I met Flo Plummer, the Prince’s Trust Team Leader for South Leeds in Holbeck, back in December when I was visiting Holbeck Working Men’s Club reporting on their dazzling Christmas Grotto.
Just as I was leaving, Flo introduced herself and wanted me to share the achievements of the team members with the community. I never knew they had their base for South Leeds right here in Holbeck. This has been their debut programme and Flo wants me to express how successful this has been here.
HRH The Prince of Wales set up The Prince’s Trust in 1976, with the goal of helping young people fulfil their potential. Flo is employed by Askham Bryan College who is a delivery partner for the Prince’s Trust. The Prince’s Trust helps to work with NEET young people (Not in Education Employment or Training). The Team Programme is a 12 week programme which aims to get NEET young people into positive progression whether this is into employment, apprenticeships or further education.
Flo said:
“The Holbeck WMC has worked out really well; it allows us to run a number of activities to help aid the young person’s development, no team is ever the same. The Prince’s Trust Team Programme gives the young people a range of exciting opportunities to allow them to succeed.”
The team were in their final week when I visited when they have to give a final presentation to celebrate their achievements and there’s an air of excitement as projection screens are being prepared in the lounge area.
Flo tells me all about the residential they’ve been on at Pinecroft in Ingleton. I can see photographs of happy windswept faces, smiling for the camera between a gorge near Malham. The programme caters for young people aged between 16-25. None of the young people knew each other 12 weeks ago, and now there is a strong feeling of solidarity between them.
The programme is designed to help build confidence and life skills; applying for jobs, training further education and apprentices. There are a number of elements that create the programme; getting to know each other, developing teamwork, community project, work placement, developments of CVs and work skills, team challenge and final presentation.
I’m sure if you were to look at the case study you would find positive success stories out of each one.
Throughout the 12 weeks there have been a number of positive progressions for the young people with employment at the British Heart Foundation and Morrison’s, with others applying for college courses, apprenticeships and others looking to start in volunteering positions in January.
Not only that they’ve made some friends who can help them along at the same time.
Askham Bryan College have a number of teams running in and around Leeds in the following locations, Holbeck, Woodhouse, Pudsey, Dewsbury and Wakefield.
Princes Trust Team Holbeck is looking for young people aged 16-25 to join their next programme which is starting on Monday 26 January 2015. Team Holbeck will be holding their taster day on Thursday 22 January 2015 at Holbeck Working Mens Club, feel free to pop along.
It’s fun and free and it doesn’t affect Job Seekers Allowance.
For further information please contact Flo Plummer: flo.plummer@askham-bryan.ac.uk or call 07580 971977.
