Street First Aid Training

Developed by the health charity St John Ambulance, the Young Responders programme is designed to give 11 to 25-year-olds the first aid skills they need to respond to street violence and crime. 

The charity will work with the Humber Violence Prevention Partnership (VPP) to identify young people who may be at risk of serious violence, who are NEET (not in employment, education or training), care leavers or those in the care system. The sessions deliver practical, scenario-based training that reflect real-life situations young people may encounter.

How the Funding will Benefit the Humber Area

The Humber VPP and Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Humberside jointly funded £30,969 to expand the programme across the local area. The free sessions are being delivered in schools, educational settings and youth organisations in selected locations across the Humber region.

Jonathan Evison, Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside and Chair of the Humber VPP, said: “We’re proud to support Young Responders as it brings vital first aid training directly to young people. This initiative not only teaches life-saving skills but also builds confidence and resilience in our communities.”

The funding will enable the recruitment of a full-time Young Responders Facilitator to deliver the sessions. They will work closely with the St John Ambulance Humber and East Riding Network to recruit volunteers, increasing capacity and reach of the programme. The facilitator will also play a key part in networking with local organisations and schools and in establishing partners.

Young Responders project manager, Pauline Bartley, said: “St John Ambulance is delighted to receive funding to enable us to roll this important programme out to the Humber region. Our charity has been teaching young people vital first aid skills for more than 100 years, but Young Responders is our response to the problems they sadly face out in the street today.

“We’ve used peer-to-peer development methods and our extensive experience of working with young people to design innovative training that engages and interests young people.

“I’ve no doubt this funding will lead to young lives being saved in the Humber area.”

Topics Covered

Accommodating up to 30 participants, each interactive session is tailored to the needs and abilities of each group. All clinical equipment is provided by St John Ambulance.

Topics covered include:

• Responding to a catastrophic bleed
• Managing incidents involving alcohol or vape spiking
• Performing a primary survey and CPR
• Understanding the mental health impact of first aid situations and how to seek support

Since 2020, first aid education has been a statutory requirement in England’s national curriculum. Young Responders offers accessible, community-based learning that empowers young people to manage their own health needs and support others in emergencies.

Awareness Session for Local Organisation

St John Ambulance recently hosted an awareness session at their Hull headquarters. Representatives from local youth organisations attended a live demonstration and learned more about the programme’s impact.

Attendee Adele Sheeley, youth team leader at the Goodwin Development Trust, said: “We know too well that many children are growing up in homes and communities where alcohol, drugs and violence are part of their daily life.

“Sadly, too many young people are either witnessing or experiencing these situations firsthand. This training could quite literally save lives and it’s completely free. This is about giving young people the tools to protect themselves, each other and their futures.”

Further Information

To explore the Young Responders programme in greater detail, visit St John Ambulance’s website. For more information about the initiative within the Humber region, visit the Humber VPP’s project page.