All posts tagged: SkillZONE

Launch of Year 7 ‘safer choices’ tour

Launch of Year 7 ‘safer choices’ tour

06/11/2013 Skillzoneadmin No comments

SkillZONE has developed a new tour designed to teach Year 7 pupils to make safer choices on their school journey and in everyday life which will be launched on Monday, November 18th to coincide with national Road Safety Week.

SkillZONE is a state-of-the-art safety education centre where students make decisions about staying safe. The centre allows classes to experience a range of real scenarios in its life size village such as in a; car, bus, house, shop, alleyway and internet cafe.

The package is aimed at Year 7 pupils as for many this year marks the beginning of their solo journeys to school, whether that is catching a bus, cycling or walking. Its other objective is to enhance students knowledge of Year 7 citizenship curriculum topics such as understanding how laws are made and money is managed.

Part of the 2 hour tour will cover the ‘Tune in to Road Safety’ national theme for 2013 so that groups will learn that while daydreaming and get sidetracked is human nature, on the road distractions can be fatal. As part of this pupils will be taught about catching a bus or travelling in a car safely and will be asked to think about common distractions, such as listening to music or using a phone while on their school journey.

The topics included from the Year 7 citizenship programme include;

  • developing an understanding of the role of the law and justice system – using SkillZONE’s own Police Station and Court Room
  • learning about managing money on a day to day basis with practical experience in SkillZONE’s shop and;
  •  discussions about the roles played by public institutions and voluntary groups in society.

Any teaching staff of Year 7 pupils, whether curriculum Leads, PSHE coordinators or teachers, are invited to a free prepratory tour of SkillZONE during Road Safety Week (November 18th – 21st) on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday morning.

The 2 hour tour costs £5 per pupils if coming with a school group and a total of nine scenarios will be on offer. To book or find out more information visit  or phone 01452 834 150.

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A spooktastic time at SkillZONE Halloween event

A spooktastic time at SkillZONE Halloween event

31/10/2013 Skillzoneadmin No comments

Witches, devils, spiders and baby pumpkins were just some of the costumed youngsters who turned up for SkillZONE’s Halloween Open Days on October 30th and 31st.

SkillZONE, which opened just over a year ago, is an educational centre that teaches children, young people and the greater community to recognise dangerous situations in everyday life so they can stay safe.

Around 120 people came to the Halloween open days on Wednesday and Thursday and took part in short tours of the centre’s life size village.

Local families were able to learn more about fire safety at Halloween with Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue crews running fire truck demonstrations over the two day event.

SkillZONE Manager Donna Potts says: “It’s our first time running a Halloween event and we’ve been pleased with the feedback we had from visitors. The kids Halloween outfits have been wonderful and it’s been lovely to see them enjoying SkillZONE and taking in the important safety messages we teach on our tours.”

Children had the chance to play Halloween games, get their face painted, watch fire truck demonstrations and listen to spooky stories.

Oliver Bond, 5, of Quedgeley, (pictured left) won a prize for his skeleton pirate outfit.  He says: “I was happy to win. I liked putting my hand in the spaghetti game the best and the scary story.”

Local volunteers helped run the open days for SkillZONE and local businesses; Fosterplus, Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury, Morrisons and the Over Farm Market donated treats, pumpkins and prizes.

“A special thanks also to young Jack and Chloe Hughes who helped with putting up the Halloween decorations.”

 

Pictures : Main image shows Halloween kids, from left: Sophie Lewis, 9, Jack Gardner, 6, Sophie Orton, 7, Kate Gardner, 9, and Spencer Lewis, 6. On right is Kate Gardner, 9, with her prize winning pumpkin.

 

 

 

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Minister launches Older People’s Month

Minister launches Older People’s Month

02/10/2013 Skillzoneadmin No comments

National Older People’s Day was on 1st October and Gloucestershire County Council was delighted to welcome the Minister of State for Pensions, Steve Webb, to launch it’s month long campaign with partners and community groups and organisations at SkillZONE.

The launch offered information stands and demonstrations that will cover topics including planning for the future, staying safe and well at home, safer driving with age, housing support and NHS health checks. Free tours of the SkillZONE village were also offered.

