The Youth Education Service of New Zealand Police promotes individual safety to young people, families, teachers and school communities, to help create to safer communities. Police Education Officers are working in partnership with teachers in the classroom to achieve this goal.

Latest:
All About Me Programme November 2007.
Evaluation of DARE to make a choice 2007. Also available in PDF format, 97 pages, 961 KB
Evaluation of the Kia Kaha Anti-Bullying Programme for Students in Years 5-8 June 2007.

The YES has identified four strategic themes for educational programmes:

• Crime Prevention and Social Responsibility
• DARE
• School Road Safety Education
• Violence Prevention

Positive and effective partnerships between teachers and police education officers will:

• show a mutual concern for the safety and well-being of children and young people;
• involve working together to plan lessons and programmes that meet the needs of a specific class;
• be co-operative and show mutual respect;
• jointly seek the support and assistance from parents and the community;
• involve team teaching, joint evaluation and forward planning;
• pool expertise, knowledge and resources.

The Police Education Officer (PEO) is an experienced uniformed police officer who is specifically trained to:

• relate positively to children and young persons;
• use a variety of teaching methods and resources at any level of a school;
• support schools in consulting with parents and the community;
• work with teachers to plan, implement and evaluate classroom lessons;
• establish links between the school and the local Police;
• make educational programmes available to schools.

Schools are encouraged to reflect order, a concern for the safety and well-being of others, respect and responsibility in their organisation and policies. Teachers are encouraged to examine what they say and do in recognition that they are role models for their students.

The Youth Education Service aims to involve parents and the community in supporting the service through:

• shared ownership and responsibility of YES programmes with the school and Police;
• presenting positive role models;
• supporting the need for safety strategies;
• sharing their knowledge, skills and resources;
• promoting the Youth Education Service and its safety messages in the wider community.

Read a history of Police Youth Education in New Zealand.