Interactive education involves visiting a prepared scenario, identifying the dangers and learning what steps to take to avoid the risk. By making the scenarios as realistic as possible the messages have a relevant importance. It is the best way forward to help protect our communities from danger and to enable a safer quality of life. Based on the outskirts of Bournemouth in a large converted warehouse, Streetwise is a microcosmic community, run as a registered charity, inspired and created by a group comprising the emergency services, local authorities and commercial enterprise. It is designed to bring everyday safety education to a wide audience.
Streetwise scenarios are life size, life like traditionally built scenes from everyday life.
Scenarios include a high street with shops and offices, a park, beach, railway track, farmyard, heathland, building site, electricity substation, dark alley and even a complete two storey house. All the scenarios provide a platform for interactive safety training for a wide range of people - children, the elderly, families and home owners. The operating base has been secured by an investment funding the rent of the unit of nearly half a million pounds over ten years and this provides a solid foundation on which to build. The project has been supported to date by over 200 companies. Support can be provided by donation of cash or equally by contributing goods, expertise through 'in kind' support, or offering volunteering opportunities for their staff.