Golspie employability project aims to prepare young people to 'aim high' on job prospects
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A Scottish Government and Highland Council funded pilot to provide employment training to young people in east Sutherland is set to begin in Golspie next month.
Voluntary group Golspie Youth Action Project are teaming up with Brora Youth Club, with support from Youth Highland, to deliver "Aim High" – a programme to help young adults aged between 16 and 19 prepare for their first steps into employment.
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The 14-week course, to be held in Golspie, aims to support young people who have left school to practice important life skills and gain help finding positive future employment pathways.
From week six of the programme, young people will be able to participate in a work placement and gain valuable work experience.
The project, which is in its pilot phase, will be delivered in partnership with WEA and is contracted by Highland Council's employability department and funded by NOLB Scottish Government and Highland Council Employability Services.
Chief Officer of Youth Highland, Clair Nichols hopes that the programme's links with local businesses can play an important role in the success of the pilot scheme.
Ms Nichols said: "We are really keen to get young people signed up to the project so that we can pilot it and really showcase to the Highland Council, who are contracting the work, that initiatives like this are best delivered in local communities run by local people with links to local business.
"I think it is going to be really interesting trying to showcase the impact that community youth work can have on supporting young people into positive destinations and really building confidence and self determination. I hope we will be able to really do that over the course of the programme."
The person-centred training programme will be tailored to the young candidates' needs and requirements with an Employability award level 4 qualification and a Youth Achievement award awaiting those who complete the course.
Youth workers will be on hand to support young people to take part and gain essential life skills – making friends and being part of a group, timekeeping, setting and achieving personal and group goals and having fun.
The programme, beginning on Tuesday, February 6, will be held at Golspie YMCA on Tuesdays and Wednesday from 10am to 3pm, with breakfast and lunch provided.
People interested in taking part are invited to get in touch and sign up by contact a youth worker at Golspie Youth Action Project or Lucy Campbell at lcampbell@wea.ac.uk.
