Young people are encouraged to 'B Safe 4 Sure' in a new joint campaign led by detached youth workers and police and sponsored by Sure.
Following the end of British summertime, the campaign commenced to raise awareness of the need to stay safe during increasingly dark nights.
Detached youth worker Jackie Fisher explains, "B Safe 4 Sure will encourage young people to take responsibility for their own safety.
"We are very grateful to Sure for sponsoring the campaign and producing keyring torches that we can hand out to young people. We will be giving out the torches as we chat to young people about staying safe when they are out and about on a Friday night.
"We are at times concerned about the behaviour of young people on a Friday night and this campaign is designed to encourage young people to take more care of themselves and their friends.
"We have 500 keyring torches to give out but that’s just the start of it. Detached youth workers will be exploring ideas with young people. Other initiatives will follow."
Sergeant Ged Power adds, "Groups of young people do go out in Douglas, as they have since time immemorial, and the message is to make them consider when they are out that they are safe. The torch itself is a great piece of kit. It’s light, portable and can help you see your way home on these dark nights.
"However, the campaign is not just about the torch. It’s about encouraging young people to think about getting home safely, at an appropriate time and to let their family know where they are. It also encourages them, when they are out at night, to look after their friends."
Education Minister Anne Craine MHK comments, "I think the young people who receive the keyring torches will really like them because they are small and unobtrusive and can be attached to bags or belts quite easily.
"It’s a great initiative that will give young people that feeling of being safe when out and about during the dark evenings. Besides the keyring torches being useful, I think young people will have a bit of fun with them and above all else they will help to keep them safe."
The first B Safe 4 Sure keyring torches were handed out by Jackie and Sergeant Power on 30th October.
Mike Stanton, Country Manager for Sure in the Isle of Man, explains why the company decided to sponsor the initiative, "Sure recently conducted some research into when parents typically buy their child their first mobile phone and why.
"The average age was eight years old and the primary reason was so that parents know where their children are, and they can contact their parents if they need to.
"This is part of the reason why Sure is sponsoring the Youth Service torch project: we recognise that the safety of children on the Island is paramount.
"As a parent myself, I understand just how vital it is to protect your children and I am delighted to support the Youth Service in such a worthwhile initiative."
Pictured: The first young recipients of the keyring torches with (l-r) Sergeant Ged Power, Janette Facey (Detached Youth Worker), Mike Stanton (Country Manager, Sure Isle of Man), Anne Craine MHK (Education Minister), David Craine, Jackie Fisher (Detached Youth Worker), Ken Collister (Senior Youth Officer) and Jo White (Detached Youth Worker).
