Jobs boost leads to youth activities (From The Northern Echo)

Jobs boost leads to youth activities

4:50pm Saturday 4th February 2012 in Sedgefield News

DOZENS of young people can take a step closer to the world of work thanks to two apprenticeship schemes.

The East Durham Rural Corridor AAP (area action partnership) launched the projects to help young people into work and training.

In turn they have the added benefits of providing new activities for children and young people and could support businesses in the area.

A sport apprenticeship scheme is equipping teenagers with skills and experience to seek jobs in the sport and leisure industry.

The 16-week course includes football coaching and leadership awards, employment awareness and key skills.

Trainees can extend it with customer care qualifications.

Of the 45 spaces available to 16 to 18-year-olds, 13 are filled and five more young people have signed up.

One day a week is spent on a course work file and four days on placement with youth clubs, sport venues and schools including Coxhoe Junior and Deaf Hill Primary Schools.

To gain practical experience, participants are also running youth activities in villages across the AAP ward.

Free football coaching for five to 11-year-olds is held every Saturday at: Trimdon Village Community College, Elwick View, Trimdon Village, 9.30am to 11am; Fishburn Youth and Community Centre, Butterwick Road, Fishburn, 10am to 11.30am; Coxhoe multi use games area at Active Life @ Coxhoe (the former leisure centre), Linden Grove, Coxhoe, 11.30am to 1pm.

Parents must drop children off and complete registration forms then they can be left for the session.

Activity days will also be held at both community centres during February half term, from Monday February 13 to Thursday 16 (half term), 10am to 2pm, cost £5 for the week.

Similar activities will run for one during the Easter school holidays.

Three sport apprentices are also working at the former Durham County Council-run Coxhoe Leisure Centre which has reopened as community venture Active Life @ Coxhoe.

Another apprenticeship scheme will support 14 young people placed with small and medium sized firms within the AAP’s area.

Durham County Council’s regeneration and economic development team aim to match businesses looking for a trainee with 18 to 24-year-olds wanting to work in a particular field and vice versa.

The AAP gave £31,005 to the sport project, which brought in a further £84,615 of external funding, and £21,000 to the business scheme for which Durham County Council also secured an additional £18,900.

The money is subsidising wages and covers tutoring, fees and materials.

AAP co-ordinator Jane Bellis said the board was keen to support the projects as they were in line with one of its priorities- employment and job prospects.

They also supported the other objectives of boosting activities for children and young people and supporting the community and voluntary sector.

Andrew Thompson, chairman of the AAP, said: "Hopefully this will give young people the skills and work ethic to get into work, help them feel positive about themselves and see there are opportunities out there."

For details of sport apprenticeships call 01325-307522 and the general apprenticeship scheme call John Tindale on 03000-262012.