Two inspirational young people are spearheading a recruitment drive for a training scheme that transformed their lives.
Chloe Roberts, 24 and Sarah Price, 21, are urging youngsters between 18 and 25 to enrol on an innovative programme, which is a partnership between The Princes Trust and Pendine Park care organisation in Wrexham.
They earned jobs as care practitioners at Pendine Park after completing The ‘Truth about Youth – Who Cares?’ programme, funded by The Co-operative Foundation.
Last year’s scheme resulted in 17 of the participants gaining social care qualifications. Eleven of them secured jobs, six of them at Pendine Park.
This year’s programme runs from February 2 to 20, in Wrexham, and there is a Taster Day on January 27.
As part of the course they will get the opportunity to make a positive contribution to their community by organising a community day.
Former Ysgol Clywedog school pupil Chloe, from Wrexham, was finding it tough after being unemployed for five months.
She said: “I was doing nothing before. I was looking for jobs and going for interview but I wasn’t hearing anything back.
“I didn’t think I would enjoy it at Pendine Park as much as I have. I’ve found something that I’m passionate about. The best thing about working here is the residents and seeing your friends at work. I feel like it’s a family when I come here now.
“They do a lot of training with you at Pendine Park. It builds your confidence up. I was nervous about going into see residents in their rooms but now it’s just normal. I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing it before. It’s given be a lot of self-belief.”
Fellow care practitioner Sarah Price, 21, from Wrexham, said: “I was unemployed for about eight months which was boring. I literally didn’t do anything. I love it here at Pendine Park. Now it’s just like a second home.”
The former Ysgol Bryn Alyn school pupil added: “I did art and design for A Level at Coleg Cambria, and I get a chance to be creative in this job because we do a lot of activities like art with the residents. Art therapy is part of the enrichment programme here.”
The Prince’s Trust supports 3,500 young people in Wales each year through its programmes. Three in four young people supported by The Trust move into work, education or training.
Philippa Davies, Get Into Programme Executive, Princes Trust Cymru, added: “What we do it give young people opportunities, and what these young people have proved is that if you give them the opportunity then they will take it.
“What these young people need is for someone to believe in them.
“We are able to do what we do because we work with partners like Pendine Park, who are able to provide training and in jobs skills.
“The young people gain a recognised social care qualification as part of the programme which they can then put on a CV and show to a potential employer.
“It went really well with Pendine Park last year.”
Joyce Williams, health and social care trainer for Smartcare, the training arm of Pendine Park, said: “We had a great bunch here from the Princes Trust and it was lovely working with them. We’ve had people here who have never been given a chance, some of them are homeless. It was brilliant to see the smiles and the sense of achievement they got from the course. It gives them a sense of pride.”
Ann Farr, who is Centre Manager of Smartcare, added: “It’s a really flexible course. You don’t have to go in the care side. For example you could go into the kitchen or into the maintenance side of it.”
For more information contact Sian Jones on 07970 876717 or email [email protected]
