Northern Ireland

Housing Executive supports education initiative in schools

The Respect Programme teaches about the consequences anti-social behaviour and crime can have on communities
The Respect Programme teaches about the consequences anti-social behaviour and crime can have on communities The Respect Programme teaches about the consequences anti-social behaviour and crime can have on communities

A NEW initiative addressing the issues of crime, anti-social behaviour and community safety is being delivered in schools, with funding from the Housing Executive.

Developed by the Children's Safety Education Foundation, the Respect Programme teaches young people about the consequences anti-social behaviour and crime can have on communities and the students’ own health, safety and well-being.

Corpus Christi College in West Belfast and Dundonald High School in East Belfast are participating in this pilot programme. £2500 has been awarded by the Housing Executive to fund the project, allowing the production of new text books, E-books, work sheets and student surveys.

Jackie O'Kane from the Housing Executive's Community Safety Department, said: "We are committed to prevention, early intervention and working in partnership to address community safety issues.

"Strategically, this project helps meet the objectives of our Community Safety Strategy - Safer Together 2015-2017.

"We're delighted to be part of something so impactful and thanks go to both Dundonald High School and Corpus Christi College for engaging so positively in the programme which tackles some really difficult and important community safety issues."

Michael Fitzgerald from the Children's Safety Education Foundation said, as part of the Respect Programme, children were being encouraged to seek out information for themselves and to engage in peer discussions.

"We help them adopt roles in order to consider opposing viewpoints and we use active learning which may draw on the personal experiences of the learners themselves."

Corpus Christi principal Frank Maskey said many of the issues covered in the project could be experienced by children at the school.

"As educators, we have a duty to provide opportunities for them to overcome community safety barriers and become positive citizens in our society."

Ken Perry, head of Dundonald High School added that issues of community safety and anti-social behavior were best addressed in a constructive way.

"This initiative allows us the opportunity to deal directly with the key issues and help prepare children for challenges faced in wider society as they learn for life and work," he said.

:: For more information click online at www.nihe.gov.uk.