Why This Project?
We’ve noticed a growing need for alternative educational paths that better prepare students for life after school. By focusing on early intervention with real-world experiences and practical skills, we aim to help students secure and maintain positive futures. Our goal is to collaborate with the Third Sector and other partners to support children and their families in building confidence, gaining valuable experiences, and staying engaged in positive activities.
What’s the Plan?
Our initial 12-week trial programme will kick off in community settings around the Three Towns, close to Auchenharvie Academy, which is located in one of Scotland’s most deprived areas. Here’s a sneak peek at what we’ll be doing:
- Employment and Employability: Teaching students how to apply for jobs, nail interviews, and secure employment.
- Society and Self: Helping students connect with their community, understand the importance of voluntary service and inclusion, and enhance their soft skills.
- Personal Development: Equipping students with essential life skills like personal finance, health and wellbeing, time management, and first aid. We’ll also focus on preparing them for independent living.
Key Features
- Engagement: We’ll be working closely with students and their families to tailor the programme to their needs, ensuring we address individual challenges and goals.
- Accreditation: Students will have the chance to earn various certifications, such as First Aid, Health and Food Hygiene, RSPB Wild Challenge, Heritage Heroes Award, Keep Scotland Beautiful, and Biodiversity Award.
- Support from Partners: KA Leisure and other local organisations will be key partners in delivering this programme.
Why prioritise pupils from Auchenharvie Academy?
Auchenharvie Academy serves an area with high levels of deprivation, unemployment, and crime. With 35.4% of pupils receiving free school meals and 84.9% living in the 30% most deprived zones, this school is the perfect place to launch our trial. We believe this programme can make a real difference in these students’ lives.
Moving Forward
While we don’t have a dedicated staff member for the trial, one of our experienced team members will be seconded to run the programme. We’ll have success checkpoints built in to allow us to track and demonstrate our progress, enabling us to secure further funding that has been set aside to expand the project to other areas. This will allow us to recruit additional staff and scale up quickly.
We’re excited about this new venture and the positive impact it can have on our community. Stay tuned for updates and stories about our progress. If you have any questions or want to get involved, contact us.
Together, we can create brighter futures for our young people!
