A video created by four YPI students is being used in a charity’s efforts to introduce Emergency Life Support training a routine part of the curriculum in every school in Scotland. 

Lily Adams, Katrina Gillies, Jazzi Supper, and Erin Winkelmann from Plockton Academy secured their school’s YPI Grant for Lucky2BHere in 2019. The funding was used towards additional defibrillators and to deliver training to rural communities and schools.

Ross Cowie of Lucky2BHere said:

“The only way to truly change our survival rates from cardiac arrest lies in our work with schools and young people.  If we can create a generation that have learnt and continue to practise these skills from school onwards we will save lives.  Scotland, and the whole of the UK, is far behind most European countries on survival from out of hospital cardiac arrest and young people are the key to changing this.  

“The Plockton girls did a wonderful job and we were astounded at how well they had understood the concepts involved in our work. They had obviously put much time and effort into their presentation, and this will be used as we further our education and training programmes.”

Plockton High School students have channelled £12,000 to the local community through YPI. Head Teacher Susan Galloway said:

“In a small, rural area it’s great to see how £3000 can make such a difference to a charity which provides a really important service to people in the area who would, otherwise, be unable to access particular support locally. YPI provides the opportunity for young people to find out more about their local area, to understand the importance of the charities which operate locally and to experience a feeling of commitment to a social issue.

“This team was really committed to the Lucky2BeHere charity and the presentation was professional and focused, demonstrating a real understanding of the importance of a charity which saves lives.

“It’s important that the engagement with YPI isn’t a one-off and we would hope that the young people will have discovered something about their own values and will take away from the YPI opportunity a deeper understanding of the importance of engaging with issues which matter to them. We would hope that engagement with charities and social issues is something they will take into their lives beyond school and that this will help to shape the adults they become.”

Quickfire questions for our YPI Alumni:

What did you enjoy about the YPI process?

“The opportunity to engage in meaningful teamwork,” Jazzi.

“Feeling like you were doing some good,” Erin.

How did it feel to progress so far with it?

“Empowering,” Katrina.

“A real sense that we’d achieved something,” Lily.

“Being at the Showcase felt like you’d done something really big,” from all four teammates.  

Do you now want to keep involved with charities?

A resounding yes from all participants. Volunteering, donating, and being on the school’s Charity Committee is in their plans for this academic year.

What is your advice to those just about to start YPI?

“Choose your charity carefully and be genuinely committed to the cause,” Lily and Katrina.

“Do more research than you think you have to so you really understand your charity,” from all four teammates.  

 Watch the video here on our Vimeo channel.