Leading Youth Work charity, UK Youth is pleased to announce the opening of the latest Youth Achievement Foundation™ at UK Youth’s headquarters, Avon Tyrrell Activity Centre in Hampshire on Monday 7th September 2009.
Youth Achievement Foundations are unique due to them being created around UK Youth's highly successful non-formal curriculum. The young people who attend a Youth Achievement Foundation are recommended by their Local Education Authority and are either excluded or at risk of exclusion. UK Youth are opening 10 foundations across England through the period 2008-2011.The Foundation that is opening at Avon Tyrrell will serve the local authorities of Hampshire, Southampton, Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole.
The Avon Tyrrell Youth Achievement Foundation offers a core curriculum which includes literacy, numeracy and ICT as well as concentrating on developing personal and social skills.Over the first two weeks, the new learners are trying a number of different activities before deciding on their subject options for the first half of term.These options include water sports, climbing and high ropes, music and DJ workshops, photography, Woodland Survival skills and mountain biking to name but a few.David King, Curriculum Development Manager says, “Attendance and engagement in activities is the first step.Learners will be able to influence their own timetables considerably.Once they are undertaking activities that appeal to them, accreditation will follow.They will start with UK Youth’s Youth Achievement Awards and quickly progress onto other forms of accreditation such as wider key skills and Certificate of Personal Effectiveness.Functional skills will be part of the learning from day one.”
The young people really engaged with the programme and settled in well to the new environment. Nick Armitage-Smith, Head of the Youth Achievement Foundation, Avon Tyrrell said, "The activities were well received and there were many smiling faces at the end of the day."
For further media assistance (interviews, quotes, images, comment) contact Emma Walker on 01425 675106 or emma@ukyouth.org
