The Safe Highlanders and Islanders initiative began in 1996 and is a Community Safety scheme aimed at Primary 7 or first year Secondary school children. The scheme enables children to experience and participate in a range of simulated practical situations which in real life, would be potentially threatening. The initiative is based on the view that:

1. Children learn by doing
2. Crime Prevention/Community Safety Education can be both challenging and exciting
3. The most effective way of tackling these issues is a partnership approach

The suggestion that Orkney could host a Safe Islander event was first mooted at a Community Safety Partnership meeting in 2006. The aims and objectives of the scheme were presented in a paper to obtain funding and inspire partners to get on board to deliver the projects. The aims of the scheme are to teach children, in an enjoyable way, to:

  • Become more aware of personal safety
  • Make a contribution to Crime Prevention/ Community Safety
  • Avoid becoming victims of crime
  • Learn how to react to dangerous situations
  • Know the role the emergency services play
  • Foster good citizenship

The scheme continues to delivery activities and impact for children living in the Highlands and Islands.

Read the Practice Exemplar in full here.