Coventry pupils get a boost with Outward Bound

Published by Claire Tinston for IPB Communications in Housing and also in Communities

Adventurous youngsters from a Coventry school took part in an Outward Bound course in Cumbria last week and learnt new skills to boost their CVs and career opportunities.

Six Year 10 pupils from Barr’s Hill School in Radford Road were selected by leading community regeneration specialist Frank Haslam Milan (FHM) to take part in the five day scheme at the Ullswater Centre in Penrith, Cumbria.

The youngsters hosted a presentation at the end of the week to showcase their personal achievements and highlights of the week to their sponsors.

The programme helped prepare the group for the world of work by improving their self-confidence and team building skills through a variety of activities including orienteering, camping, rock climbing, canoeing and abseiling.

Keepmoat, FHM’s parent company, invited schools across the country to take part in Outward Bound. FHM has long used Outward Bound as a tool for talent spotting, as a handful of staff started their careers when they were scouted from the Outward Bound scheme.

Now, several opportunities will be made available across the Keepmoat group for Outward Bound candidates.

Keepmoat’s apprenticeship opportunity comes as a new report published this year shows that unemployment figures have risen to 2.57 million marking a 17 year high, with the younger generation finding themselves worst hit.

FHM has enjoyed a close partnership with Barr’s Hill over the years and donated £5,000 to the school last year towards the cost of refurbishing a new ‘Learning for Life’ applied learning centre.

Three FHM trainees have also given up their time to mentor students at Barr’s Hill, who each have aspirations to work in the construction industry.

One of the mentors is Dean Jarrett, an outstanding apprentice who started his career as an apprentice joiner and carpenter aged 16 after attending the Outward Bound scheme.

He is now a Trainee Assistant Site Manager and has further ambitions to become a Site Manager. 

Katy Leverton, Head of Business Development at FHM, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Barr’s Hill School again through Outward Bound which provides a fantastic opportunity for outstanding young people to achieve an apprenticeship scheme.

“We already work in close partnership with Barr’s Hill School and help encourage young people to enter the construction trade.”

School Business Manager, Bernard Peffers, said: “We are thrilled that FHM has offered our pupils an opportunity to attend Outward Bound which will provide pupils with vital leadership and team-building skills which can then be transferred to the classroom, as well as the workplace. Outward Bound also offers pupils the chance to earn an apprenticeship in the construction industry which really is a golden opportunity for young people when you consider the current jobs market.”  

Key facts:

• Keepmoat and its business units first became involved with Outward Bound in the 2005/2006 academic year.
• To date Keepmoat has invested in excess of £500,000 to Outward Bound.
• To date, its partnership with Outward Bound has enabled Keepmoat to work with over 800 young people over the last six years.
• Keepmoat has created 18 apprenticeships across the group through Outward Bound since the scheme began.