Young people invest in 90 hours of self-development during the summer holidays

The initiative run by Kibble Group’s Skills Academy saw the vocational education provider host 16 young people over a six-week period. The young people took part in a range of workshops, taster sessions and practical skills development on topics including film and TV, STEM, entrepreneurship and enterprise.

The young people attending the Future Ready programme were motivated to take part having previously experienced barriers to entering the world of work and were, currently, not in employment.

In addition to discovering a range of sectors including creative industries and STEM specialisms, the young people also got to try their hand at vocational skills including construction and gardening, Future Ready also supported young people with CV writing and interview preparation.

At the end of the summer programme the young people completed their Successful Tenancy Unit as part of the National Progression Award in Tenancy at SCQF level 4 and their Responsibilities of Employment Unit in Employability SCQF level 4.

A young person who attended the course said: ““I feel confident to go into an interview knowing it’s not the absolute end of the world and not to be shy.”

The sixteen attendees took part in Future Ready on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 10am and 3pm throughout the six-week holiday period meaning the young people racked up over 90 hours of self-development time.

Another young person who attended the programme commented: ““This was useful as I learned new information that would be relevant if I made my own business.”

Future Ready was funded by Renfrewshire Employability Grants Programme, managed by Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership. The initiative provided the young people taking part with payment to mirror an employment contract as they get ready for the world of work.

Lisa Wardlaw, Head of the Skills Academy said: “This is the first year we have run our Future Ready programme and to have sixteen young people attend for the full six weeks is an unprecedented success.

“For some of our young people attending the six-week programme was truly transformational. We’ve seen young people who were very introverted and disengaged actively participating in our workshops, asking questions, making friends and leaving with a sense of ambition and an increased sense of self-worth.”

The Skills Academy is part of children and young people’s care charity, Kibble Group, and is an education and training centre for young people to learn vocational skills while gaining an education to create pathways into the world of work. The Skills Academy works with organisations from a wide range of sectors allowing young people to understand the careers available to them within different industries and the route to accessing the roles they want to secure.

Jackie Swan, Director of Education at Kibble said: “Our aim across both Kibble and The Skills Academy is to provide early intervention that creates a positive outcome for children and young people, and Future Ready programme further reinforces this vision.

“The young people who attended the six-week programme have taken away with them a range of valuable life skills that will stand them in good stead when they enter the job market.”

For more information, or to learn more about Kibble and The Skills Academy, please visit www.kibble.org