Coast & Country’s first Future Leaders community project has involved the makeover of a community centre.
 
Students from Nunthorpe School helped give the community centre next door a bright new look by painting its interior.
 
Under the Future Leaders Scheme, students from four schools in the Redcar & Cleveland area are being set a series of challenges including planning and delivering community projects.
 
One student will eventually be chosen as a Future Leader and will be awarded an apprenticeship with Coast & Country, one of the largest regeneration and housing companies in the North East, starting in 2011.
 
Philip Hutchinson, a student from Nunthorpe School said: “It is important for young people to get involved with community projects because it gives them a real insight into what’s going to be needed in later life when they go to work.”
 
Tracy O’Neill, Head of Regeneration (Communities) said: “This community centre makeover has got the community project phase of the Future Leaders scheme off to a fantastic start with the Nunthorpe students all rising to the challenge.
 
“They have had to display a range of business acumen and skills, which will stand them in good stead when they step onto the career ladder.
 
 “They have project managed of all the complexities of bringing a project to fruition from coming up with an idea to sourcing all the necessary materials.  In fact, they have proved they are particularly good at controlling finances as they have brought the community centre makeover in under budget.  They had £1,500 to cover the costs, but have spent about only half of that, which is a great achievement.”
 
Jayne McBride said: “It’s about a number of schools that have each got a project that they are working on. The students are coming together to project manager the scheme, to get their ideas together to then build up the skills that are needed to actually follow the project through to doing the practical side of things.”
 
The innovative Future Leaders initiative involves pupils, aged 14 to 15, from Laurence Jackson School in Guisborough, Redcar Community College, Nunthorpe, and Bydales Schools.
 
Their endeavours will be assessed and those taking part will be whittled down to 60 young people, who will have the opportunity to attend a week’s outward bound course in the Lake District.
 
The Future Leaders Scheme is supported by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council’s Social Enterprise Team.