News

HRH The Earl of Wessex will be visiting Rossmore Community College and Creekmoor Youth Service Centre today, as part of a visit to Poole in recognition of the commitment made in the Borough to the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

Peter Read, Head of Youth Services, Borough of Poole, said: "We are delighted that HRH The Earl of Wessex has chosen to visit us in Poole. It is extremely encouraging for us to get such recognition. Poole is the fastest growing area for the Award Scheme in the south-west and our programmes provide opportunities from all abilities and social levels. Currently we are training six expedition groups; three at Silver level two at Gold and plan to take on three more Bronze groups with expeditions planned from next Easter through to the end of August. We aim to provide options across the programme for those who find it difficult to access these elsewhere and encourage young people to develop and target work in small groups."

As part of a drive to change and improve the ethos of the school, Kate Shaw, Headteacher, introduced the Award Programme at Rossmore Community College, working in partnership with Poole's Youth Services.  The Borough of Poole's Open Award Centre at Creekmoor provides access to the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme for a wide diversity of young people from 14 - 25 years old who attend school, college, university, are in employment or unemployed. During the current year, 23 young people have gained Bronze Awards, 16 Silver Awards and 5 Gold Awards with 2 Awards at Gold and Silver level being gained by young people with learning difficulties.

At present, the Open Award Centre facilitates volleyball and football for the physical section, event planning and film and video for the skills section as well as peer mentoring and Award Scheme Leadership training for the service section. The centre is co-ordinated by a Youth Worker and is mostly staffed by ten regular volunteers who assist around 94 young people. The scheme works in partnership with voluntary and statutory organisations and agencies including the Borough's Youth Service and Millennium Volunteers and it receives referrals from Connexions, Social Services and Children & Families Services.

Councillor Tony Woodcock, Cabinet Porfolio Holder for Education and Youth Services, said: "We are obviously very pleased to see HRH The Earl of Wessex in our town and are proud that Poole has been chosen by him to be visited on the strength of our work on the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme."