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Young learners celebrate fresh start

Posted on 08 September 2009.

Peter Wilson, centre, with Fresh-start clients

Young learners on the Fresh-start project celebrated their achievements at a special event held recently at Steps to Work’s Wolverhampton project centre.

The Fresh-start project aims to help young people aged 16 – 18 years old who are NEET (not in education, employment or training) and focuses on those who are at risk of offending by giving them positive learning experiences and the skills and confidence to progress into further learning or employment.

The project, which started in September 2008, has forged strong links with a number of partners including West Midlands Probation Service, the Youth Offending Team and Black Country Connexions and is backed by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), European Social Fund, Wolverhampton Learning Partnership and City of Wolverhampton College.

The seven learners who attended the event are part of the first group of learners to successfully complete the project. Between them, they achieved accredited training in subjects such as Health & Safety, Manual Handling and Equal Opportunities and are all now planning to continue with their education by enrolling at college.

Councillor Peter Wilson attended the event and presented the learners with their certificates. He was impressed by the group’s achievements and said: “This Steps to Work project shows that once given the right opportunity young people can and do rise to the challenge of a Fresh-start into the world of work and education. I trust and believe that this group will see the benefits of their own efforts in the rest of their lives.”

The successful learners were: Jordan Donnelly, Reece Griffiths, Adam Jenks, Kyle Pugh, Michael Quarry, Patrick Thornton and Ryan White.