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Derbyshire schools encouraged to take part in national first aid competition
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SCHOOLS in Derbyshire are being urged to come forward to take part in a national first aid competition aimed at equipping the next generation with the skills to save lives.
The St John Ambulance National Schools’ First Aid Competition encourages school teams to battle it out for the title by carrying out first aid in a variety of scenarios on live ‘casualties’.
The contest – held in regional rounds followed by a national competition in London in June 2012 – tests youngsters’ first aid knowledge, treatment and teamwork.
The search is now on for more schools first aid teams to take part. Teams of four plus a reserve can enter junior and senior categories and take part in the regional heat - to be held in Chesterfield on 24 March.
If successful at the regional round they then go through to the national final, which takes place at the Natural History Museum in London on 27 June. Teams must have completed levels from the St John Ambulance Young First Aider course and enter by 24 February.
Jo Buchan, Education Officer at St John Ambulance, said: “First aid improves self-esteem, develops confidence and fosters a sense of belonging and service. Nearly seven out of ten pupils said they wouldn’t know what to do if someone they knew was hurt, yet 72% of these children would like to learn first aid and 83% said they would feel more confident helping those around them if they were taught first aid.
“The competition is a great challenge and great fun. We use ‘casualties’ who act out anything from heart attacks to someone stopping breathing, along with a variety of fake wounds. The children love having their knowledge put to the test, even if it is a little nerve-wracking! It’s a day that students will never forget – and winners take home a £1,000 prize for their school.
“We hope as many schools as possible take part in our young first aider training and compete in our national schools competitions, so that these young people can be the difference between a life lost and a life saved.”
St John Ambulance teaches valuable life skills to young people by training them in first aid, in schools and through its youth schemes. In 2010 their first aid materials equipped 625,000 young people with valuable life skills.
The Young First Aider Course, St John Ambulance’s interactive training pack, is easy for teachers and pupils of all ages to use. Training is also available for teachers and staff, either to meet their statutory training requirements or to familiarise them with the St John Ambulance schools training resources to deliver first aid training to pupils themselves.
The St John Ambulance schools programme dovetails with the Government’s Every Child Matters framework and also with the citizenship strand of the national curriculum. The Young first aider, parts 1, 2 and 3 and Youth first aid can be delivered as part of: citizenship, PSHE, PE, science, certain ASDAN modules, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme and many more.
All schools competition participants need to have learnt first aid skills through the Young First Aider Course. There is still time for schools to sign up and take part in the competitions.
For more information and to enter the competitions or to contact your county schools liaison officer, telephone 08700 10 49 50 or visit www.teachthedifference.org.uk
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