A group of students taking part in a programme to help the unemployed have received recognition for their hard work and for giving something back in to the community.
Students of The Prince’s Trust Team Programme at Rotherham College of Arts and Technology attended a presentation event at Malting’s Youth Centre after completing their 12 week course which included community work.
The Prince’s Trust is a youth charity which works with young unemployed people to give them the skills and confidence to find a job. The 12 week Team Programme gets young people involved in team building activities, residential visits, community projects and two weeks work experience.
During the weeks, the group sourced their own community project, including arranging their own fundraising event to help fund the equipment needed for it to be completed.
The group chose to help the Malting’s Youth Centre in Rotherham, where they created a new sign for the building, painted a mural wall and built raised flower beds.
The students also carried out voluntary work at a number of care centres around Rotherham where they spent time socialising and helping the service users.
To raise the funds, the Team developed their own fundraising activities which included, a name the bear competition and a bun sale at Rotherham College of Arts and Technology.
One of the students, Tara Townsend, 19, from Thrybergh said: “The whole programme has been fantastic. I have grown in confidence and have made some new friends. I have enjoyed the community work, especially helping others during the voluntary work.”
The Prince’s Trust will help 50,000 disadvantaged young people this year, giving them the confidence and skills to turn their lives around. More than three in four young people completing the course will move on to work, education, or training.
Many of those taking part in the programme now have the confidence to move on with their education and some have already enrolled on to courses at Rotherham College of Arts and Technology.
Jenny Watson Team Leader for the Programme at the College, said: “. I am very proud of all of them for all their hard work and determination to change their lives.
“We have Jordan Hollis who has enrolled on to music course, Tara has been accepted on to a motor vehicle course and Beth Wharton is going on to do a Childcare course.”
For more information about the Prince’s Trust TEAM Programme or courses at Rotherham College of Arts and Technology, call the Student Services Team on 08080 722 777 or email info@rotherham.ac.uk.