How can we help more young people feel confident responding to an emergency—and make sure the support they receive reflects their needs and experiences? Join B‑Skill for a free online webinar with Pauline Bartley and Talia Taylor from St John Ambulance, exploring fresh approaches to first aid education, mental health support and community involvement.
Taking place on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, this session will bring together apprentices, employers, educators, youth workers and community members. Through presentations and discussion, the speakers will share ideas and programmes aimed at helping young people build practical skills, feel supported and take a more active role in their communities.
Making first aid learning more accessible
First aid skills can help people respond calmly and confidently when someone needs help. But young people don’t all learn in the same way, and traditional training may not suit everyone. The webinar will explore the potential of virtual reality (VR) to make first aid learning more accessible and engaging, and to give young people new ways to practise and build confidence.
The session will also consider how first aid education can be adapted for different ages and settings. One focus will be street first aid for primary school children: what age-appropriate learning can look like, why it matters, and how to introduce practical information in a way children can understand.
Supporting young people’s mental health
Alongside physical first aid, the webinar will look at new tools that can support young people’s mental health. The discussion will offer an introduction to these approaches and consider how people who work with or care about young people can help create supportive environments.
Whether you’re an educator, employer, youth worker or community member, the session offers an opportunity to hear about approaches designed to help young people access support and develop skills for their wellbeing.
A new pilot and the power of volunteering
Pauline and Talia will also introduce a planned street first aid pilot for young offenders in the North East. The discussion will provide an overview of the pilot and its focus on bringing first aid learning to a group of young people who may benefit from practical, relevant opportunities to develop new skills.
Volunteering will be another theme. The speakers will share perspectives on what volunteering can offer—not only to the people and communities who benefit from volunteers’ time, but also to volunteers themselves.
What to expect
The webinar will begin with a short introductory presentation, followed by a discussion of the programmes and approaches featured in the session. There will be time for an interactive Q&A and a plenary Q&A, with practical next steps for attendees to take away.
You can expect an introduction to:
- How VR could support more accessible first aid learning
- Tools to support young people’s mental health
- Adapting street first aid education for primary school children
- The planned North East pilot for young offenders
- The potential benefits of volunteering
The event is intended to be accessible to people with different levels of experience, so you don’t need a background in first aid or youth work to take part.
Who is the webinar for?
The session is open to B‑Skill apprentices and other youth work trainees, employers and apprenticeship supervisors, HR and management staff, primary school staff and educators, youth workers, and anyone in the community interested in first aid, mental health or volunteering.
Event details
Date: Tuesday, 20 October 2026
Time: To be confirmed
Location: Online via Microsoft Teams
Cost: Free
You can join through the Teams app or a web browser; installing the app is recommended for the best experience. Joining details will be emailed to the address used to register. Whether the session will be recorded is still to be confirmed.
Join B‑Skill, Pauline Bartley and Talia Taylor for a practical conversation about ways to support young people through first aid learning, mental health tools and community participation.