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The daring feat was just one of several activities held throughout the five-day course, destined to test the youngsters, boost their confidence and team-building skills and challenge their perceptions.
The 14 and 15 year-olds were taken on the fire safety and rescue course by Shaw Trust's Young People's Services team, which has been working with the
Shaw Trust provides training and work opportunities for people disadvantaged in the labour market due to disability, ill health or other social circumstances. Its Young People's Services helps 14 to 16 year-olds prepare for and enter the world of work and is particularly aimed at those whose needs aren't fully met by the usual academic curriculum, or who would benefit from a taste of working life.
Operations Manager Sarah Walsh, who with Shaw Trust Training and Placement Officer Anne Lynch also attended the course, explained: "We've worked with West Midlands Fire Service for about five years. They usually agree to take a number of young people on a fire safety and prevention day but this year they offered us a five-day course, which was a great success."
The group was given basic first aid training and shown videos depicting the results of car crime, drink and drug driving and hoax calls. They were also kitted out in uniforms, shown how to use fire hoses and participated in team building activities.
They visited Oldbury Fire Station to take part in the simulated rescue in a real-life training house and the week ended with a passing out parade, attended by family and friends, along with senior fire service officers.
Funding from the Birmingham Safety Partnership meant the entire course was free, along with lunches and kits, fire service T-shirts, certificates and photographs.
Latisha Murray, aged 15 and from
Aiming to become a nurse, Latisha believes the experience will prove invaluable. "It built up my confidence, brought me closer to my school mates and was a good learning experience," she said.
"It also taught me to cross the road safely, to put my seat belt on and stuff like that, which I hadn't really thought about before. It has given me a different view of things."
Latisha wasn't the only one who found the experience life changing "You can see it on the faces of the youngsters and see their attitude change throughout the week," said Sarah.
"A lot of young people we work with have very low self-confidence and it is a real achievement for them to even attend, much less take part. To watch them suddenly start to talk louder and want to be known and noticed was fantastic," she added.
"The firefighters were wonderful with them and the students really overcame some of their fears. Some were scared of heights and had to climb a small ladder. It took half an hour of support and coaxing to convince them but, once they'd done it, you saw them become ten feet tall.
"There's an ongoing impact and team ethos which they take back with them into the school environment.
"I'd like to thank the West Midlands Fire Service for their time and commitment to giving these young people the opportunity. A lot of the fire service staff gave up their free time to attend the course, so thank you to them as well."
Dave Alexander, Project Manager based at West Midlands Fire Service headquarters in
"Over the week, the instructors build up a relationship with the young people and the change in them is absolutely remarkable, from being sometimes not too enthusiastic on the Monday to not wanting to leave us on the Friday afternoon," he said.
"While they're doing this they are all learning to be part of a team, although they may not know it. The objectives that they're given couldn't be achieved without teamwork and its all part of building up their self esteem.
"Those that came stuck with it and did remarkably well. How they performed on the last day was absolutely outstanding.
"They showed what they had learned and that they were willing to sit and listen, which is sometimes quite difficult because it's a long and physical day. They all did themselves very proud."
* Our picture shows West Midlands Fire Service staff Karl Smith, Polly Cook, Sean Carey, Tony Hanna, Scott Walker, Steve Riddell, Ade Lyden and Becky Woolley with students Stacey Kelly, Georgia Leach, Rebecca Parsons, Adam Coughlin, Harvey Male, Peter, Brits, Latisha Murray, Shelby Dowling, Daniel Garrett, Joe Best, Luke Cowden and Kirsty Kennard.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. For further details, please contact Shaw Trust Marketing Manager Sara Lyddy on 07980 733468 or PR Officer Becky Gammon on 07779 784901. Or you can email: crucialpr@shaw-trust.org.uk
2. Shaw Trust is a national charity, formed in 1982, which helps people with disability or disadvantage to find work and achieve independence. We do this not only by delivering government programmes, but also through our own self-funded initiatives, and by campaigning to change attitudes at all levels.
3. Across the
