London Fire Brigade Antonia Nicol LIFE Local Intervention

London Fire Brigade - Antonia Nicol

LIFE Local Intervention Fire Education

What is LIFE? • A disciplined 4/5 day course aimed at 14 -17 year olds • Young people learn the job of our real fire fighters and take part in range of activities - casualty rescues, ladders, breathing apparatus, hose drills • Participate in interactive classroom sessions to learn the consequences of anti-social behaviour and improve road and fire safety awareness • Referred through Youth Offending Teams, Pupil Referral Units & Schools • Delivered from 8 fire stations and Feltham Young Offenders Institution

Who is LIFE aimed at? • The LIFE scheme specifically targets young people who: • Are involved in anti-social behaviour, gangs or at risk of being involved in criminal activity • Excluded or at risk of being excluded from education provisions • Underperforming at their education provision • Disengaged with services, poor attendance or lacks motivation • Displays behavioural issues • Not in education, employment or training

Life programme partners: Local Schools & Academies MOPAC Local YOTs Housing Associations Greenwich Police London Fire Brigade Lee Green Station YOIs Special needs & learning disabilities Met Police Project Trident Charities supporting vulnerable young people Football clubs SE London Local Authorities

Why we run the LIFE Project? • • • Inspires young people to reach their unfulfilled potential Reduce deliberate fires and hoax calls Improve relationship between the fire service and young people in the local community Reduce anti-social behaviour which impacts on the Brigade and community Learn responsibility, respect , leadership and social skills from positive role models Teach young people transferable skills and motivating experiences to enhance employability

ONE LIFE – LFB & MPS Project • The course can be from 1 to 2 days long. We can bring our courses out into the community and run them within Housing Estates, football clubs, community venues etc. • Run over holiday period • MPS – gangs, victim support, restorative justice • LFB – Fire safety and fire fighter drills, hoax calls • LAS – knife/stabbing support • • •

ONE LIFE – LFB & MPS Project AIMS To reduce anti social behaviour on the borough To improve safety and risk to self and local communities Use the project as an early intervention strategy and an education opportunity • Reduce deliberate and accidental fires both in and out of the home • To improve public confidence and build relations with hard to reach groups of the community • To encourage positive relations and respect for the work of the Emergency Services • • •

Headline Achievements • 60 courses of 15 young people every year – potentially reaching 900. • Delivered over 800 courses to around 12, 000 young people pan London • 100% of the young people surveyed said they were positively impacted by the course • Improved healthy and safe living

Evaluation Outcomes • Our evaluation in 2014 explored the impact of LIFE from those who attended LIFE 6 months previous. Our data evidences a sustained improvement in the following areas: • Improvements in attitudes and behaviours at school, and increased confidence • Taking more personal responsibility and thinking through actions • More effective anger management • Improved school attendance

Feedback…. “Jake handles his anger issues more appropriately and gets involved in less conflict with peers at school. A more mature young man with a sense of direction since he attended the course. ” Partner organisation “He is more considerate since attending the LIFE course. I feel he is able to see his good point and talents. He is so much more confident. ’’ Parent “I wanna say a big thank you for letting me be a part of this course. I’ve learnt so much and I’m taking these experiences with me to a new chapter. I also wanna say a big thank you for believing in me and for not giving up on me either . ’’ Particpant.