Wates & NESCOT – Delivering Summer Programmes for Students at Risk of Becoming NEET.

As many of you know my Shrieval theme this year is to help reduce the number of young people in Surrey from becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) and I was therefore delighted to be invited by Su Pickerill, Head of Social Value at Wates to attend their summer programme which was being hosted by NESCOT.

Wates have been delivering summer programmes for young people for eight years, usually as a residential course at a university for sixth form students, but this year, aligning with their new direction of “Brilliant Locally” they invited some 40 Year 10 students at risk of becoming NEET from six state schools in Surrey to a week of confidence building and skills training.

The week started with some get-to-know you activities, and a brief address from me, before Adam Corbally, a motivational speaker, with a back story of his difficult teenage years, captivated the young audience. The remainder of the week includes timber structure building, Go Ape team building activity, career insights and presentation skills.

It is so refreshing to see how Wates, and some other Surrey based companies, are reaching out to young people and offering opportunities that can’t be provided within the school classroom. It is vitally important that intervention measures are deployed as early as possible to help young people at risk of becoming NEET; before their hearts and minds have been lost, and programmes such as this could have a profound effect on young people’s lives.