Greater Manchester and Merseyside come together to teach young people lifesaving skills
20.06.23 - Merseyside
Greater Manchester and Merseyside have joined forces to teach young people how to save lives through a new first aid e-learning app which explains how to stop a potentially life-threatening bleed, what to do if someone is knocked out, and other crucial advice including administering CPR.
- Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit and Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership collaborate with StreetDoctors to create new first aid e-learning app
- E-learning app teaches young people how to stop a potentially life-threatening bleed and was developed by medical experts and young people affected by violence
- To celebrate the launch, access to the full e-learning course is free for young people (using code detailed below)
The StreetDoctors e-learning app, ‘StreetDrs Save Lives,’ is a fully interactive and trauma-informed course that provides innovative digital training for young people affected by violence across the UK.
Developed by Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) in collaboration with StreetDoctors, the e-learning app has already been used by young people in care homes, secure units and in schools.
The course has been adapted directly from StreetDoctors award-winning emergency first aid training to an app-based format by medical experts and young people affected by violence.
Suitable for young people aged 11-25, the course delivers app-based peer-to-peer learning for self-learning or use in small groups.
A recent survey conducted as part of the ‘Stop the Bleed’ day pilot in Greater Manchester found that 77% of young people would like to learn more about how to stop a bleed.
Young people from Unity Radio trialled the e-learning app and provided feedback to developers, and will interview the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner and StreetDoctors Director of Operations about the app live on their Next Generation Youth Show, as part of Unity Radio’s partnership with the VRU which aims to raise awareness of serious violence and knife crime through a series of conversations led by young people.
Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “We are determined to prevent harm and keep young people safe, but if a young person is stabbed or injured, emergency first aid in those crucial minutes has the power to save lives. Equipping our young people with the skills to intervene if they ever find themselves in such a crisis isn’t just practical – it’s also preventative.
“Through this great partnership with Greater Manchester VRU and StreetDoctors, we are focused on making sure even more young people understand the real-life consequences of picking up a blade, while also empowering them to become potential lifesavers.
“While my profound wish is that they will never need to use these skills, it could make the difference between life and death.”
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “We are proud to have collaborated with Merseyside’s VRP and StreetDoctors on the development of the e-learning app, by working together we are able to share these important skills with young people across the North West.
“Young people at Unity Radio have provided helpful feedback through the development process and will be encouraging other young people that listen to their show to download the e-learning app and learn potentially lifesaving skills.”
Kate Green, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester for policing, crime, criminal justice and fire, said: “Obviously we hope that no young person is ever in a situation where they need to apply emergency first aid, especially because of a deliberate attack, but it is important that if they are, they have the skills to deal with it and potentially save someone’s life.
“Our work with StreetDoctors, and the recent pilot of the country’s first ‘Stop the Bleed’ day with national first aid charity citizenAID, show our commitment to equipping our young people with lifesaving skills.”
Martin Tilbury, Director of Operations at StreetDoctors, said: “At StreetDoctors we empower young people affected by violence with the skills, knowledge and confidence to save lives and increase their understanding of the medical and psychological consequences of violence.
“Our face-to-face training offer can't reach all the young people that need it but through this partnership with Merseyside VRP and Greater Manchester VRU, we were able to innovate and create the new ‘StreetDrs Save Lives’ e-learning course which provides accessibility to these lifesaving skills and support more young people affected by street violence."
Superintendent Georgie Garvey, Temporary Director of the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership (MVRP) said: “Research shows young people in both our regions are deeply concerned about knife crime. These feelings have been fuelled by high profile cases, and some feel powerless to do anything about it.
“Whilst I sincerely hope they never have to use this knowledge, through the StreetDoctors app and training our focus is on empowering them with the practical skills to respond if they are ever faced with such a serious incident. Critically, this training also gives us the opportunity to engage with young people to dispel some of the damaging myths about knives, changing attitudes to prevent serious violence.
“The feedback we have had from care homes in Merseyside who tested the app has been overwhelmingly positive and I am looking forward to seeing it rolled out to many more young people Merseyside, Greater Manchester and beyond.”
James Bayat, Education Coordinator at Unity Radio, said: “We are proud to be part of this awareness campaign to help teach young people how to save someone’s life.
“Unity Radio´s Next Generation Youth show focuses on keeping young people safe, and hopefully, the radio´s reach across Greater Manchester can help young people who are victims of serious violence.”
Visit StreetDoctors App - Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit (gmvru.co.uk) to download the e-learning app for free using the special VRU code.
To find out more about StreetDoctors, visit StreetDoctors – Empowering young lifesavers
To find out more about Unity Radio, visit Listenback, The NGY Show Archives | Unity Radio