Sessions contain links to Curriculum for Excellence and can be delivered for a duration up to 35 hours to suit local need.  It is intended that (SFRS) personnel will work closely with partner agencies to identify local needs and select the appropriate sessions to meet these.

With prior consent and willingness from the young person, partners such as Education, Social Work, Police Scotland and Community Learning & Development will refer young people onto this programme.  SFRS aim to develop core skills, including problem solving techniques and basic first aid and CPR through a series of drill ground activities modelled on firefighter drills. 

Fireskills will usually take place during school hours and young people will be supported by a member of staff from the referring agency.

Some of the key skills that our programmes try to develop in young people include:

• Team-working and team-leading
• Self-discipline skills
• Problem-solving techniques
• Confidence and communication
• Improved physical capability
• Citizenship skills
• An awareness of health and safety
• An understanding of the contribution that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and other agencies make to our communities
• Basic first aid skills

You can find out more about what FireSkills activities are going on and learn how the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is helping develop and support young people in your area by contacting your area by contacting your local community action team.

Fireskills is a flexible programme for any young people aged between 12 and 18 who want to develop key skills in a practical setting. There are no pre requisites for joining this programme, however, it can be designed and developed to meet individual and collective needs of the group to focus on key topics.

The Fireskills programme has been designed to suit a wide range of learners and there are no pre-requisites for entry on to the programme. It can be delivered in any environment by Fire and Rescue personnel. For more information, get in touch with your local Community Action Team.

FireSkills Employability Award (FEA)

Building on the sessions from FireSkills, the FireSkills Employability Award has been developed in partnership with Police Scotland and demonstrates the SFRS commitment to provide the best opportunities for young people by providing formal recognition of their achievement.

The FireSkills Sessions have undergone the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Credit and Levelling process to become a recognised accredited learning programme, providing 4 credit points at level 4. This enables learners to:

• Build a portfolio of evidence based on activities within informal education settings;
• Identify transferrable skills and recognise prior learning for further education and employment opportunities.

The FEA has been designed to suit a wide range of learners and there are no pre-requisites for entry on to the programme. However, because of the delivery level it is suggested this programme would be best suited for those 14 years and over. It can be delivered in any environment by Fire and Rescue personnel as long as the set criteria for the programme are adhered to with all the learning outcomes undertaken and successfully achieved.

You can find out more about what FireSkills activities are going on and learn how the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is helping develop and support young people in your area by contacting your local community action team.