From education to employment

Students gain new skills through Prince’s Trust Team Programme

Approximately 12 weeks ago 15 young people from North East London joined the Prince’s Trust Team programmeat Waltham Forest College as a group of strangers, but left with new friends and a new set of skills.

They began their journey back in February and have now completed the programme gaining a nationally recognised Certificate in Employment, Teamwork and Community Skills which has helped a number of them to secure employment and start a full-time or part-time course at the College.

Parents and friends attended the final Team task where the students told their inspiring and heart-warming stories during a presentation evening.

The audience, which included Bob Clewley, Programme Executive from the Prince’s Trust, and Russell Kinson, from the London Metropolitan Police, heard about the fears and reservation that many of the individuals had about joining the programme and how it has given them the courage and confidence to meet new people and stand up in front of a room full of people to tell their stories.

During the programme, the group went on a one week residential trip to the Downe Activity Centres in Orpington Kent, along with being placed on 2 weeks work experience with employers at the Conrad Hotels & Resorts and the Metropolitan Police Specialist Training Centre in Gravesend.

The group took part in CV and interview workshops as well as community projects where they raised more than £400 and donated the majority of the proceeds to Haven House Children’s Hospice.

Abdulmalik Miloudi, one of the students who completed the programme said: “The activities and challenges were like a metaphor of the programme – Keep climbing higher and higher until you succeed.”

Thais Verhasselt, Prince’s Trust Team Leader at the College said: “We had the highest success rate on this programme. We now have a number of students going into employment and further education as a result of completing the programme. They all bonded well and supported each other during their time on the course.”

The Prince’s Trust Team Programme is free to anyone aged 16-25 and not in work or education. The next team programme is scheduled to start on Monday 16 May 2016. Visit the College website (www.waltham.ac.uk) for further information on how to apply, or contact Zawdie Mascoll on 0208 501 8192.


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