Young unemployed people from the Isle of Wight, Southampton and Gosport have seen their prospects start to improve thanks to the work of UKSA and funding from the Department of Work and Pensions.
UKSA has an 81% success rate in moving young people into education, employment or training through their back to work programme. This compares very favourably to the government’s Back to Work scheme, which in its first year only got 3.5% of participants back to work and now has a rate of 13%.
UKSA won a tender bid for the funding, which is enabling the charity to run six programmes across the South of England. Aweigh Ahead, UKSA’s six-week part-residential course, combines on-water experiences with work experience in the local community.
Importantly, participants find the healthy routine and positive environment of UKSA raises their aspirations, motivates them and gives them qualifications to enable them to seek work. They are all offered one-to-one mentoring and support, and careers guidance as part of the programme.
Simon Davies, Director of Youth Development and Fundraising, said: “We are delighted to have received this funding to give even more young people the chance to change their lives on the Aweigh Ahead programme.
David Ely, 20, is Damien’s brother. He had a run of bad luck as he was laid off from his first two jobs, and also tried the IW College and a recruitment/training organisation, but a number of setbacks led him to JobCentre Plus. He applied for the UKSA course to give him more experience and thought the sailing and watersports element was a real bonus as he enjoyed fishing and likes being out at sea. He is now looking to train as an instructor as his dream is now to work abroad and see the world.
Jamie Collins, 23, was originally from the Middlesex area and spent a year window fitting but moved to the Island with his family, and since then has had a few casual jobs. He wasn’t convinced the UKSA course would be for him but when he arrived he thought it looked fun so he was pleased to get accepted. He said: “Everything about UKSA has surprised me. Everyone’s so friendly, it’s just a really good environment to be part of. I’ve done kayaking and powerboating, all new experiences. At the moment there’s such a lot of information to take in, I don’t know what the future holds.” It’s certainly given Jamie something to think about.