Junior Citizen

Education is prevention

Junior Citizen started in 1991 and operates throughout the county providing practical safety training for more than 5,000 Year 6 primary school children each year. It teaches children how to tackle the personal dangers they may face in life, and how to prevent becoming victims of crime - or becoming involved in crime.

The Junior Citizen scheme is a partnership initiative between Surrey Police, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, Surrey Heath Borough Council, Surrey County Council, Neighbourhood Watch and other agencies.

The two-week series of sessions, which usually take place around February time at the Basingstoke Canal Centre in Mytchett, is designed to raise pupils' awareness of potential dangers in a fun and effective way, increasing their own sense of personal safety.

Surrey Heath's 2009 Junior Citizen took place at the Basingstoke Canal Visitors Centre between Monday February 23 and Friday March 6. During the two weeks, more than 1,000 school children took part in a range of activities looking at fire safety, hoax 999 calls, stranger danger, first aid, Internet safety, home safety and building site safety.

In 2009, for the first time pupils took part in a mock 999 call reconstruction. The pupils were shown a film of a road traffic collision and they then made a call to the emergency services to explain what they had just witnessed.

For more information about Junior Citizen, contact Surrey Heath Youth PCSO Fran Brodie on 07967 988449 or email brodie11775@surrey.pnn.police.uk