Two inspirational young people are spearheading a recruitment drive for a training scheme that transformed their lives.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
They earned jobs as care practitioners at Pendine Park\u00a0 after completing The \u2018Truth about Youth \u2013 Who Cares?\u2019 programme, funded by The Co-operative Foundation.<\/p>\n
Last year\u2019s scheme resulted in 17 of the participants gaining social care qualifications. Eleven of them secured jobs, six of them at Pendine Park.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s programme runs from February 2 to 20, in Wrexham, and there is a Taster Day on January 27.<\/p>\n
As part of the course they will get the opportunity to make a positive contribution to their community by organising a community day.<\/p>\n
Former Ysgol Clywedog school pupil Chloe, from Wrexham, was finding it tough after being unemployed for five months.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cI was doing nothing before. I was looking for jobs and going for interview but I wasn\u2019t hearing anything back.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t think I would enjoy it at Pendine Park as much as I have. I\u2019ve found something that I\u2019m passionate about. The best thing about working here is the residents and seeing your friends at work. I feel like it\u2019s a family when I come here now.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey do a lot of training with you at Pendine Park. It builds your confidence up.\u00a0 I was nervous about going into see residents in their rooms but now it\u2019s just normal. I wouldn\u2019t have dreamed of doing it before. It\u2019s given be a lot of self-belief.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fellow care practitioner Sarah Price, 21, from Wrexham, said: \u201cI was unemployed for about eight months which was boring. I literally didn\u2019t do anything. I love it here at Pendine Park. Now it\u2019s just like a second home.\u201d<\/p>\n
The former Ysgol Bryn Alyn school pupil added: \u201cI 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.”<\/p>\n
The Prince\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Philippa Davies, Get Into Programme Executive, Princes Trust Cymru, added: \u201cWhat 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat these young people need is for someone to believe in them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt went really well with Pendine Park last year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joyce Williams, health and social care trainer for Smartcare, the training arm of Pendine Park, said: \u201cWe had a great bunch here from the Princes Trust and it was lovely working with them. We\u2019ve 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.”<\/p>\n
Ann Farr, who is Centre Manager of Smartcare, added: \u201cIt\u2019s a really flexible course. You don\u2019t have to go in the care side. For example you could go into the kitchen or into the maintenance side of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
For more information contact Sian Jones on 07970 876717 or email <\/b>sian.jones@princes-trust.org.uk<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n