Almost 1,000 students in Lisburn take part in Respect Programme
Almost 1,000 students from four secondary schools in Lisburn have taken part in the Respect Programme, funded by the Housing Executive.
Developed by the Children’s Safety Education Foundation, the Respect Programme teaches teenagers about the consequences of anti-social behaviour and crime, including hate crime, on communities and themselves.
A total of £7,000 was provided from the Housing Executive’s Community Safety fund for new textbooks, E-books, worksheets and student surveys.
Michael Fitzgerald, from the Foundation, who works with schools to deliver the programme, said; “We are encouraging young people to challenge stereotypes, think about citizenship issues and also consider opposing viewpoints.
“This helps them deal with problems they encounter in everyday life such as peer pressure, bullying and personal safety, life skills that can be difficult to convey through normal teaching channels.”
The Housing Executive has supported the delivery of the Respect Programme in numerous schools across Northern Ireland in recent years, with thousands of students taking part.
Laura McConville, Community Safety Manager, said: “We want to empower young people to make positive choices and play an active role in their community.
“It is the seventh year we’ve funded this community safety programme, which uses real life situations to demonstrate how everyone in our society deserves to be, and should be, respected.
“This year, Fort Hill Integrated College, Lisnagarvey High School, St Patrick’s Academy and Laurelhill Community College are helping their pupils get to grips with anti-social behaviour issues in a constructive way.”
Staff at the four participating schools said their pupils responded positively to the programme.
Laura Ann Knipe, from Lisnagarvey High School, said: “Our students have found it both engaging and informative and is an excellent supplement to the learning for life and work programme.”
Simon Woodward, from Fort Hill Integrated College, described the programme as an excellent resource.
He said: “The Respect programme informs and educates pupils on a wide variety of relevant issues which mirror our core values, whilst also preparing them for life in adulthood.”
Miss McStravick, from St Patrick’s Academy, said the booklets have been in invaluable resource for students offering a diverse range of engaging lesson ideas.
“Students responded positively to the variety of topics, which are thoughtfully interconnected and highly relevant to current societal issues,” she said.
Lisa Duddy, from Laurelhill Community College said: “Topics are relevant in today’s society, addressing issues real and current to our pupils.”