Havering Motorvations, London
Monday, February 1, 2010
What are they doing? Havering Motorvations provides an alternative education programme for young people aged 13 to 17 who are either at risk, have special educational needs, physical or mental health problems or require alternative education for any other reason. The project helps more than 100 young people a year from Havering, Barking and Dagenham and Redbridge.
What does it involve? Each young person has a personal development plan tailored to their needs. Activities on offer include motor mechanics training, life and work-based skills and literacy and numeracy lessons. The project also organises days out, offering activities such as abseiling and rock climbing.
Does it work? The most recent evaluation found that after taking part, 62 per cent of young people got a job, 21 per cent took up a training opportunity and 75 per cent obtained qualifications.
What do the young people think? Bradley, 16, says the project helped him turn his life around. "School wasn't my thing. I didn't like it. Plus I used to get into a lot of fights. My teacher suggested I come to Motorvations, so I came and had a look and liked it," he explains.
"I've learned a trade and loads of different things here. I learned how to talk properly with people and not just lose my temper. If I hadn't come here I would have been kicked out of school a lot sooner and probably in trouble with the police as well."
