Program doubles skills and confidence of students

Program doubles skills and confi dence of students

All images courtesy of St John Ambulance Australia

First aid is a vital life skill for all to learn and maintain, in fact 96% of Australians agreed that it is important to get more people into fi rst aid and CPR training.

Operating now for 10 years in Australia, the free St John Ambulance First Aid in Schools program is much-loved by teachers, parents and students alike. Through this program we know that children as young as 5 are highly capable of assisting in emergency situations, doing anything from calling 000 for an ambulance, to performing the steps of the DRSABCD action plan. Even COVID has not been able to stop the program – it has proved popular for virtual delivery to children whether they are at home or at school in the past 2 years. However many teachers are thankful that in 2022 it is back to face-to-face training within schools, allowing for practical skills including CPR and bandaging to be practiced by children, cementing their learning. Data clearly demonstrates the impact of the program, with knowledge, confi dence and skills all signifi cantly improving for students aft er just one 45-minute First Aid in Schools Session, with outcomes more than doubling: • Knowledge in fi rst aid improved by 100% by the end of the session

• Skills in fi rst aid improved by 124% by the end of the session

• Confi dence in fi rst aid improved by 111% by the end of the session

What teachers say about the program:

“I liked how interactive the session was. My students were engaged the whole time and enjoyed the question and answer time and CPR practical example. “

– Lauren, teacher at St Kevin's Primary School, Hampton Park

“Many of my students said they could use what they learnt to help others. I like that my students feel empowered that they could help others.“

– Nichole Bell, teacher in Berwick, Victoria

“The presenters did a great job communicating with the students and keeping them engaged. The students enjoyed the story, the quizzes and the song at the end.”

– Helen, teacher in Skye, Victoria “Very interactive, well presented, kids enjoyed it. Lots of valuable information especially tailored to prep level so it’s easy to understand. Presenter did a fantastic job.”

– Christina, teacher at Westall Primary School, Victoria

We know that without this program, children would remain unable to help in an emergency and this could even mean lives would be lost. This is particularly critical in rural and remote locations, where medical help may be hours away.

With ambulance response times increasing across the country due to COVID impacts, the First Aid in Schools Program is more vital than ever. It takes the litt le responders located in so many homes, parks and public places and gives them the tools to draw upon in an emergency.

What many aren’t aware of is the program is completely free and fully funded by St John as part of its charitable works, and largely without any government contribution. From 1 July 2020 - 30 June 2021, St John Ambulance trained 218,519 primary school children across Australia in fi rst aid at no cost to parents, schools, or students. Over the life of the program, over 2 million Australian primary school students have learnt fi rst aid from St John.

This ongoing commitment to the resilience and preparedness of local communities by St John is only possible because of those who purchase accredited fi rst aid training, defi brillators, PPE and fi rst aid kits from St John. As a social enterprise, St John contributes its proceeds back into the community as part of its mission for the service of humanity.

St John Ambulance asks that parents, teachers, principals and schools make a reciprocal commitment of support to St John so that they can continue to operate the program for the next generation of students. The lives these children save may be your own.