Junior Good Citizen initiative equips Swindon and Wiltshire students with safety skills
Thousands attend programme preparing for secondary school transition
The Junior Good Citizen initiative has once again successfully imparted essential safety knowledge to over 3,800 students in Swindon and Wiltshire, supporting their transition to secondary school with confidence.
Conducted over the past two weeks in June at the Punjabi Centre in Swindon and the Wiltshire Scout Centre in Potterne, this year's programme was delivered by Wiltshire Police Youth and Early Intervention Team alongside local organisations and community policing teams.
In Swindon, around 2,259 children from 47 schools engaged in interactive sessions on topics such as internet safety, hate crime, healthy relationships, weapons awareness, exploitation, vaping, mental health, and rail safety.
Wiltshire saw about 1,615 students from 59 schools participating in sessions on drugs and alcohol awareness, rail safety, dog safety, road safety, kindness, weapons awareness, as well as experiencing the Prison Me No Way van and visiting Hazard Alley for lessons on anti-social behaviour.
The programme is tailored to Year 7 students, as it introduces real-world insights into personal and community safety, fostering skills for independence and responsibility.
Steven Jolly, Chief Inspector of Wiltshire Police Neighbourhood Harm and Reduction Unit, hailed the initiative's significance in nurturing awareness, resilience, and confidence among young people.
“Junior Good Citizen continues to be an incredibly important programme in helping young people build awareness, resilience and confidence at a key stage in their lives," Jolly said.
Local officials collaborated with Wiltshire Police’s Neighbourhood Policing Teams to deliver the programme, nurturing trust and positive relationships while addressing local community issues.
Feedback from schools and parents remains extremely positive, with many institutions choosing to participate annually.
A local teacher commended the initiative, stating, “This project is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when local services work together."
Approaching nearly four decades of operation, the Junior Good Citizen initiative continues to encourage students to become informed and proactive members of their communities.