Role model session

Scott Young, Cardiff City FC

As part of the Traineeship Programme, we are really excited to now be offering an additional alternative provision which provides learners with the opportunity to take part in a variety of fun and engaging extra-curricular activities outside of their normal programmes of study.

The Traineeships programme is committed to promoting and nurturing positive health and wellbeing amongst its learners, and therefore all activities and projects are organised and created in line with the wellbeing wheel. As part of our latest alternative provision session we are excited to share that influential Welsh football player and manager, Scott Young will be guest speaking. Scott will be providing a motivational presentation to our Traineeship learners who will benefit first-hand from hearing his unique story.

Being a Rhondda based football player and manager throughout his career it is hoped that Scott’s appearance will connect with our learners and provide an important insight that will motivate and instil a sense of self belief to achieve at sport, work and in life.

Scott will be providing a motivational presentation to our Traineeship learners on 25th January who will benefit from hearing first hand his unique story

Speaking about the sessions, Garod Griffiths, Peripatetic Cover Tutor, commented, “Each guest speaker we invite in can be matched to meet the learners’ specific routes. This provides a great opportunity to further develop and improve our learners’ skills and overall wellbeing. Our sessions help raise learner awareness of employability skills such as effective communication, team work, resilience, critical thinking, problem solving, setting clear and achievable goals, and dealing with failure by applying the correct mindset. After each session, learners are encouraged to ask pre-prepared questions for the speakers, which further enhances the session experience.” Over the years, the Traineeships team have made some really strong partnerships and links with outside organisations who are able to offer our learners exciting opportunities to learn new things and gain new experiences. With the current pandemic, all alternative activities are taking place virtually, but the team are excited to be welcoming guest speakers and project workers into our centres in the future.

To date, Traineeships have worked with Youth Cymru to deliver projects on 'The Road Code' and 'How to be Internet Citizens'. They have also worked with New Dimensions to provide weekly fitness sessions for learners, as well as working with the 'Switched On Project' to raise awareness around substance misuse. They have also worked with 'UK Parliament' to educate learners on our Government! Alongside this, learners can also test their general knowledge in weekly quizzes and take part in Welsh Challenges that get them active. Some upcoming online alternative provision sessions include: • The Welsh Fire Service - Awareness of fire safety • UK Parliament - Raising awareness of democracy in young people • Go Connect - Digital skills • Big Ideas Wales - Employability & wellbeing led guest speakers

Following the easing of lockdown restrictions, the additional alternative provision have plans to organise trips to the Senedd and the Houses of Parliament. With future plans to set up sports teams, in the hope that ACT football teams from different centres can play against one another for the ACT Cup! Exciting opportunities and times lie ahead!