Newark Academy pupils take the lead to help stamp out smoking

Pupils at Newark Academy will become health mentors after taking part in an initiative designed to spread awareness about the dangers of smoking.

A total of 26 year-eight pupils took part in two days of training run by ASSIST, a smoking prevention programme supported by Nottinghamshire County Council.

The pupils will receive regular visits from the organisation until the middle of June to help reinforce the message.

Mr Dominic O’Callaghan, a trainer with ASSIST, said they had used a number of techniques to get their information across.

"They have been really good and engaging," he said.

"They are at an age where they are receptive to the information we are giving them.

"It is an interactive and fun way to learn — there are a lot of games and activities where we can give a lot of the facts and also find out a lot about themselves.

"We were looking for some of the most influential young people, whether it be those who are academic, sporty or generally looked up to.

"They come back to school and talk to their mates and spread the information across the year group."

He said it was important to do the training with 12 and 13-year-olds to help promote better habits later in life.

"The research has shown that if you can get the message across when they are in year eight, it has a big impact when they reach the risk age of year 11," Mr O’Callaghan said.

"The course came out of Bristol University, where research suggested there was an 18% reduction in smoking by year 11 pupils after this training."

Mrs Ali Brown, community engagement co-ordinator for The Newark Family of Schools, said it was a great project for students to be involved in.

"The reason this project is so important to me is it offers the opportunity for our students to develop their leadership skills, raise aspirations and allows them to make a positive contribution to their school and wider community," she said.

"I am often blown away by the things they say and the level of knowledge they show during the sessions."

She said they would have further opportunities to build on their experiences in future years by becoming peer mentors and taking on more leadership roles.

One of the students taking part, Jack Bailey, 13, said: "I have learnt about the effects of smoking, what it can cause and how it can damage our bodies.

"It has been interesting to take part in the course, and I can pass on this knowledge to my peers."

Charlotte Jones, 13, said: "There are 7,000 chemicals in cigarettes and 70 of them can give you cancer.

"The course has given us a lot of useful facts and will allow us to tell more people about it.

"It is a lot harder to stop once you have started."