Kids learn to get Streetwise

Streetwise was held from the start of June, supporting over 600 primary seven school children from throughout Coleraine to visit St Malachy’s Pastoral Centre to learn about the dangers that they may face in everyday life. Teaching was carried out in an interactive manner with opportunities for the children to have hands-on experience of what to do in a case of emergency.

Council’s Food Science Technician, Glenn Bentley said, “Streetwise is an educational initiative to promote safety and develop community awareness to prepare pupils for the transition to secondary level education.

“It aims to educate pupils to become more aware of personal and home safety, to avoid becoming victims of crime and to foster good citizenship and relations with various authorities.

“Topics covered in this week’s event included: responsible dog ownership; electrical safety; recycling and the environment; safety when using buses; cycle safety; fire safety; and care in the sun, to name but a few.

“I would like to thank the agencies who supported this project with their teaching and skill transfers such as: the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Roads Policing; Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service; Northern Health and Social Care Trust Health Visitors; St John Ambulance; Translink; Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council’s Dog Warden; Recycling Officer and Home Safety Officer; Northern Ireland Electricity; Cancer Focus; and from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

“Their help and support ensures that the annual Streetwise event is able to continue.”