Students successfully complete summer college programme
62 young people in Ayrshire have spent their summer at Ayrshire College on a special programme delivered by East Ayrshire Council’s Opps4all, in partnership with the College’s HIVE team.
For the past six years, school leavers and other young people who are unemployed or not in education have taken part in the summer programme, which helps to build up their confidence and teach them crucial team building skills.
This year’s intake was the highest amount of participants the programme has had, which meant they had to be split between two groups.
The first day involved team building activities through army training drills, before groups enjoyed a number of fun visits to the likes of Blair Drummond Safari Park, Glasgow Science Centre, Inflata Nation, Newmilns Ski Slope and Ryze Trampoline Park.
The programme has once again proved to be a major success, with the majority of the participants moving onto positive destinations; either enrolling on college courses or gaining employment.
East Ayrshire Council Depute Provost Claire Leitch attended a special celebration event to mark the end of this summer’s programme, where she presented the students with certificates of completion.
A number of students felt inclined to speak to the invited guests of friends, family and programme partners – including Street League who worked with the students throughout the entire programme - about how helpful the programme has been in helping them gain a new lease of life.
One person commented that the course has “completely turned her life around after struggling with a lot of negative things in her life”, and is now “extremely excited to see what the future holds”. Another wanted to do a Sport & Fitness course but had “zero confidence”. Following the summer programme, she has been accepted onto Ayrshire College’s NC Sport & Fitness course.
Margorie Harvie, East Ayrshire Council’s 16+ Transition Co-ordinator, said “It’s been an amazing Summer Programme, thanks to all partners involved who ensured all of the young people took part, had fun and gained positive destinations.”
Dougie Barnes, Employability and Engagement Officer at Ayrshire College, said “Once again the Summer Programme was a great success. It’s amazing to think how long we have been doing this but every year gets better and better.”
12 August 2019
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