Youth charity The Prince's Trust honoured a group of unemployed young people from Westminster at an awards presentation today, for completing its personal development programme.

Award certificates were presented to the ten-strong group at City of Westminster College's Paddington Centre who successfully completed The Prince's Trust 12-week personal development programme - Team. Running for the first time in ten years the certificates were handed out by Prince's Trust staff member Vanessa Kemp.

The Team Programme enables unemployed 16-25 year olds to develop their confidence, motivation and skills through teamwork in the community. It also involves a week's residential at an activity centre, participating in a team challenge, undertaking a local community project, completing a work placement and staging an end of Team presentation.

To ensure they are as job ready as possible individuals also learn about basic food hygiene, first aid and how to write a CV. Each individual will also gain a City & Guilds Certificate in Personal, Teamwork and Community Skills.

Team 1 from Westminster used their community project module to paint a mural at Lisson Street Gardens Association Toddler Playground and raised £150 by asking local businesses to donate money. The group also negotiated for free pots of paint to be delivered to help with the project.

Team participant Lorraine, 17, from Westminster said about the course: "It feels really good that I successfully completed the five modules on the Team course and I feel like I have won a million pounds. The course has really helped me and my attitude has changed for the better. I'm actually a lot calmer now."

Police Sergeant David Bannister from City of Westminster Police and a key partner in the Westminster Team programme comments: "We are really thrilled that young people from Westminster have successfully completed The Trust's Team programme. These young people have not only made a positive contribution to their own lives but to the lives of many others within the local community. They are great examples to us all on what can be achieved when you put your mind to it and how communities can work together."

Following the completion of the programme which started on 8 May, all Team participants are now looking forward to a bright future and are sourcing opportunities for full-time employment, further training or education.

The Westminster Team programme has been delivered with the help of the Safer Westminster Partnership. Key partners in this are City of Westminster College, City of Westminster Police and The Prince's Trust.  As a result City of Westminster Police have become the first police force in England to become involved in The Trust's Team programme.

The next Team programme will begin on 1 October 2007. If you would like to join then please contact Dane Murdock on 020 7258 5536 or email dane.murdock@cwc.ac.uk

 

Friday, August 17, 2007