Policy Scope:

This policy affects all police personnel, voluntary and statutory organisations and private organisations who utilise the Lifewise facility.

Policy Aims and Objectives:

Lifewise is a South Yorkshire Police led partnership initiative with South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, which promotes community safety and positive citizenship across South Yorkshire.

The Lifewise Centre is a purpose built arena within which scenario based events can be held. The Centre became operational on 18 April 2005 following the dramatic conversion of the building from a former disused steel works into a dynamic and professional set to run realistic scenarios.

The Lifewise Centre presents a fantastic opportunity for learning interactivity in a variety of real life mock settings.

Priority use of the Centre is based on delivery outcomes in the following categories:

• Community Safety

• Personal Safety

• Personal Responsibility

• Citizenship

• Community Awareness

Lifewise is the permanent home for the SYP Crucial Crew event. However, Lifewise is much more than Crucial Crew and many other community initiatives take place at the Centre. Internal and external personnel are encouraged to develop their own imaginative programmes in order to address key issues of modern life. The professional set environment enables learning to be positively interactive.

All aspects of centre management and event facilitation are overseen by the Lifewise Development Manager.

The facility provides unique community engagement opportunities, in addition to the statutory functions of South Yorkshire Police. The facility falls within the Community Safety Department remit.

Resources Available

The following resources are available at the Lifewise Centre:

Briefing Room – this room seats up to 90 people theatre style and is equipped with an overhead data projector, PC allowing for PowerPoint presentations, DVD and VHS Video player, CD player, and surround sound speakers (please note, a 35mm slide projector or an OHP are NOT available).

Meeting Room – this room has an oval meeting table and 10 comfortable meeting chairs. It is equipped with an overhead data projector, PC allowing for PowerPoint presentations and flip chart.

Full Set – the set consists of:

Street scene with life size car and pelican crossing
Park
Pub
House living room and kitchen
House bedroom
Corner shop
Railway
Transport Interchange with life size bus
CCTV Room
Internet chat carried out on computer in briefing room

Booking the Centre

Further information relating to booking the Centre (including charges) can be found in Lifewise Booking and Charging D51440.

Associated Procedural Instructions:

This policy is supported by the following procedural instructions:

n/a

See also:

D51441 Lifewise Booking and Charging - Instructions

Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and Diversity Impact Assessment

The Act places a statutory requirement for all Functions and Policies (Including Procedural Instructions) to be impact assessed for their level of relevance to the General Duty.

In principle, this document has been assessed for discrimination, which cannot be justified, among other diverse groups.

This Statement of Agreed Policy has been Impact Assessed as LOW relevance.

Human Rights/Discretion:

The purpose of providing policy is to give an indication to staff of the expected course of action. However it is not possible to cater for every possible combination of factors that would justify a departure from stated policy. The Human Rights Act 1998 requires the proper use of discretion at all times and nothing within this policy and associated procedural instructions prohibits the proper use of discretion in appropriate circumstances.

Where action is taken that has the potential to interfere with an individual’s Human Rights, the reasons behind the making of the decision to act in that way should be recorded on the appropriate forms, or where this is not practicable, in pocket books or policy logs.

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Exemptions do not apply to this statement of agreed policy under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Management of Police Information (MoPI)

This policy falls within MoPI: No.

Review Arrangements:

This policy together with its Diversity Impact Assessment will be reviewed every three years.

Rights of redress for members of the public:

Anyone who feels that a member of staff has behaved incorrectly or unfairly, or who is dissatisfied with organisational matters, service delivery or other operational policing issues, has the right to make a complaint.

Initial action should be taken in one of the following ways:

• Complain in writing or in person to the Senior Officer at the appropriate police station or to the Chief Constable of the force concerned.

• Visit a local Citizens' Advice Bureau

• Contact a Solicitor

Rights of redress for South Yorkshire Police personnel:

South Yorkshire Police personnel who feel they have grounds for concern in relation to the implementation of policies may, as appropriate:

• Pursue concerns through their line manager.

• Contact a First Contact Advisor.

• Pursue a grievance formally through the South Yorkshire Police Fairness at Work Procedure.

• Seek advice from their staff association or trades union.

• Use the Policy for Handling Complaints relating to Direction and Control.

Start Date:

23 February 2009