Young people from across Telford & Wrekin took part in a scheme recently that supports children in care.
Ahead of the official National Takeover Day on 29 November, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service arranged for two young people to ‘take over’ the position of watch manager, a post normally held by Matt Angell.
He said: “The youngsters had a great time with us at Telford Central and this scheme is important for building bridges between the communities we serve to protect.
“It helps open young people’s eyes to the possibilities and careers they may have never considered in the past. Well done to the two kids who came with me, they were inquisitive and seemed to really get a lot out of the day, particularly the chemistry element.”
The children in care, who cannot be named for legal reasons, experienced operations, explored the fire appliances and kit used by firefighters and learned about the type of incidents the Service attends. They also spent time in the training department learning about fire behaviour and chemistry such as back drafts and gas fire explosions.
The annual event is organised by the Children’s Commissioner and in the last two years alone, thousands of children have taken part – stepping into the shoes of a wide range of adult jobs including everything from MPs, mayors, TV presenters and teachers to chief executives, business leaders and government officials.
Other organisations taking part included the Police, NHS and Telford and Wrekin Council. The organisation Smash Life also held group discussions about future aspirations and promoting positive/healthy relationships.
Michelle Salter, part of the Virtual School Head team that promotes the educational achievement of its children in care said: “Virtual Head would like to thank everyone who participated. Children gain a valuable insight and experience of a workplace through this scheme and organisations can benefit too from a fresh perspective on their work.”
If you would like to participate in the next event, please email the Virtual School virtualschool@Telford.gov.uk and for more information about joining Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service visit https://oncallfire.uk/
