Another successful Crucial Crew was held at the Villa Marina this year from 13th – 21st May. Crucial Crew is an annual event organised by the Department of Education, Sport, and Culture, in collaboration with several local agencies and emergency services. Over the course of the week, nearly 1,000 year 6 pupils from all 32 primary schools attended interactive workshops designed to teach them important safety and well-being skills. These workshops were taught by professionals from:
Isle of Man Constabulary
St John Ambulance
Isle Listen
Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service
Isle of Man Coastguard
Road Safety
The children learned key safety information and skills, including: how to perform CPR and use a defibrillator; how to protect themselves online; water safety; how to spot fire hazards; traveling safely on the roads; and strategies for coping with stress when moving up to secondary school.
In addition, the children began each day enjoying a performance by Kensington Arts, the plot of which focused on a young person’s upcoming transition to secondary school, and the advice he receives from his grandmother. The performance shared the important messages of normalising emotions, resisting peer pressure, and enjoying the new opportunities that change can bring.
Children from each school were encouraged to enter the ‘Safety Message Competition’ in which they were challenged to create an important safety message relating to one or more of the involved agencies. There were several fantastic entries, including posters and a short film in which characters, speaking entirely in Manx, share key safety tips.
The winners of this year's Safety Message Competition are Bunscoill Ghaelgagh!
Feedback from the event has been largely positive, and was a success in no small part due to the collaboration of these incredible professionals, our schools, and of course, the children who took part.
Here’s to another great event next year!