A group of seven young people aged between 16 and 25 years old who are not in employment, education or training (NEETS), will be celebrating on Wednesday 06 April at Heartlands in Pool after completing a 12 week Prince’s Trust TEAM programme at Tolvaddon Community Fire Station.
As part of the personal development course the team transformed an outdoor space for Crownan School. During the Final Challenge week, the team helped local people from Hayle day centre, Scope and Young People Cornwall.
The group also took part in team building activities and challenges, a week-long action packed residential trip, gained nationally recognised qualifications and received advice on how to write a CV.
Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service and the Prince’s Trust TEAM programme aims to help young people develop the skills and confidence to move into employment, education, training, volunteering or apprenticeships. The courses are run in partnership with and funded by Cornwall Council’s Adult Education service.
Princes Trust Team leader Andrew House said: “The participants take on and learn a lot in just 12 weeks. The support of local businesses has been very generous and has helped the team to learn new skills and help raise their levels of confidence and motivation to ensure they enter further education, training or employment.”
Station Manager Dave Pilling from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said: “We are delighted to be able to work with The Prince’s Trust to deliver this very worthwhile programme. Too many young people feel they don’t have any skills and talents, and feel they’ll never amount to anything. The Team programme really does help them to turn their lives around; helping them into work, education or training, furthermore taking part in Team does not affect their benefits”.
Cornwall Council cabinet member for communities Geoff Brown said: “Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service has been extremely successful in helping young people from many areas and backgrounds. This initiative in partnership with The Prince’s Trust is to be applauded. It’s great to see how our fire service can help these young people learn how to become better communicators and leaders as they grow in confidence and, in some cases, turn their lives around.”