Police Officer Sam and his police car, registration MAN1E, will become familiar visitors to primary schools throughout the Island. Sam and MAN1E are the child-friendly symbols of the Isle of Man Constabulary’s first ever Island-wide Primary Schools Liaison Programme, which is being launched this term and will involve all 35 primaries. The Constabulary has developed the programme in liaison with Department of Education and Children advisers and with substantial support from sponsor Appleby, the Athol Street law firm, which has pledged backing for three years. Three themes will be tackled during age-appropriate lessons: Personal safety: In Meet the Police, reception class children will encounter a police officer, many for the first time, and look at his uniform, car and equipment. In People Who Help Us, Year 1 pupils will find out who they can call on in the event of an emergency. Stranger Danger teaches Year 3 pupils about staying safe when playing outside and about what to do if approached by a stranger. Virtual Reality introduces Year 6 pupils to the dangers they can find online. The work is backed up by a visit to Crucial Crew, a day at which agencies work together to offer young people safety advice. Drug and substance awareness: In a lesson called Who What Where ¬– Take Care, Year 2 pupils will consider the benefits and dangers of medicines while in a lesson called TASK, Year 5 pupils will be taught about the harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol and solvents, which will help them start to make informed choices when they are older. These lessons have been developed with the assistance of Orla McGlinchey, the DEC’s drug and alcohol co-ordinator. Social behaviour and the community: Year 2 pupils will learn about appropriate and inappropriate behaviour and how these affect others in a lesson called Right or Wrong? In Sticks and Stones, Year 4 pupils are encouraged to come up with ideas to resolve conflict and deal with bullying. In B-Ace, Year 6 pupils will be aided to learn the impact of reaching the age of criminal responsibility and to understand what constitutes theft, assault and criminal damage. Police Officer Sam and MAN1E will feature as a theme throughout the lessons, which will be given in a fun way using puppets, props, flash cards, games, quizzes and discussions. Leading the initiative is Acting Sergeant Andy Reed, who was, during the course of the programme’s development, the Constabulary’s youth and community officer for the Eastern Neighbourhood Policing Team, one of five Neighbourhood Police Teams Island-wide. ‘Primary school children soak up information and it’s these years that are important in their development of forming personal opinions, making decisions and problem-solving,’ Acting Sergeant Reed said. ‘It is also at this age that most children see the police as positive role models and heroes. ‘Our primary school children are our teenagers and our adults of the future. I strongly believe that if children come into contact with the police regularly and in a positive way from the beginning of primary school right through to Year 6, then seeing a police officer in school and out of school will no longer be a big deal and interacting with the police will be seen as the norm. ‘Hopefully it will have broken down any suspicions and perceptions that we are the enemy when these children move onto secondary schools, colleges and adult life.’ Schools will be provided with teachers’ packs to accompany the programme and teachers themselves will evaluate its benefits to children, with the impact measured against the Isle of Man Government’s five desired outcomes for children – staying safe, being healthy, enjoying life and achieving, making a positive contribution and prospering. A friendly police officer will be assigned to each school. Each of the five Neighbourhood Police Teams has a ‘youth champion’ who will ensure the programme is successfully delivered to all the primary schools within their neighbourhoods. Acting Sergeant Reed will act as the Constabulary’s all Island co-ordinator to assist the youth champions, community officers and schools in the smooth running and successful implementation of the programme. The programme has already been trialled at primary schools in the east of the Island including Laxey Primary School, whose Headteacher, Jean Aksoy, said: ‘The programme is educational and delivered in a fun way but also helps develop positive relations between the local police and children.’ Jo Callister, Advisory Teacher for the Manx Curriculum with the Department of Education and Children, said: ‘One of the added benefits of this project is that it will be housed on the DEC Manx Curriculum wiki. This means it will be easily accessible and can be amended as new materials or additions to the programme become available.’ The sponsorship deal with Appleby was brokered by Isle of Man Advertising & PR, who also managed the design and printing of the resource packs and an activity book that will be given to each pupil in Year 5 over the next three years. Sean Dowling, Managing Partner of Appleby on the Isle of Man, said: ‘We are delighted to help the Isle of Man Constabulary in this initiative with local primary schools. Anything that encourages good citizenship in our children is to be welcomed and supported. Through this programme, the next generation of young adults will be learning how to maintain the sense of community, respect for others and quality of life which we all enjoy here and which helps to make the Isle of Man a wonderful place to live.’ Many of the images used in the programme were taken by photographer Alex Mealin, 19, who has just started his own business. Ends