Plimmerton Rotary and the Life Education Trust
Our club has had a strong relationship with the Life Education Trust over many years. Last night John O’Connell, the Trust’s CEO, told the club about an initiative it was developing under the banner ‘Game Changers’.
The Trust’s traditional work among primary and intermediate students, based around mobile classrooms, will continue nationwide. ‘Game Changers’ is focussed on secondary students, particularly 15-16 year olds.
The underlying idea is to intercept the behaviour of young people at the transition points in their lives, and have their insights move beyond the school and into their families.
This year the Trust will roll out the first of several threads under the Game Changers banner, ‘The Great Brain Robbery’. (This was the title of a book by Tom Scott written in the 1990’s, which dealt with the effects of cannabis on developing brains.)
The statistics around our youth abusing alcohol and substances (mostly cannabis) are alarming, and the effect of this on brain development can be profound.
To promote a responsible attitude to drink and drugs, Life Ed has franchised a UK-origin programme called ‘Smashed’ in which three young actors role-play and workshop drunkenness and drug-taking. The programme has proved to be a success in the UK and has been running for 10 years. The Trust reviewed it in Australia where it was first franchised, and adapted it for local language and culture.
‘Smashed’ will be taken around the country shortly. A third of secondary schools have already signed up for it, the actors have been engaged, and the programme has been rehearsed. We wish the Trust well in its new endeavour.
Six tips for improving security around your home
1) Improve outdoor lighting
Ensure that streets, driveways, and front yards are well-lit. Motion-sensor lights around homes deter trespassers by reducing hiding spots and illuminating their movements.
2) Trim your trees
Overgrown shrubs and trees provide cover for intruders. Keeping them well-trimmed around windows and doors improves visibility and reduces potential hiding spots.
3) Secure Entry Points
Ensure doors, windows, and gates are always closed when you are away from the house. Upgrade to more secure locks, deadbolts, or even smart locks for added protection.
4) Add a security camera
Place security cameras in the main entry points to your home. Doorbell cameras are also relatively cheap and a great way to keep track of who is visiting your home when you aren't there.
5) Start a Neighborhood Watch Program
You could reach out to members on Neighbourly to form a group of neighbors who can regularly keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report it. You could also check with Neighbourhood Support to see what is existing in your area.
6) Introduce yourself to your neighbours
The closer you are to your neighbors, the more likely they’ll notice when something unusual or suspicious is happening around your property
Feel free to share anything that you do around your area to deter crime.
Poll: Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?
There's nothing worse than strolling around the streets in your neighbourhood and seeing dumped rubbish.
Have you noticed this in your area? What could we do to combat this around the country?
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43% Yes, I've seen some illegal dumping
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56.4% No, our neighbourhood is pretty good
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0.6% Other - I'll share below
Today’s riddle: For all the curious minds next door!
My thunder comes before the lightning.
My lightning comes before the clouds.
My rain dries all the land it touches.
What am I?
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