Action4Youth’s accredited one year programme, which aims to broaden opportunities for young people, helping them to understand the society in which they live and work, has received feedback from teachers that it is helping to build and equip young people with the soft skills they need for work, as well as improving the performance of students in the classroom.
With backing from Buckinghamshire County Council, The Inspiration Programme was run is six schools across the region during the past academic year, as well as at Aylesbury College and Milton Keynes Academy.
The programme, which was developed to fill an identified gap between education and employment, is supported by businesses, community leaders and educationalists, as an invaluable enrichment programme that young people should have access to.
A crucial aspect of Action4Youth’s programme is that it engages students in real experiences with an emphasis on getting them out of the classroom and into real-life situations.
For example, Police and Criminal Justice is one of the five course themes. During the programme, young people learn what it’s like to be a front line police officer, controlling crowds in a mock demonstration scenario and raiding a house at Thames Valley Police’s Public Order Training Centre in Oxfordshire.
Superintendent Tim Metcalfe explains: “The Inspiration Programme gives us a fantastic opportunity to talk about policing and to have a really open dialogue around some of the key issues which are facing young people as they grow up in today’s society.”
Sarah Callaghan, Director of Education at Buckinghamshire County Council says: “The Police is one experience the young people have, but they also get the opportunity to work with charities and businesses. What’s really exciting about The Inspiration Programme is it gives students the opportunity to meet people who have been incredibly successful, some of whom weren’t particularly academically gifted.”
The Inspiration Programme better connects young people with the community, developing their communication skills and helping them to discover more about themselves and the society around them. The positive impact it is having within the classroom setting is testament to the exciting variety of opportunities provided by local organisations, businesses and charities that support The Inspiration Programme.
For information about Action4Youth and The Inspiration Programme visit www.action4youth.org, call 0300 003 2334 or email office@action4youth.org.
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