Ilderton Motor Project Celebrate Continued Success

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Teenagers at the European Social Fund (ESF) backed Ilderton Motor Project received a visit from the Minister responsible for the ESF last week.

James Plaskitt MP awarded achievement certificates to young people at the project which helps teenagers to use their time constructively and prepare for a job by learning mechanical skills.

The project offers services to disaffected young people and aims to provide them with the opportunity to empower themselves by shaping and taking ownership in their own projects. The project also seeks to improve community safety by preventing and reducing car related crime. The project provides training in the maintenance and repair of car engines and related activities for youngsters who have offended or are at risk of offending.

Learning Skills and Getting Into Jobs

Mr. Plaskitt, who made it known that he had enjoyed seeing a grass roots project in action, said: “The aim of ESF is to give people the chance to learn new skills and get into jobs.

“My tour of the project enabled me to learn more about the training and work experience that is taking place. “The skills and qualifications young people gain at the Ilderton Motor Project will help them in both their day-to-day lives and when they go on to get a job – in the motor industry or elsewhere.”

The History of the Project

The Ilderton Motor Project is a registered charity that was established in 1974. The project received praise in the late nineties after a study published in The British Journal of Criminology found that ex-offenders who participated in the project where considerably less likely to reoffend compared to others who had gone through probation without taking part in the programme.

The young people who were being recognised by Mr Plaskitt received a mixture of City and Guilds awards and in-house attendance certificates. Through the project, 250 young people from Lambeth, Southwark and Westminster gain skills for life such as literacy and numeracy; motivational and life skills such as problem-solving and teamwork and accredited prevocational qualifications in City and Guilds in motor mechanics.

Michael Lloyd

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