Training, education and employment drop-in sessions are giving vulnerable young people in Nottingham the chance to get on the further education and employment ladder.
Nottingham County Council’s Targeted Support Team is running weekly sessions offering help and advice for teenagers who may have other challenges in life to get them into further study, training or to get a job.
Aimed at teenagers between 16 and 18, the sessions offer guidance on interview skills and different careers.
More than 260 young people who registered as unemployed with the council’s Targeted Support Teams have been helped in the last year.
Over 60 per cent of those helped have already made the successful transition to employment, education or training.
Education, Employment and Training drop-in sessions in the county:
- Hucknall – Thursdays from 1-4pm at Hucknall Interchange
- Mansfield – Mondays from 1-4pm and Wednesdays from 1-4pm at Mansfield My Place
- Newark – Fridays from 9am – midday at Newark College
- Retford – Thursdays from 1-4pm at Retford Youth Centre
- Sutton-in-Ashfield – Tuesdays from 1-4pm at Sutton Eastbourne Centre
- Worksop – Mondays from 1-4pm at Worksop Library
One person who has thrived from the guidance she received is Briana Chadwin, 16, from Westfield Lane, in Mansfield, who struggled through her early education at school and college after being bullied.
Briana, whose father is a tradesman, has taken the inspiration from his career to start on a painting and decorating course at the Sutton-in-Ashfield centre at Eastbourne House and has had support from county council key worker Kerry Knowles and her Targeted Support team to do so.
Briana said:
The scheme has been very good to help me to find a future career direction and I would recommend it to other young people.
“I am very pleased with the support I have received and her team as they have helped me to find something that I am interested in which I can concentrate on and enjoy.”
Councillor Liz Plant, vice-chairman of the Children and Young People’s Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council said she was pleased Briana had overcome the difficult challenges she was faced with.
Cllr Plant added: “We are working with young people who are furthest from the labour market and have poor experiences of education due to a variety of factors and their successes are warmly welcomed.”
Young people can arrange help and book an appointment via the county council’s Early Help Unit or the Job Centre Plus service.
