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Supporting young people in Alternative Provision, or who are not in education or employment

A group of young people in ßÙßÇÂþ»­ were given the opportunity to develop valuable skills and qualifications for the future, thanks to a collaborative initiative delivered by ßÙßÇÂþ»­’s Green Health & Wellbeing programme, community partners, and local charity Volunteer It Yourself (VIY).

Working in partnership with the Council’s Post-16 Transition Team and ßÙßÇÂþ»­ Careers Hub, VIY engaged 18 young people who would most benefit from taking part in a Green Community Hub project at Horsell Common. This included young people who currently attend Alternative Provision in ßÙßÇÂþ»­, and young people who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET.

The young people worked alongside professional mentors from VIY to help renovate a barn and outdoor space at Rae’s Field within the Horsell Common Estate, carrying out hands-on tasks, including painting, carpentry, and decorating. Alongside their contribution to a meaningful community build, participants were also offered the opportunity to earn City & Guilds Entry Level qualifications in the process. By the end of the project, 15 young people had gained accreditations in Health & Safety in Places of Work.

Participants shared positive feedback from the experience, with one young person who participated in the project commenting, “Definitely worthwhile and has potentially given me an interest in construction"

Another young person said, “Really good, really nice to work - 100% worth doing”.

The newly renovated space has been transformed into a community hub, where local charities and community groups can host activities to support wellbeing, learning, and social connection, such as community gardening, peer-to-peer support, environmental education, and informal meetups. Alongside the Horsell Common Preservation Society (HCPS), we are inviting these groups to use the venue free of charge and take advantage of the benefits of connection to nature that the space offers.

ßÙßÇÂþ»­ Careers Hub and ßÙßÇÂþ»­’s Post-16 Transitions team continue to explore new collaboration projects with VIY and ßÙßÇÂþ»­ based employers, with the aim of providing more young people with workplace experiences that will grow their skills and confidence, and lead to positive and sustained post-16 education and training destinations.

If you are the parent or carer of, or a professional working with, a NEET young person (aged 16-18), our Post-16 Transition team can offer one-to-one support to set them on a path to appropriate education, employment, or training. Find out more on the page.

To learn more about Volunteer It Yourself and the project carried out at Rae’s Field, visit .