Cllr Andrew Gravells, cabinet member for older people, said: “We’re delighted that Steve Webb was able to join us for the launch of Older People’s month. It’s a great opportunity for him to see firsthand just some of the many excellent services available for people in Gloucestershire to help them stay fit, healthy and safe and to give them the best opportunities when they’re older.”

To coincide with the national campaign, the council has decided to extend Older People’s Day to Older People’s Month and throughout October a series of roadshows will be taking place across the county. In Gloucestershire it’s no secret that we have an ageing population as people are living longer. For that reason, Gloucestershire County Council is keen to help people make the most of their golden years by staying fit, healthy and active and planning properly for later life.

At the same time, the council’s new Independent Living Guide was launched. It features helpful advice and information about local services for older people to help them to live safely and securely in their own homes for as long as they’re able to.

There will also be a display in the council’s mobile library which will be going around more rural areas of the county throughout October.

To make sure we reach people who cannot attend the events, all of the information can be found at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/independentliving.

You can also call 01452 426868 for advice on any of the events or services being publicised.

 

Events will take place at:

Date Location Time
Tuesday 1st October SkillZONE, Tuffley Lane, Tuffley, Gloucester
This event will include a tour		 3pm to 6pm
Thursday 3rd October Coleford Main Place, Old Station Way, Coleford 10am to 2pm
Saturday 5th October Cheltenham North Fire Station, Uckington 10am to 2pm
Thursday 10th October Newent Memorial Hall, Bury Bar Lane, Newent 12pm to 4pm
Saturday 12th October Shire Hall, Westgate Street, Gloucester 2pm to 4pm
Tuesday 15th October Stroud Subscription Rooms, Kendrick Street, Stroud 10am to 2pm
Wednesday 16th October Cheltenham Fire Station, Keynsham Road, Cheltenham 10am to 2pm
Friday 18th October Mulberry Court, Kingsmeadow, Cirencester 10am to 2pm
Monday 21st October Badger Vale Court. Woodpecker Road, Podsmead 10am to 2pm
Saturday 26th October Marina Court, Bredon Road, Tewkesbury 10am to 2pm
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Gloucestershire South and SkillZONE Open Day

Gloucestershire South and SkillZONE Open Day

11/09/2013 Skillzoneadmin No comments

Vintage fire engines will stand side by side with modern appliances for an open day at Gloucester South Community Fire Station and SkillZONE on Saturday 14th September from 10am to 4pm.

Local people will be able to learn more about the job done by today’s fire and rescue crews with a smoke house and fire fighter demonstrations on the day.

Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service’s own hovercraft, which is designed to deal with large-scale water-incidents, such as the 2007 floods will be on display, alongside vehicles including special rescue and aerial appliances.

For children there will be a bouncy castle, go-karts, City Farm and live music. Refreshments will also be available to buy.

For a suggested donation of £1 (under 5s free), visitors can book a tour of the SkillZONE village and find out how this exciting new venue is helping to create safer, healthier communities. Numbers are restricted so booking is essential – you need to book in person at the SkillZONE desk on arrival.

Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, cabinet member for communities, said: “The fire service has changed significantly over the years, but its role remains the same – that of protecting residents and saving lives. This is a great chance to learn more about fire safety and to have some fun at the same time.”

Gloucester South and SkillZONE are based at Tuffley Lane, Gloucester, GL4 0AS.

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Families tested for Child Safety Week

Families tested for Child Safety Week

21/06/2013 Skillzoneadmin No comments

From learning about the perils of poisons in the home to staying safe on the county’s roads, families in Gloucestershire will take part in a series of events at SkillZONE to mark National Child Safety Week from 24th to 30th June.

Staff at the state-of-the-art safety education centre are inviting safety ambassadors from Oakwood Primary, Rowanfield Junior, Hester’s Way Primary and Gardner’s Lane Primary schools to take part in a special passport challenge, giving them vital road safety advice whether travelling by bus, on foot, on a bike or by car.

Parents will also be invited to taste test Bitrex – a bitter substance added to many household products to stop children accidentally swallowing them.

The ordeal is intended to help families understand the dangers of poisons in the home as those who drink Bitrex will want to spit the product out rather than swallow it.

And even though the flavour will quickly be replaced by a piece of chocolate, the memory of the taste will last a long time – as will the message about preventing their child from being poisoned.

SkillZONE visitors will also be learning about the dangers of scalds and burns and how to respond in an emergency.

Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, cabinet member for community safety, said: “We always think our children are safe at home, but many childhood accidents happen there. Child Safety Week is a great reminder of the simple steps everyone can take to keep young people safe.”

Donna Potts, SkillZONE manager at Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We’re worried about serious accidents to children in Gloucestershire. During SkillZONE’s safety week we will be encouraging everyone to be a safety hero and find out about simple things they can do that will make a real difference to preventing accidents. Child Safety Week gives us a great opportunity to talk to families about accident prevention, have some fun and get some serious messages across.”

Katrina Phillips, chief executive at the Child Accident Prevention Trust, the national charity that runs Child Safety Week, said: “Our message for Child Safety Week is that you don’t need to be superhuman to be a safety hero. Putting your coffee cup out of reach of small hands, keeping painkillers and cleaning things stored safely away, practising road safety with your children while you’re out walking – these small things all add up to children who are protected from serious harm. 

“With the help of SkillZONE and Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership, families can learn how to transform themselves into safety heroes. And there are more tips on how to be a safety hero on the Child Safety Week website www.childsafetyweek.org.ukOpens new window.”

The Road Safety Partnership is working closely with Gloucestershire’s firefighters to ensure they are trained with the latest in car seat technology, to enable them to give advice to the public on securing the seats in their vehicles.

During Child Safety Week, firefighters will be attending various children’s centres in Cheltenham and Gloucester offering free car seat checks.

Anyone requiring a car seat safety check can request one by contacting the Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service community safety team on 01452 753333 or online at www.glosfire.gov.uk/yoursafety/childcarseats.

 

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Safety first for community groups

Safety first for community groups

13/05/2013 Skillzoneadmin No comments

Black and minority ethnic communities from Gloucestershire were invited to the county’s SkillZONE centre to mark Global Road Safety Week.

The state-of-the-art centre in Tuffley Lane, Gloucester, is a unique village which gives people of all ages the chance to visit 16 zones, each designed to teach them how to recognise a range of dangerous situations, including on the road, in the water or at home.

The sessions were held from 11am to 2pm on Wednesday 8th May and Saturday 11th May, and focused particularly on road safety issues.

Twelve members of the Gloucester Bangladeshi Women’s Group were given a tour of the centre on Wednesday, with interpreters on hand to help explain the scenarios. A number of other families from the county’s Asian community visited on Saturday.

Road safety team leader Andre Bovington said: “This has been a great opportunity to open up SkillZONE to groups who may not otherwise have seen what the centre has to offer. It is vital for us at the Road Safety Partnership to reach out to all community groups in the county, giving everyone essential information and advice about reducing the risk of injury when using Gloucestershire’s roads. 

“Our messages during this week have been about pedestrian safety and, although many of us think walking is a simple and easy way to get about, sadly there are still too many people, most of whom are adults, being hit by motorists in built-up areas.

“Everyone who came took something away with them and many of the visitors told us how much they appreciated being reminded of such important safety advice.”

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Volunteer guides required – come and join in!

Volunteer guides required – come and join in!

11/04/2012 Skillzoneadmin No comments

An exciting opportunity at Gloucestershire’s first safety education centre


Are you able to communicate with people of all ages and backgrounds?

Are you reliable and a confident?

If so we’d like to hear from you!

We are currently recruiting volunteer guides to escort groups around the scenarios,
encouraging visitors to identify dangers and actions to reduce / avoid the risk.

The right candidates will receive training and you will be required to give a minimum of two days per month.

As a volunteer you will become a highly valued member of the SkillZONE team, have an input into the development of the centre and become an ambassador for the centre in your community.

This is also a fantastic opportunity to gain work experience and learn valuable skills.

If you are would like to request an application pack please email volunteer@glosfire.gov.uk

We welcome applications from all sections of the community.

 

What SkillZONE offers you


As a volunteer you will become a highly valued member of the SkillZONE team, have an input into the development of the centre and become an ambassador for the centre in your community.

SkillZONE Volunteer entitlements:

* Full SkillZONE Sessional Guide training.
* First Aid At Work training
* Exclusive SkillZONE Uniform (Consisting Polo-Shirt and Sweater)
* Travel expenses
* Free use of a number of on-site facilities (eg. vocational room and Wi-Fi access)
* Job references
* Job interview training, skills and advice
* Confidence building
* Mentoring

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