22.3 Education for pupils outside of schools

Description

What does this measure refer to and what is its objective?

This measure typically refers to extracurricular educative activities for pupils. It concerns interventions outside of the school (playgrounds, neighbourhood centres, street games, serious games, etc.) to teach the children about the danger of the rail tracks.

Recommendations

Best practice and lessons learned

• Public education should be continuous.
• Messages should be simple, jargon should be avoided. Reminders in the media (reinforcements) to increase awareness of trespassers caught and punished would also help to augment learning.
• The measure doesn’t necessarily need lots of staff. For example, in Great Britain the initiative is partly carried out by older children from schools or mentors.
• Social workers and NGOs could also get involved in such activities.
• Find interesting locations for children such as a railway museum.
• Consider online or digital activities (online games, quizzes, mobile apps, etc.)

Warning points

Expected difficulties and issues you should pay attention to

• The measure needs to be repeated as there are new target groups all the time as children grow up.

Observations

Other points that you should not forget

• This measure could make reference to other measure: jointly use of talks, leaflets, warning signs, posters, planned media coverage.
• Informal education can also be achieved through serious games such as this interactive online game from Spain: "Super-safe on the train"

Study results

Data or other evidence supporting the measure's effectiveness

• The global association between Education & Enforcement is efficient (Horton, 2009).
• Education for pupils outside schools was tested by FFE in two railway museums in Spain (Madrid and Cataluña) as part of RESTRAIL pilot tests conducted in 2014.