Reading Primary School students have taken part in a unique project that encourages young people to take pride and keep safe in their local communities.
Students from the George Palmer Primary School were the first to take part in Reading Borough Council’s ‘Community Kids Project’, which focused on the North Whitley area.
The youngsters participated in classroom workshops which aimed to give youngsters an understanding on the role the Council and partnering agencies play in the community. The workshops also featured talks, as well as question and answer sessions from members of the Thames Valley Police, chairs from local community centres and North Whitley residents.
Students also took part in a community walkabout, where they identified aspects of the North Whitley area which they liked and disliked. In addition, students also visited the local sheltered housing unit, Christchurch Court in Christchurch Gardens, to help them discover and connect with a community rich in pride and history of the local area.
To end the project, on Tuesday March 13 the young people will present to their fellow classmates at their school, highlighting what they have discovered during the project. They will also report on their conversations with elder members of the community and the guest workshop speakers.
Rachel Eden, Reading Borough Council’s Lead Member for Housing, said: ‘Our young people play an important part in our communities and I believe that this project is an important step toward helping them understand more about their neighbourhood. This project is not just about the importance of keeping safe in their local area, but about fostering a sense of pride and connecting them to the community from across the generations.’
Reading Borough Council’s Lead Member for Education and Children’s Service’s, Cllr John Ennis, said: ‘Our children are the future which is why projects like ‘Community Kids’ are so important to Reading going forward. Hopefully the young people of this Borough will now join forces with the rest of the community in our efforts to keep Reading safe and clean for everyone.’