Iqra Akhtar Feels Being A Police Youth Volunteer Will Help Fulfil Her Goal To Become A Teacher
South Wales Police celebrates the success of the new Police Youth Volunteer initiative with over 100 young members participating in the programme with bases in Cardiff, Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil and Neath.
South Wales Police celebrates the success of the new Police Youth Volunteer initiative with over 100 young members participating in the programme with bases in Cardiff, Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil and Neath.
Fourteen year old Iqra Akhtar is one of the first youths to have joined the programme, when the first base was set up in Cardiff, September 2015.
When asked why she joined the programme Iqra announces that she wants to be a teacher, and feels the experience will help increase her confidence and provide her with community facing experiences she feels will help her reach her teaching goal. She says she has also made many friends from other schools through the volunteering who she feels she may not otherwise have met, and keeps in regular contact.
Iqra meets with the rest of her volunteer friends once a week for two hours from 5-7pm. She says, “I thoroughly enjoy lessons, each one varies, after mum drops me off just five minutes later, I can be standing in full uniform in a line as I am being taken through drill (marching) and sit in lessons which teach about on-line safety, internet crime, and missing persons.
” I find the volunteer work so interesting, and I get to meet lots of people within our communities while I am out and about with the police and some of the other volunteers. I learn new things, attend events, I meet new people, I see how police deal with different situations and how to control traffic where people listen to you and do as you ask them!” she laughs.
They also met their rugby hero Jonathan Davies and one of
the volunteers was reported to have almost fainted as a
result!
-Attended Cardiff CrownCourt
– Given a tour of the Court
– Spoke with the Judge
– Learnt about the workings of the Court
– Listened to the sentencing of a few cases
Other activities include:
– Attending local football matches to help give out safety and crime prevention messages e.g. know the score – drink less enjoy more
– Checking establishments are not selling alcohol and cigarettes to youths who are under the legal age limited.
– Attending bike marking events to help with bike marking and crime prevention. – Attending concerts
The programme is open to people aged between 13 and 18 years, including anyone with physical and mobility impairment and from young people who may have previously been caught up in the criminal justice system.
Project manager for the scheme Inspector Jason Rees said:
“The aim of the programme is to capture the enthusiasm and energy of young people and channel it into community based projects while at the same time fostering relationships with police and developing a sense of good citizenship and leadership.
“This is not just for people who want to join the police. It is an opportunity for all young people.
The syllabus of the scheme is worked through in stages, including classroom and practical lessons.
Workbooks will be accredited to either the Welsh Baccalaureate or ASDAN points for University applications. (70 points)
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is also aligned with the scheme.
Further information will be available on the force website shortly.
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