Teenager Kyle Williams likes nothing more than getting his hands dirty under the bonnet of a car and thanks to Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s pioneering youth initiative, a career as a mechanic beckons.
Kyle is one of 3,000 young people to have already benefited from the Council’s £14million Building the Future Together programme.
Working in partnership with the Council’s Services For Young People, Children’s Services, Cultural Services, Coleg Morgannwg and secondary schools, the three-year project is part financed by the Convergence European Social Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government and aims to improve the life chances and career opportunities of many thousands of young people in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Through the support of a Key Worker and Youth Coach, employed in each secondary school and street-based detached youth workers across Rhondda Cynon Taf, the project seeks early identification of young people who may be at risk of underachieving. It also aims to help young people aged 16 to 19 who are out of education training or employment to get back into learning and to develop skills for employers
Kyle, a Year 11 pupil at Porth County Comprehensive School, was identified as someone who would benefit from the support provided by Building the Future Together because of his deep interest and enthusiasm for mechanics and a fear that his poor attendance could lead to him leaving school unqualified and unlikely to find long-term employment.
When Richard Store, his Key Worker at Building the Future Together identified his interests in cars, an agreement was made for Kyle to spend two days a week on placement with CD Motors in North Road, Porth. And that’s where his success story began because by the end of the school year he will have gained an Open College Network Entry Level 1 in “Understanding Basic Internal and External Car Parts”.
Kyle said, “Since working with Richard Shore on the Building the Future Together project I have now started enjoying my school week. My attendance has improved and I feel more confident about things. The work placement has been the best thing to happen to me since being in school.”
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning Cllr Eudine Hanagan explained: “Already in a short period of time the benefits of the Building the Future Together project are there for all to see. Through the close work and support of Key Works young people like Kyle are being empowered to make a successful transition into employment or higher education through raising their skills levels and aspirations.
“The scheme has helped to transform Kyle’s young life, with greatly improved school attendances and we are very hopeful of him attaining good grades in examinations ahead. Kyle now has a very promising future ahead of him.”
Building The Future Together targets the 11 to 19 year olds, offering a range of activities, intensive one to one support for those young people who may be falling behind at school, struggling with literacy and numeracy, or finding it difficult to learn through traditional academic methods. It aims to raise aspirations, boost confidence and support pathways to further learning and employment.
By seeking out those young people who are at risk of under achieving and leaving school without any qualifications or skills to find a job and proactively supporting them to develop confidence and skills to make a successful transition into further education or work, Building The Future Together is already improving thousands of young lives.
