Pictured: National Citizens Service volunteers (from left,
back) James Martin, Bradley Lowe and Gary Woodcock are joined by
(front, from left) Simon Hackett (Sandwell Council housing cabinet
member), the Mayor of Le Blanc Mesnil, Monsieur Didier Mignot and
the Mayor of Sandwell, Councillor Mrs Joyce Underhill
West Midlands teenagers who are working hard and devoting time
to help people in their local communities as part of David
Cameron's Big Society have been congratulated on their achievements
at an official ceremony.
Through the new National Citizens Service (NCS), 23 young people
from Sandwell and Walsall have gained a range of new skills and
qualifications to help them make a positive impact in their own
communities by staging events and helping other people.
The youngsters, who are among the first in the country to join
the national community empowerment initiative, were joined by their
parents at Sandwell Council House in Oldbury where they received
certificates signed by the Prime Minister on completion of the NCS
programme.
The event was hosted by Mayor of Sandwell, Councillor Mrs Joyce
Underhill, who was joined by the Mayor of Le Blanc Mesnil, Monsieur
Didier Mignot. He was in Sandwell to represent the Borough's French
twin to look at ways of encouraging more community involvement from
young adults.
Six weeks ago Pertemps Coachright brought together the group of
young people, aged 15 and 16, to help develop their skills and
prepare them for delivering social action programmes back into
their own communities. They took part in a wide range of
activities, including two residential courses, as part of the NCS
Catch 22 partnership - one of 12 NCS pilot schemes nationally.
Rob Houlston, of Pertemps Coachright, said: "These young people
have been working extremely hard to gain the skills they require
and it has been gratifying to experience their development during
the course. We believe it to be a major success for the projects
based around the Yew Tree estate in West Bromwich and Friar Park in
Wednesbury. Everything they learned has been put into practice
culminating in their organisation of a football tournament in Friar
Park and a tea dance for the elderly with an associated
charity element of raising funds for Help for Heroes."
Sandwell's cabinet member for children and families Councillor
Bob Badham said: "The young people have taken up a challenge here
with a five-week volunteering project and they have made the most
of their opportunities. The council is delighted to work with
Pertemps Coachright on this initiative which ultimately benefits
both the individuals and the wider community."
All the participants gained their sports leader qualifications
and many have already started to plan activities which will make a
difference to other young people in their own communities.
Pertemps Coachright is a non-for-profit organisation delivering
sports based social inclusion programmes in the hardest to reach
communities across Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country. Much
of the work it does utilises sport as a vehicle to achieve a
multitude of positive outcomes.
For more information about Pertemps People Development Group,
please visit their website here: www.ppdg.co.uk