PuPil>citizen>life-saverBuilding resilience through education

>The government is currently reviewing all subjects that are taught in the curriculum.

Please help by joining our campaign to ensure first aid and humanitarian education have a secure place in classrooms of the future.

1. Add your name to our pledge.

2. Email your MP.

3. Write to your local head teacher and ask them to look at our educational resources at redcross.org.uk/education.

Please act now – go to redcross.org.uk/advocacy

take action

British Red Cross 44 Moorfields London EC2Y 9AL

Tel 0844 871 1111 Fax 020 7562 2000

redcross.org.uk

Published 2011

The British Red Cross Society, incorporated by Royal Charter 1908, is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949) and Scotland (SC037738)

All statistics from:

Right Place, Right Time (British Red Cross research report, 2011)Teaching Materials research report (DJS Research, 2011) British Red Cross first aid survey, 2009

Cover and page 5: Photos © Alex Rumford/BRC Page 2 and 4: Photos © Bob Collier/BRC Page 6 and 7: Photos © Stephen Latimer/BRC Page 9: Photos © Laura Mtungwazi/BRC Page 11: Photos © Alex Maguire/BRC

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Education isn’t – and shouldn’t be – just about reading, writing and maths. At its core, education should also be about gaining practical knowledge that will help people to be more confident, willing and able to help in a crisis.

And what could be more practical than learning how to save someone’s life?

Schools provide an ideal forum for learning to cope with adversity – and that’s why the Red Cross has already spent over five years helping teachers in the classroom.

We believe that first aid and humanitarian education should have a secure place on the school curriculum.

humanitarian education

first aid and > Why

belong in the classroom

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Just seven per cent of the UK population feel they would have the skills to help someone in an emergency.

First aid saves lives and reduces the impact of serious injuries, such as burns and bleeding.

The classroom provides an ideal forum for learning first aid skills, and age need not be a limit – our new research shows children as young as five are able to learn and remember life-saving skills.

The vast majority of Britain’s teachers (83 per cent) and parents (98 per cent) support a move to include first aid on the curriculum.

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there is a good variety of activities, pitched at the right level, and the red cross teaching resource is clearly aiming to empower pupils rather than just informLinda McGlone, Primary school teacher, Scotland

the case for

first aid education

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Humanitarian education helps young people make sense of the world around them and encourages them to change it for the better.

By exploring contentious issues such as conflict, disasters and health, it brings challenging themes into the heart of the classroom. In this way, pupils can develop an understanding of humanitarian issues and learn skills that will help build resilience.

Over 90 per cent of citizenship and PSHE teachers support a focus on building resilience in children and young people across both primary and secondary schools.

it was a great learning experience. i think this kind of thing should be taught more often. it’s real life. it makes people think and shows that things aren’t simplePupil (15) Bannerman High School, Glasgow

> the case for

humanitarianeducation

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…want first aid to become part of the school curriculum.

...agree that building resilience is important to cover in school lessons.

of British parents of Britain’s teachers98% 83%

of secondary school teachers

of primary school teachers

98% 97%

> the facts

In 2010, British Red Cross first aid and humanitarian education programmes reached 347,000 children and young people.

Last year, there were over 30,000 downloads of Red Cross free teaching materials from redcross.org.uk/education

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The Red Cross’ first aid educational resources – specially designed so both primary and secondary teachers can deliver them in the classroom with no prior training – have made first aid easier than ever to learn. redcross.org.uk/lifeliveit

Our humanitarian education teaching materials help teachers tackle difficult and important subjects in the classroom, helping students to develop their critical faculties and build resilience. redcross.org.uk/education

In the past few years, 46 per cent of secondary schools and 28 per cent of primary schools have used one of the Red Cross’ global humanitarian educational resources.redcross.org.uk/advocacy

> How the red cross

can help

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