FOR the eighth year running, West Devon Borough Council has teamed up with Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service for a joint project aimed to motivate young people.

The Phoenix Project, founded by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, is a week-long course which shows youngsters what fire and rescue teams deliver to residents.

The course was completed at the end of February at Tavistock Fire Station and included 12 students aged between 12 and 14 years old taking part from Tavistock and Okehampton colleges.

The students were taught important life skills such as respect, team building, first aid and trust, as well as important fire and home safety awareness. The scheme aims to boost their confidence and self-esteem by encouraging them to participate in fun and challenging exercises.

Crew manager Josh Caunter, of Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, added: ‘Our Phoenix courses provide a unique opportunity for young people to work with the fire and rescue service and take part in a variety of physical and mental challenges that improve their life opportunities. The team of Phoenix instructors have enjoyed working with the pupils and were impressed by their commitment to the course.’

The week finished with an exciting ‘passing out’ parade, where the youngsters showed friends, families and teachers what they had learned throughout the course. This included demonstrations where they worked together to take part in practice sessions of hosing down a vehicle in the event of an engine fire, hosing down a building and running the hoses from the fire engine.

At the end of the drills, West Devon mayor Cllr Mike Davies presented the youngsters with certificates of achievement.

Cllr Davies said: ‘This fantastic project offers pupils something different while learning key life skills in a challenging and exciting place, such as the fire station.

‘They performed very well during the parade and worked brilliantly as a team to keep calm under pressure, with the added addition of a large audience.’

Ross Corkell, assistant head of Year 9 at Tavistock College, said: ‘The pupils at Tavistock College have always benefited from the skills that are nurtured on the Phoenix project. This year is no different and the impact on these pupils as individuals is one of building a confidence to succeed and of improving their working relationship and respect of others.’

Okehampton College’s Kelly Hoggins said: ‘Okehampton College has had the pleasure of working alongside the Phoenix project for a few years. Each year, the students excel under their guidance. It is a joy to watch the students’ resilience, co-operation and motivation skills develop so dramatically in such a short space of time.’