Summer is here and the Kelowna and District Safety Council is offering a roster of fun safety programs for children ages eight to 12 in Vernon.
In addition to its ever-popular babysitter training courses, the KDSC is also presenting home alone and first aid courses, all of which will be held at the People Place.
“These are great, confidence-boosting courses for kids,” said KDSC executive director Tania Meyer. “Now that summer is here, many kids will find themselves home alone while parents are working and the traditional teenage babysitters are out in the work force. We’re trying to offer programs that will equip kids with the knowledge and skills they’ll need to be safer when they are on their own.
“At the same time, they have a lot of fun and really feel empowered when they learn new skills such as first aid and how to react in new situations.”
Open to boys and girls ages 10 and up, the babysitter training course is scheduled for July 17 and Aug. 7 and 19. A course is also scheduled for the Pro-D day Sept. 27.
Each course costs $60 and runs from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and includes a supervised lunch break.
The KDSC has added a new module to the course called the business of babysitting, which will surely appeal to young entrepreneurs, said Meyer, adding many other important topics will be discussed, including rights and responsibilities, age-related developmental and behavioral characteristics of children, child care, nutrition, injury prevention, and emergencies.
Kids ages eight to 10 can now take the Canada Safety Council’s three-hour home alone course July 22.
Kids will learn about house keys, strangers, proper use of a telephone, what to do when feeling scared, how to establish a daily routine, manage their time, identify their responsibilities, demonstrate what to do in case of an emergency and how and when to call 911. Cost is $40.
“The KDSC is also now offering Canadian Red Cross’ first aid courses, and these are great on their own or as supplements to the home alone and babysitter training courses,” said Meyer.
Level 3 first aid ($35) is targeted to eight to 10 year olds and Level 4 ($45) is targeted to 10 to 12 year olds.
Both courses cover calling for help, choking, bleeding, comfort, poisons, and burns at age-appropriate levels.
Level 4 delves into the topics in more depth and also discusses broken bones and unconsciousness.
Courses will run July 16 and 22. As home alone and first aid are half-day courses, some are scheduled so that participants can take both courses on the same day, with a supervised lunch hour.
The KDSC is a non-profit, community organization that has been running children’s programs since 1980. The council also operates the province’s largest motorcycle training facility outside of the Lower Mainland, as well as a GLP-approved driver training facility.
Simple online registration for all courses is available and parents can save $5 per program by registering online. Visit www.kdsc.bc.ca to register or for more information, or call the KDSC at 1-888-580-7233.
