StreetDoctors saves lives and empowers young people to keep their communities safe.
StreetDoctors saves lives. Read stories from young people who have used skills they learnt from StreetDoctors to save themselves or others:
Benjamin & Jack, South London
School boy Benjamin was present at the stabbing of a 14 year old. He took him to his house as it was safe there, where he knew his brother, Jack, had attended a StreetDoctors training session a couple months before. Jack was able to pull out the card he had been given after the training, and use this to administer first aid. The 14 year old survived. (Names changed)
Sam, South Tees
Sam saw a homeless person unconscious and knew to put him in the recovery position and prevent him from hurting himself until help had arrived from the Emergency Services. “Sam was very clear that this session had given them the skills and the confidence to help someone in need.” (Name changed)
Syed, North London
As Syed realised he was stabbed in the back, he turned around to see how much blood he had lost as he had learnt to do in a StreetDoctors session. He saw it was not as much as he feared. Syed straight away remembered to keep strong pressure on the wound. While he was on the call to the ambulance he remembered to stay calm and preserve his energy. Syed later found out the injury was not big, but he went to the hospital and was checked out. (Name changed)
Aleesha, South London
“I was at a friend’s birthday party when I heard a bang and saw a young boy on the floor by himself, his leg covered in blood. He had been shot. I asked someone to put pressure on his leg whilst I put pressure on his hand as he had also been stabbed. I stayed with him until the ambulance arrived. I kept reassuring him that everything was gonna be ok. He was 16 years old as well… He is still alive.”
Ethan, Liverpool
“Ethan, aged 15, incurred mainly defence wounds to his arms. He entered Tesco’s and grabbed nappies to stop the bleeding. He told his worker he was glad he had done StreetDoctors as he knew to protect his vital organs and held his arms up in a crossed manner across his chest.” – Ethan’s case worker
Tommy, Bristol
15-year old Tommy was with his friends when he witnessed a stabbing. He saw a boy staggering from injury and two men run off into a car. One of his friends started filming on a phone, but Tommy offered to help and called the ambulance. He started to apply pressure to the victim’s wound and kept reassuring him he would be okay. Tommy followed the first-aid steps he had learnt at a StreetDoctors session, and the police and paramedics said this might be why the boy is still alive today. Afterwards, he said “I really like helping people.”
After a StreetDoctors training session…
96%
of young people say they understand the consequences of violence
93%
of young people say they know what to do if someone is bleeding
83%
of young people say they are willing and able to act in a first aid emergency
Before the session I would have been reluctant to administer first aid if someone was bleeding, but after learning how quickly someone could bleed out I would definitely do first aid.
All our data is evaluated independently, and certified by NESTA Standard Level 2 and Project Oracle Standard Level 2. With thanks also to Wavehill for their evaluation and impact work.
The sessions spark important discussions around violence. I feel StreetDoctors is more about changing the narrative than anything else. Shifting young people from a position of helplessness in the face of violence to thinking actually I could change the narrative, I could be part of the change. As a volunteer, this is immensely rewarding.
