ASB St John in schools programme launches in Whanganui at Gonville School

Andrea Webber (left) and St John community educator Sarah Adamski (right) sit with Gonville School students Kruz Hati, 5, Shaia-Rose Ross, 5 and Mia Lloyd, 5 (front). Photo / Stuart Munro

Gonville School students were the first to participate in the ASB St John in Schools programme when it was launched in Whanganui on Wednesday.

The programme aims to educate younger students about ambulance services and older students about the importance of first aid.

Central region manager of St John New Zealand Andrea Webber said that Whanganui has been on the radar for two years.

"The biggest challenge has been getting the staff, employing the right educators because we make a really concerted effort to hire the right people for the role.

"They have to love tamariki, they really do, we work with them every day and if they don't love them it's really hard to deliver."

The central region covers everywhere between Wellington and Te Kauwhata, New Plymouth and Gisborne.

Educators visit schools where they will do a 45 minute programme with early learners, 60 minutes with year three to four or 90 minutes with year five to year eight students.

"We drive ambulances every day, we're used to the noise, we're used to the size, but for little people that truck looks massive to them and it can be very scary and daunting," Webber said.

"For year one and two students it's about explaining things like the difference between emergency services, when to call an ambulance and how to do so."

With Gonville School complete, St John educators will be visiting plenty of schools in the region over the next several weeks, with a view to returning in at least two years.

"The older tamariki learn something similar to what you would learn in an adult first aid course, we go right through to even teaching CPR," Webber said.

"In all honesty, with tamariki, proper CPR is difficult because of the stature of them, they're really little, but we're looking at the long term.

"If you've ever had anyone pass away and you watch them die because you can't do anything, it's really hard to live with that so we're just trying to give them the confidence and courage to try and do something."