Crucial extra-curricular activity for pupils
09 Jul 2008
Children in Neath Port Talbot will be starting secondary school better prepared than ever before to meet the challenges of becoming an older pupil in a different environment.
The ‘Crucial Crew’ fortnight, organised by Safer Neath Port Talbot Community Safety Partnership and sponsored by Corus, has seen almost 2,000 junior school children from across the county converge on the Afan Lido Sports Centre for the past two weeks to learn about coping with issues such as bullying and road safety.
Sixteen different local services and agencies have been giving the pupils talks and presentations, including Neath Port Talbot Road Safety Team, Aberavon Beach Patrol, South Wales Police, Schools Crime Prevention Initiative, Mid & West Wales Fire Brigade, Domestic Abuse Partnership, NSPCC and Antisocial Behaviour Outreach.
“Crucial Crew is a safety event for Year 6 pupils—age 10/11 years—designed to raise awareness of crime prevention and personal safety issues as they make the transition from primary to secondary school,” said Neath Port Talbot Community Safety Support Officer Lisa Voisey.
“Each agency is providing an interactive set where the children spend 10 minutes learning how to tackle dangers and gaining valuable advice such as what action to take in the event of a fire, how to react to bullying and how to stay safe on the roads.”
Crucial Crew was originally the idea of Crime Concern and has been adopted by many local authorities and police divisions in Wales. In Neath Port Talbot, the event has attracted increasing numbers each year and since 2002, it has been held for two weeks to meet the demand.
Corus has invested £5,000 in supporting the activities. Community Spokesman Keith Farron said: “The move from primary to secondary school is a big step for 11-year-olds, who will be leaving the comfort of familiar surroundings for an unfamiliar, and sometimes daunting, environment.
“Initiatives such as Crucial Crew will help them to worry less about any obstacles to their enjoying their secondary schooling and getting the best out of their education. Corus is pleased to be involved in helping to promote good citizenship, a sense of personal responsibility and confidence to these young people.”
