A group of Police Scotland youth volunteers last week visited HMS Caledonia for a weekend residential course on leadership and teamwork.
The 58 youngsters arrived at the Rosyth naval base on Friday, 11 April, 2025 for two days of learning and development from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the UK’s defence forces – the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
The weekend was structured to give the volunteers essential leadership skills to help them develop confidence, resilience and to help them problem solve.
It was partly inspired by the young people who wanted to build on their personal development goals.
They were challenged to various tasks, testing their communication, decision-making and leadership skills.
These included simulation scenarios such as transporting essential and time-sensitive supplies across water to a waiting vehicle using very limited equipment; undergoing a casualty evacuation scenario, using specific equipment to recover the casualty safely and overcome obstacles along the route; and they were fitted with fogged face masks which impaired their vision and had to be led through a challenging obstacle course by their team members.
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Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond, said: “Our youth volunteers are a meaningful conduit between the police and young people. They help us deliver key crime prevention advice to our younger communities, steering them away from risk and into positive opportunities.
“They are learning fundamental leadership and communication skills, improving their confidence and understanding of effective teamwork. These are attributes they can apply to the youth volunteer programme and their own lives.”
“This weekend’s programme is a tangible example of how Police Scotland is helping develop our young volunteers into role models and leaders of the future. They are developing a civic conscience, learning how to be good citizens and how to participate in their communities through contribution.
“I am grateful for the input delivered by our defence partners and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. It has been invaluable to exposing our volunteers to situations and scenarios which challenged them to problem solve and find creative solutions.
Police Scotland’s youth volunteer programme aims to strengthen the relationship with the police, young people and their community. It gives young people a chance to be heard, develop skills and promote good citizenship.
It has more than 600 youth volunteers from all over Scotland, supported by more than 200 adult volunteers.
The cadre of 58 taking part in the weekend course were presented with their completion certificate by ACC Bond and the Lord Provost of Fife, Councillor Jim Leishman MBE.
The youth volunteers were supported by eight adult volunteers and officers from Police Scotland’s Volunteer Coordination Unit.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
