We have been conducting the educational program CPR for Schools (RUR) since 2006. Over these 18 years, nearly 3 million children have learned basic life-saving skills through the activities of the RUR Programme. We are relaunching the training for teachers and inviting schools from all over Poland to apply!
The CPR for Schools educational program targets students in primary school from grades 1-3. To date, 30,945 teachers from 12,602 schools have been involved in the programme - this represents approximately 90% of all primary schools in Poland. We want to ensure that all children in the country have access to first-aid training, so we are restarting our training for our teachers.
Our activities have recently been recognized by the Ministry of National Education. Thanks to this recognition, the teaching of basic life-saving measures will become a permanent part of the curriculum in early childhood education starting from the new school year 2024/2025! This means that starting in September, all children in grades 1-3 will be required to attend 12 hours of lessons. During these lessons, they will learn the basics of first aid, including the recovery position, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and how to effectively call for help and ensure their safety in an accident. Through these activities, children become familiar with important issues and develop good habits, making first aid a natural part of their lives.
We have launched enrolment for teacher training and are already seeing great interest from primary schools. Training for teachers is completely free of charge. Under the CPR for Schools program, participating schools receive free teaching materials from us, including CPR manikins, teacher textbooks, student textbooks, educational boards, and cardboard phones. The one-day training includes a theoretical and a practical part. The trainings are conducted by AHA-certified GOCC Foundation instructors. We will soon set up a schedule of training sessions to be held throughout Poland and will inform qualifying schools. We want to hold the first training courses as early as March!
We are witnessing the impact of the CPR for Schools educational program, as we receive reports of children saving lives and promoting health through their knowledge of basic first aid. Examples include Primary School No. 203 in Warsaw, where pupils called for help when a teacher lost consciousness; 10-year-old Mateusz from Poznań, who called the emergency services, resuscitated and thus saved his uncle; or Grzesiek and Natalia from Primary School No. 13 in Kielce, who, on their way home, saw a woman fall to the ground at a bus stop - the children rushed to help and called the paramedics.
The registration of Collection Centres, i.e. hubs of volunteers organizing the Grand Finale events for their local community, is now over. Collection Centres will be actively participating in the 32nd Grand Finale fundraiser across Poland and in 101 locations around the world!
Jurek Owsiak has just announced the first stars to play the 32nd Grand Finale concert in Warsaw. The annual event organised by the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity will be held on 28 January 2024 at the PGE Narodowy meadows
The fight against sepsis was the main aim of the 31st Grand Finale fundraiser which ended with over PLN 243 million raised. In less than a year, we have organized two Open Tenders to purchase medical equipment for microbiological laboratories across the country.
