Local Intervention Fire Education

LIFE Courses are aimed at young people, particularly those who have offended, are at risk of offending or have been victims of crime. The project has been running in North Yorkshire and city of York for some years now and has produced some very impressive results.

The scheme provides an intense work experience within a tightly structured and focused team environment and gives young people the chance to work with real firefighters, following a set programme of activities.

LIFE is a 5-day course, for young people aged 13 to 17.  During the course we highlight the consequences of anti-social behaviour and provides an intensive work experience course within a structured uniformed team, instilling discipline, team spirit, fire safety awareness, life skills and values which will improve the life chances of the participants.

The LIFE Course is specifically designed to put young people in challenging situations like what Firefighters deal with. We see the advantages of improving their own learning and performance and gain self-esteem and self-confidence. We encourage the young people to take responsibility for themselves and develop soft skills. Throughout the week we address the consequences of actions and give them an insight to how choices now may affect them in the future.

The course is specifically designed to change the attitude and behaviour of the young people by getting them to:

• Adopt a new set of values.
• Address the consequences of anti-social behaviour.
• Work co-operatively with others.
• See the advantages of improving their own learning and performance.
• Gain self esteem and self confidence.
• Communicate better.
• Achieve self empowerment.

Please note that young people must be referred to take part in a LIFE course.

We aim to deliver six LIFE courses a year spread across North Yorkshire and the City of York.

If you are an agency or school, who would like to make a referral for a young person, please email LIFE@northyorksfire.gov.uk.