Skills for Children” programme has been developed over the last 3 years and successfully piloted in several schools with positive results and feedback. A number of these have created a Student Leadership and Mentoring team using the “Kids teach Kids” element of the programme |
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