ROUND-UP: More graduates to Youth Engagement Scheme; Visitors to Surrey could benefit from virtual reality

More graduates to Youth Engagement Scheme

The latest batch of graduates at Walton Fire Station

Eleven more young people have completed Surrey Fire and Rescue Service’s Youth Engagement Scheme to learn a range of key skills to help them in the future.

The latest course took place at Walton Fire Station and means that more than 600 young people aged 14 to 17 with low school attendance, at risk of involvement in anti-social behaviour or who need a confidence boost have now graduated.

Those who complete the five-day course take part in fire drills, first aid training and team working activities.

Denise Turner Stewart, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Fire and Resilience, said: “I’d like to congratulate all the young people who have graduated from this great scheme. My thanks as well to the hard working firefighters who mentor these young people and helping them prepare for the next stage of their lives by building up their confidence.”

Visitors to Surrey could benefit from virtual reality

Representatives from the nine organisations met at the Surrey History Centre

Surrey County Council has welcomed groups from eight European organisations to the county as part of a joint project to learn how virtual reality could be used to improve tourism.

All nine organisations are working in partnership as part of the Interreg Europe Digitourism project to look at how new technology could help improve visitors’ experiences.

In Surrey that includes the potential for people who are physically unable to visit the county’s green spaces being able to experience them in a virtual way.

Diane Cooper, countryside marketing officer for Surrey County Council, said: “New technology means there is plenty of potential for improving people’s experiences of Surrey and while this is at a very early stage I’m looking forward to continuing this work with our European partners to explore the benefits.”