Community Safety Partnership

MAYHEM days

Multi-Agency and Youth Helping to Eliminate Mindless Damage

A good Citizen Package for Secondary Schools in South Ayrshire

Introduction
Believed to be the first and currently only multi agency educational input of its kind for secondary schools in Scotland, M.A.Y.H.E.M. DAY has been created and co-ordinated by the South Ayrshire Council Community Safety Partnership. Its aim is to address issues of vandalism and general anti-social behaviour, and to promote good citizenship.

Currently many programmes exist for primary schools across Scotland: 'Experimental Learning', the 'S.T.E.P.S.' programme, Road Safety and 'Danger Stranger' being some examples. It has however long been recognised that there is a need for co-ordinated educational packages for those of secondary school age also.

FACT - There were approximately 2000 crimes of vandalism reported to the police in South Ayrshire last year.

FACT - Vandalism is the biggest volume crime in South Ayrshire, accounting for around 25% of all crimes reported to police.

FACT - Around 70% of all those charged with vandalism are under 24 years of age. The 12-17 year old age group has in recent years been the biggest offending age group.

FACT - One school in South Ayrshire had an estimated cost of vandalism to windows of around £25,000 last year alone (and that was an average year!)

FACT - British Transport Police have highlighted South Ayrshire as 'high risk' in terms of danger to the public from railway lines.

FACT - 632 people attended Accident and Emergency at Ayr Hospital with head injuries last year......many of these young persons as a result of alcohol misuse, violence or involvement in general ant-social behaviour

FACT - Strathclyde Fire & Rescue attended 140 malicious calls in South Ayrshire last year....many of these were committed by the teenage age group.

FACT - There were 335 drugs related deaths in Scotland last year, 11 of these being in South Ayrshire.

It is against this background and ongoing concern by the emergency services and those other agencies engaged in day to day contact with young people in South Ayrshire that the 'M.A.Y.H.E.M. DAY' educational package was created.

Programme
The day is workshop based and is presented within the school itself. Workshop participants are representatives from:

Strathclyde Police
South Ayrshire Council
Strathclyde Fire & Rescue
NHS
Headway Ayrshire
St Andrews Ambulance
British Transport Police
Stagecoach Bus Company
Addiction Services
West of Scotland University - Ayr Campus
PACE Theatre Group

Pupils are divided into groups, and go from workshop to workshop throughout the day, visiting six in all.

These are:

'SMASHED.....Vandalism Awareness and How it Affects Our Environment'
Presented by Strathclyde Police and South Ayrshire Council

'Vandalism And Its Effects On Transport'
Presented by British Transport Police and the Stagecoach bus company

'Fire Safety and Awareness'
Presented by Strathclyde Fire & Rescue

'Drugs Education'
Presented by Strathclyde Police Drugs Education Officer

'Alcohol Education'
Presented by Addiction Services and Strathclyde Police

'Health Effects'
Presented by a Consultant Doctor from Ayr Hospital, St Andrews Ambulance and Headway Ayrshire head injury charity.

Costs
All costs are met by the South Ayrshire Community Safety Partnership.

Further Information

For further information on M.A.Y.H.E.M. Day contact:

Sgt Robert Stevenson or Susan McCardie
c/o Community Safety Unit
South Ayrshire Council
County Buildings
Wellington Square
Ayr
KA7 1DR

Tel: 01292 616616 or 616624
E-Mail:susan.mccardie@south-ayrshire.gov.uk