WHAT
IS STREETWISE?
Streetwise is an award winning interactive safety education
centre. It is a multi-agency partnership initiative between the emergency
services, local authorities and the business community. It is a life size
village built inside a warehouse off Ringwood Road, West Howe, Bournemouth
to raise awareness of everyday safety and good citizenship issues. Safety
at home, in the town, in the countryside and even on the beach is covered
on a Streetwise Safety Tour lasting up to two hours. The Streetwise village
includes a full sized two-storey house, a high street, a park, a farmyard,
a railway track, electricity sub station, a heath, a beach and a building
site. All the scenarios have been built as in real life and using real
bricks and mortar and other materials to be found in the real world.
|
 
Throughout our lives
we all face risks on a daily basis. Luckily most of us will avoid major
accidents or serious crime, but we are all quite likely to experience
a domestic hazard in the home or minor crime on the streets. For many
people avoiding the risk is a sub conscious act based on self preservation,
using skills we have developed through education, and in some cases experience.
However, in a changing world we still may not always be best equipped
to identify potential problems or to take action should something go wrong.
|
|
Interactive safety
education is an effective way of providing people with relevant skills,
because it operates in a controlled environment where you can see, smell,
feel or hear the hazards as they would be found in real life but without
being at risk. Interactive learning also offers the opportunity to experience
the dangers posed by certain everyday situations, or criminally minded
people and be educated on risk reduction in a controlled environment.
Interactive education
involves visiting a prepared scenario, identifying the dangers and learning
what steps to take to avoid the risk. By making the scenarios as realistic
as possible the messages have a relevant importance. This form of education
is endorsed as best practice by Dorset Police, Dorset Fire & Rescue
Service, Dorset Health Authority, Dorset County Council, Bournemouth
Borough Council, The Borough of Poole and educational experts. It is
the best way forward to help protect our communities from danger and
to enable a safer quality of life.
|
|
 
Based on the outskirts
of Bournemouth in a large converted warehouse, Streetwise is a microcosmic
community, run as a registered charity, inspired and created by a group
comprising the emergency services, local authorities and commercial
enterprise. It is designed to bring everyday safety education to a wide
audience.
Streetwise scenarios are life size, life like traditionally built scenes
from everyday life. Scenarios include a high street with shops and offices,
a park, beach, railway track, farmyard, heathland, building site, electricity
substation, dark alley and even a complete two storey house.
All the scenarios provide a platform for interactive safety training
for a wide range of people - children, the elderly, families and home
owners.
|
|
The operating
base has been secured by an investment funding the rent of the unit
of nearly half a million pounds over ten years and this provides a
solid foundation on which to build. The project has been supported
to date by over 200 companies. Alison Curtis, Centre Manager says;
"We are keen for local companies to become involved and support
the project. Support can be provided by donation of cash or equally
by contributing goods, expertise through 'in kind' support, or offering
volunteering opportunities for their staff.
The
centre would have cost nearly half a million pounds to build were
it not for many of the materials and services being donated by those
involved. I would personally like to thank everyone who has played
a part.
The list of supporters and volunteers is endless and their generosity
of spirit is very much appreciated."
See supporters page of this website.
|
In addition to
bookings for group visits, Streetwise Safety Tours are also available
for individual bookings by people from all walks of life: families,
children, teachers, Brown Owls etc. or senior citizens who are often
frightened and confused by situations such as bogus callers on their
doorstep, or parents simply wishing to update their own "streetwise
skills" to help guide their children. Family visits are especially
welcome. . Tour bookings can be arranged, in advance, by telephoning
the centre during office hours.
 A
small conference facility is available for meetings, seminars and
training courses. Standard conference equipment will be available
at a nominal charge. An exhibition corridor can be used to promote
or display a range of services and products all year round. Perhaps
companies who need a stimulating custom built environment to train
their staff may also be interested - in hiring the village with the
conference room for team building events. Streetwise can also be used
by businesses to highlight health and safety issues or by organisations
to launch campaigns.
Whilst the underlying
message at Streetwise is on a serious educational note, a visit to
the centre for a guided tour is a must for quite simply - a day out
with a difference for schools, youth groups and families! Joint tickets
are available with other leading attractions. Streetwise
is fun, educational and unmissable - but perhaps more importantly
- Streetwise Saves Lives.
STREETWISE
BIRTHDAY PARTIES - SIMPLY THE BEST!
If it's your birthday soon, give the swimming and football parties
a miss this year - have a Streetwise Birthday Party in conjunction
with Liverpool Victoria! Combine a Safety Tour with a visit to your
favourite eating place (watch this space for special deals). Or you
could hire our Meeting Room for your own party nibbles and games (no
mess at home, Mum!). Everyone gets a party bag crammed full of goodies
and giveaways from Streetwise and Liverpool Victoria with the Birthday
child getting an extra special bag - a great end to what one 9 year
old party-goer recently said - " the best birthday party I have ever
been to!".
Please contact
the Centre (01202 591330), if you would like more information about
Streetwise or would like to become involved on a voluntary basis as
a tour guide, or help with administration or maintenance at the centre.
Pages
by Dorset Web Ltd
|
