Year Six pupils from local primary schools attended Kettering Junior Citizens Scheme at the end of June, at the HQ of national drug education charity Hope UK at 50 Gold Street.

The scheme, now in its third year locally, comprised a series of short workshops delivered by five local agencies – Kettering police (PCSOs),Northants Fire and Rescue, Kettering First Responders, Healthy Schools and Hope UK. The sessions covered first aid, healthy eating, fire safety, online safety, and drug and alcohol awareness.

Organised by Hope UK, Kettering Junior Citizens is modelled on a national programme, which is described as a ‘fast-paced, multiple-agency event’ run by local authorities for children about to embark on their secondary school journey in September.

The half-day programme works by offering a carousel of activities with different agencies delivering short sessions on topics relating to good citizenship. Pupils complete a circuit of scenarios in small groups, learning through experience and real-life risk situations that test their ability to make responsible decisions. The aim of the programme is to equip young people with the skills they will need to navigate challenging situations in their lives.

Pupils learn about the content of sugar in every day foods, in a session from Healthy Schools.

placeholder image — Pupils learn about the content of sugar in every day foods, in a session from Healthy Schools.

Kettering’s new Mayor, Councillor Ben Jameson attended the event to chat with teachers and pupils about what they had gained from the day.

St Mary’s Primary School brought its Year Six class for the third year running. Deputy Head Hannah Starkey said it was good for the children to meet experts in different areas.

“Hearing different voices gives authenticity to the children and it’s much more impactful,” she said, adding that although many of the topics have already been covered within PHSE lessons in school, the workshops “build upon and reinforce their learning and this raises the profile of these important issues.”

Pupils too were keen to share what they had learned.

“Anyone can be a groomer and groomers might use bribery or threats to get you involved with them,” said Ruth, sharing her learning from a session on county lines drugs gangs. Miles also found the drug awareness session very helpful: “If someone tries to groom me, I know how to say no.”

“We’re not going to be the oldest in the school, we’ll be the little ones again, so all the things we learned today will be really helpful for us,” added Emelia.

Hope UK has been a regular contributor to the national scheme since it resumed after the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the charity worked with around 27,000 children in London and the South-East. Hope UK’s East Midlands team took part in a similar scheme in Nottinghamshire called Safety Zones.