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Pilot Scheme Teaches Children Respect
Photo caption: Junior Impact Wardens and Berneslai Homes Officers at a bird of prey display by Chris Corker (far left).
A pilot scheme aimed at teaching children to respect their neighbourhood has been launched in the Hoyland area.
The Junior Warden Scheme is being jointly delivered by Berneslai Homes, South Yorkshire Fire Service, Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT), Activity Community Engagement Project (ACE), Hemingfield Action Group and Forge Community Partnership. The scheme has been launched throughout the school holidays, with ten local school children volunteering to take part.
Activities which the Junior Impact Wardens have taken part in include: learning about speed cameras and road traffic accidents; cycle training; a water safety training day at Hoyland Leisure Centre; an estate inspection with Impact Officers to look at the state of gardens, trees, fencing, the streets, litter, graffiti, street signage, parking issues and why these issues occur and what improvements can be made; looking at why people cause Anti Social Behaviour; a educational display of Birds of Prey; meeting elderly residents from Gray Street Sheltered Housing Scheme and looking at the adaptations in their homes and carrying out a fire and risk assessment with a fire officer; taking part in a joint quiz with elderly people; and learning about the history of Barnsley.
The scheme will be rolled out in September at Hoyland Common Primary School and Elsecar Church Street School and both headmasters are fully supportive of the scheme.
Berneslai Homes Director of Housing Management, Mark McGee adds, “The scheme teaches children to respect their community at an early age so they will hopefully grow up to be respectable law abiding adults. The scheme is a fun way in which children can learn a lot about their local area and it is a great way of keeping children entertained during the school holidays. The feedback we have received from the children has been fantastic and they have found the scheme not only informative but also enjoyable and interesting.”