Following a very successful pilot at William Howard School earlier this year, ‘Natural High’ is being rolled out across Carlisle schools thanks to funding from the Cumbria Office of Police and Crime Commissioner, and through a new partnership between the programme’s founder, David Graham, Carlisle Youth Zone and Cumbria Constabulary.
Pupils will experience a “Natural High” when they are interactively educated and entertained by presenter/singer David Graham. David has delivered the Natural High Schools Programme and this powerful citizenship message in over 4000 schools, reaching over 1 million young people throughout the UK supported by many Police Authorities, Community Safety Partnerships, Local Education Authorities and Councils.
The aim of the programme is to raise awareness of positive alternatives to a fake high through drugs or destructive anti-social behaviour. It uses a 90-minute presentation based around David’s self-penned song ‘Natural High’ to encourage young people to reject anti-social behaviour and gain a ‘Natural High’ from using their own individual talents. The programme uses music and competitions to convey key citizenship messages presented by a positive role model and promoting peer education to learn important content whilst interacting and having fun.
Unique to the Carlisle programme, opportunities for young people to discover their talents and skills via local charity Carlisle Youth Zone (CYZ) will be highlighted to them. CYZ is open 6 nights a week and currently welcomes around 1000 visits per week from young people across the city. The Natural High programme and CYZ share an aim to support young people with their personal, social and educational development. CYZ offer young people many opportunities including sports, arts, music, drama, cookery, dance, Young Leaders and enterprise projects, regular off-site and residential trips, and a mentoring programme. Having Cumbria Constabulary as an active part of the Natural High sessions will also give young people an opportunity to build relationships with the local Police, and see them as positive role models as well as an invaluable line of support.
The Natural High programme will be delivered in 6 schools during July 2023.
