Kick Ash is an award winning countywide campaign which sees young people driving forward initiatives to prevent smoking in the under 16s across Cambridgeshire.
The ground breaking programme is based in secondary schools, and recruits volunteers aged 14 and 15 to work as mentors in their school and the local community.
Kick Ash has recruited over 200 volunteers from 6 secondary schools since the introduction of the programme to lead on campaign activities, including:
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supporting young people vulnerable to smoking
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working with the media and lobbying local MPs
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preventing underage sales of tobacco
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developing stop smoking services sensitive for young people
A successful pilot was developed at Bottisham Village College during 2010, which engaged with over 1,500 students between ages 11 and 15 and their parents. They are now into their second year.
Kick Ash is currently successfully working with five other schools, including Sir Harry Smith Community College, Whittlesey, Swavesey Village College, St Peter's School, Huntingdon, Ernulf Academy, St Neots and The Manor School, Cambridge. Kick Ash will involve 10 secondary schools across Cambridgeshire over a five year period. The programme will also work with primary schools in each secondary school's catchment area.
Kick Ash is supported by Cambridgeshire County Council’s Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE) Service, Trading Standards Service and Communications team and by NHS Cambridgeshire.
For more information, please see the Kick Ash website. You can also follow us on Facebook under 'Kick Ash Cambs' and Twitter at kickashcambs.