Firefighters equip teens with skills for life

Crawley firefighters teamed up with Crawley Town Football Club to support a group of teenagers on the National Citizen Service (NCS) Programme.
Firefighters at Crawley teamed up with Crawley Town Football Club to support a group of teenagers on the National Citizen Service (NCS) Programme - picture submittred by WSCCFirefighters at Crawley teamed up with Crawley Town Football Club to support a group of teenagers on the National Citizen Service (NCS) Programme - picture submittred by WSCC
Firefighters at Crawley teamed up with Crawley Town Football Club to support a group of teenagers on the National Citizen Service (NCS) Programme - picture submittred by WSCC

NCS helps 15 to 17-year-olds develop important skills for their adult lives and to carry out a project to benefit the community. The scheme brings together young people from different backgrounds, helps them to develop greater confidence and to use their leadership, teamwork and communication skills.

The group of 23 spent four days, and three nights, at an outdoor activity centre away from home. On Thursday October 27 they visited the fire station, in Ifield Avenue.

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There firefighters gave them advice them about their own road safety – both as potential new drivers and as passengers in cars with their friends - before watching and taking part in some demonstrations in the yard.

Firefighters at Crawley teamed up with Crawley Town Football Club to support a group of teenagers on the National Citizen Service (NCS) Programme - picture submittred by WSCCFirefighters at Crawley teamed up with Crawley Town Football Club to support a group of teenagers on the National Citizen Service (NCS) Programme - picture submittred by WSCC
Firefighters at Crawley teamed up with Crawley Town Football Club to support a group of teenagers on the National Citizen Service (NCS) Programme - picture submittred by WSCC

Three of the students were even cut from a car as part of a road safety demonstration.

Watch manager Marc Clayton said: “Working with this scheme is a great way for us to help influence the choices young people make for themselves and also how they can influence the behaviour of others. We get a really positive response to the sessions we run.

“Working on this scheme has also given us the opportunity to work with Crawley Town Football Club on other community events and to use the positive profile of both organisations to reach out to more people.”

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Crawley Town FC has worked with the fire service for more than 18 months and runs three courses a year, usually around school holidays and weekends to fit in around school and college commitments.

Crawley NCS Manager Andre Benham said: “We work with the local community, including the fire service, to raise awareness with young people around their own personal safety and to give them an understanding of how public services like this work with the whole community.

“The visit to the fire station is always a popular part of the programme.”