This award winning LUSU involve project works in partnership with Lancashire Constabulary to help older and vulnerable people feel safer in their homes.

You will receive training from expert external partners including the Police and trading standards as well as a day with one of the leading specialists in distraction burglary prevention.  Upon completion of the training you will be ready to visit local older people and deliver a crime prevention advice package and fit appropriate crime prevention devices to homes.

There are also opportunities to be involved in arranging social events for our clients and recruiting new clients who could benefit from the project.

This highly rewarding project is very popular with students wanting to work within crime prevention or have an interest in helping older people.

Doorstep Crime?

Doorstep crime involves someone deceiving a resident into letting them into their house through seemingly legitimate means so they can steal or con possessions or money from the residents. There are two main forms:

1. Distraction burglars have a range of methods in order to keep residents preoccupied, one normally keeping the resident busy, as the other sneaks into the home unseen.

2.  Bogus Callers can be very persuasive, and convince the resident into believing there is an urgent job that needs doing on their property, charge high rates for their service and then pressure the resident to pay for it. They have even been known to go as far as driving the resident to the bank to withdraw cash.

Older and more vulnerable people are particularly at risk from this crime and it is these people who you will be helping if you choose to volunteer on the Safe project.

Training

You will be trained by the police, fire service, and LUVU in term 1 to provide the most up-to-date information and an effective service when meeting the local residents in terms 2 and 3.

Volunteering on the Safe project is a great way to meet people in the local community and feel like you are making a difference in their lives. Activities include visiting people in their homes to talk through their concerns and fit door bars and spy holes where appropriate.

You’ll also work on the database in the office and have a chance to be involved in managing the Christmas party and other fun events! It also enables you to meet other students with similar interests and be a part of a very friendly organisation with socials, a student facebook group (etc) – not to mention gaining valuable transferable skills!!