Thousands of young people are being trained in first aid skills to help save lives in their local communities in London over the next 12 months, thanks to a £10,000 donation from the London Freemasons Charity to St John Ambulance. With nearly 150 years of delivering first aid in the community, St John Ambulance is widely renowned as the nation’s leading first aid charity.
St John’s ‘Young Responders’ programme is being expanded by the voluntary organisation to give 12,000 youngsters aged 11 to 25 the skills and confidence to handle medical emergencies.
The charity trains youngsters from the age of five to become the next generation of lifesavers. Based around a narrative, St John’s interactive sessions teach students how to deal with an emergency first aid situation, including using practical skills for emergencies such as bleeding by using everyday items like a scarf or school tie, as well as dealing with alcohol and drug intoxication, and performing a primary survey and CPR.
Young people aged 11-25 can join Young Responders sessions via schools or partner host organisations. All school sessions are organised and delivered by St John’s Young Responders team. The team is made up of a Coordinator who liaises with the schools to book sessions and tailor the programme to the students’ needs; and two fully qualified facilitators, who will attend and run the face-to-face session in schools and an interactive learning experience to groups of up to 30 students.
St John also works with organisations across the statutory and voluntary sectors who are dedicated to supporting young people from diverse backgrounds. They are particularly keen to engage with young people from four beneficiary groups: young carers; young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET); care experienced young people; and those who are at risk of or exposed to street violence. In this regard, the charity is committed to improving the opportunities and outcomes for more young people and recognising the key role that many organisations play in providing resources and support to those who face systemic barriers such as unequal access to healthcare services, poverty, discrimination, reduced access to education and limited opportunity to participate in their community.
The Young Responder Programme is designed to be relevant to the communities in which it is delivered, so facilitators adapt and respond to the needs and interests of each group; and sessions take place in a community location provided by the partner organisation that is suitable for the young people attending. All equipment for the sessions is provided by St John Ambulance, as well as signposting to mentorship, training and education opportunities to empower young people from underserved communities to succeed.
Responding to the grant, St John Ambulance Director of Youth & Education, Paul Evans, explained, “We are training more young life savers. The Freemasons’ support means we can give more young people the skills and confidence to make a real difference in the community.”
St John's attends events like sports matches and concerts where people in crisis may need help quickly on site. The charity has a heritage of providing first aid since 1877, based on principles going back to 11th century Jerusalem, when the first Knights of St John set up a free hospital for pilgrims. Their uniform today still displays the eight-pointed cross worn by those first Knights of St John.
If you would like to know more about St John Ambulance and the Young Responder Programme, please visit their website at https://www.sja.org.uk/get-involved/young-people/young-responders-home/
This article is part of the Arena Magazine, Issue 57 Spring 2025 edition.
Arena Magazine is the official magazine of the London Freemasons - Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.
Read more articles in the Arena Issue 57 here.