Member Article

50 young people gain access to construction training scheme thanks to Coalfields funding

Thanks to £10,000 in funding from the Coalfields Community Investment Programme, delivered by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, South Elmsall Community Facilities will give 50 young people between 17 – 19 years access to a Construction Skills Certification Scheme.

With only 50 jobs for every 100 people of working age in coalfield communities, these opportunities provide young people with a chance to build their skills which in turn makes them more employable and equipped for future roles.

Those that complete the scheme and complete two consecutive days of training will receive a Green Labourer card enabling them to secure a job within the construction industry.

Clare Baxter, Company Secretary at South Elmsall Community Facilities, comments: “We know that ongoing challenges continue to have a disproportionate impact in our communities and that is why putting pilot schemes in place like this are so important.

“Without funding from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust it simply wouldn’t be possible but knowing that we are supporting 50 young people with one to one support is a really positive step forward. We hope that the benefits of this will be far reaching and will change lives for the better.”

Chief Executive of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, Gary Ellis, comments: “We have a five-year strategy in place that focuses on three priorities for action; employment, skills and health and wellbeing.

“Access to training can be a real hurdle within former mining small cities, towns and villages so opportunities like this pilot really do make a huge difference. We work with a number of organisations and know that with individual training that leads to a qualification can really change people aspirations and the outlook they have both now and for the future.”

As South Elmsall Community Facilities has become a member of Coalfield Community Investment Programme it will continue to be supported by the Trust and will receive bespoke practical support that includes everything from access to resources and services such as help with third-party funding applications and bid-writing, to tips on effective promotion and marketing.

Delivered by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, the Coalfields Community Investment Programme supports organisations and programmes of activity that meet with three key criteria; to address skills, employment or health and wellbeing.

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust was established in 1999 and is the only organisation dedicated to supporting former mining towns and villages.

Over the years more than 2m people have benefited from support delivered by the organisation. More than 25,500 people have been supported into work, 5,500 jobs have been created or safeguarded, 1.3m people have received the necessary support to help improve their skills and gain qualifications and over 250,000 people have participated in activities that have improve their health.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Nick Hill .