New programme to help school leavers and young people boost post-pandemic confidence

Futureworks North Yorkshire is running workshops from today throughout the Summer.

Author: Benjamin FearnPublished 23rd Jul 2021

Futureworks North Yorkshire say they're helping school leavers rediscover and build up their ‘post-pandemic’ confidence as education and training opens again in Yorkshire and further afield.

The organisation, which has offices in The Street and its own retail outlet, Furniture Works in St Thomas Street, Scarborough, is offering Future Skills, a programme of confidence-building workshops and events from 23rd July 2021 until end of August.

Open to 16-to-18-year-olds, the course takes place on a selection of mornings and afternoons making up a total of two days a week. The programme will include activities, open days and workshops ahead of the new academic year.

Sarah Thornton and Michelle Padron-Kitching recognised that since March 2020, it has been difficult for those of school age and those seeking to attend further or higher education.

Sarah said: "Here at Futureworks NY, we have been at the coalface of the after-effects of the Lockdowns and restrictions on young people. With so much time out of the classroom, a general lack of interaction with friends and peers and very little chance of building up confidence levels, we knew something had to be done."

Michelle said:

"The Future Skills programme is part of our CLLD programme and will be led by David, who is one of our mentors. There are spaces for six participants per week and people can get in touch with us about it from early June. Places will be given on a first come, first served basis."

The programme is being supported by NYBEP, the North Yorkshire Business and Education Partnership and the York and North Yorkshire LEP.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.