16 year old school leavers participating in the National Citizens Service, complete the 'Community Residential' of their Summer of a Lifetime today. This third phase of the project involved another week away from home, getting out and helping in the community, from helping out in an Old People's Home to the Fire Service.
I spent the evening, focusing on overcoming challenges and getting involved with evening teamwork activities. We had loads of fun and I was really buzzing as I drove home!
Olympic high jumper, Brendan Reilly, also got involved through the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust. Brendan did a 20 minute talk at the beginning about Dream Goals....to plan...to believe...to succeed. They had a go at a few machines, and did a medicine ball throwing competition which went down well.
This week the young people have had a taste of working in the community and chosen and project to design and implement over the next month.
Since starting the project I have noticed a monumental change in confidence, self-belief and group dynamics, a quarter of the young people have enrolled in college courses. Brendan also spotted a couple of good athletes and is facilitating try out sessions for them in athletics.
The message at Deloitte sponsored CBI West Midlands Summer Banquet, fundraising for Local Disability Sport, was reducing inequality through education. I had the pleasure of hearing World Champion, David Moorcroft speak as well as CBI Director General, John Gridland who highlighted the worsening and educational inequalities in the UK.
Schemes like the NCS and Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust, striving to create life chances for young people, make a real difference and I am very pleased to be involved.
Everyone deserves a shot at success.
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