Lakeside Supports Future Firefighters
Essex Fire Authority had the opportunity to teach 12 students a host of new skills over the course of a week earlier this month, as Lakeside Shopping Centre put forth £4,000 in funding to support its Firebreak scheme.
Firebreak aims to teach youngsters from 13 to 17 the importance of safety and citizenship. It’s a program with a proven track record of helping young people with histories of disruptive behaviors or youth offenses, teaching them self-confidence, teamwork, self-discipline and responsibility. Students who take the week-long course are significantly less likely to reoffend, and many go on to take part in the fire authority’s Young Firefighters program.
“Supporting young people is one of the main aims of all of our community projects and this important work carried out by Essex Fire Authority deserved our full support,” said Paul Lancaster, the center’s General Manager. “Fire-fighters are fantastic role models and we believe that this kind of direct, positive contact with them can help improve young people’s lives and have a positive impact on their future.”
Along with their new skills, the 12 students who went through the program with Lakeside’s assistance each received a Chief Fire Officer’s Certificate of Achievement and an AQA award, which serves as a course-equivalent in their education records.
