Learning about life skills is on the timetable for young people from schools across Basingstoke and Deane, Hart and Rushmoor during June and July as part of a community safety initiative.

The project, called ‘Think Safe’, is organised by the Safer North Hampshire* Community Safety Partnership and the local councils, and teaches young people about various life skills, including fire safety, railway safety, first aid, road safety, healthy relationships, safe behaviour with dogs, range safety, cyber safety and stranger danger.

The Year Six students from Hart and Rushmoor will spend time with Hampshire Fire and Rescue, Hampshire Constabulary, the Hart dog warden, The You Trust, the Royal Military Police and the British Transport Police, learning through a series of interactive scenarios, based at the Aldershot Enterprise Centre, in Gallwey Road, Aldershot. A total of 855 students from Hart and 818 from Rushmoor are taking part in the initiative, from 27 schools across both boroughs (12 in Hart and 15 in Rushmoor).

Year Six students from 40 schools across the Basingstoke and Deane borough will also take part in the initiative, based at the Bramley army training camp, over a two-week period in June. Around 1900 students are expected to attend the Basingstoke sessions, coordinated by the Children, Families and Young People team within the borough council’s Community Support Team.

During the scenarios, young people will learn tactics for what to do if a stranger approaches them, how to respond to a casualty, how to stay safe online, what to do if there is a fire at home and how to stay safe on the railway, roads and local army ranges. There will also be displays from school health promoting health and wellbeing and the Chathealth helpline.

Councillor Simon Bound, chairman of the Safer North Hampshire Community Safety Partnership, said: “These sessions encourage young people to think about some of the elements that can contribute to living a happy, healthy and successful life, which is a good thing. They may also learn important skills which will hopefully remain with them for many years to come, and which they can share with their families and friends.”

The Rushmoor Think Safe course runs from June 4-8, the Basingstoke Think Safe course takes place from June 11-22, and the Hart Think Safe event runs from July 2-6.