Youth group goes for awards double
A youth project in Callander has been shortlisted for two top awards.
Callander Youth Project, based at Callander Hostel in Bridgend, is in the frame at the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland.
They have been nominated for the social impact award and managing director Chris Martin has been shortlisted for the social enterprise champion.
Chris said: “We are very excited to be nominated for two awards.
“Personally it’s very humbling to be nominated as a social enterprise champion.
“However, what’s even more exciting is that we are in the running for a national award to celebrate the impact of our social enterprise.
“For a number of years we have focused on setting up an infrastructure and making sure visitors to our hostel experience a high standard of quality and customer service.
“We’re now reaping the rewards as we see young people graduating from our programmes into jobs in the local community.
“Emma was unemployed and worked with us in the social enterprise for two years, graduating at level 4 business administration apprenticeship and moved to local architect firm WD Harley to run their admin team.
“Bobby graduated with a level 2 hospitality services modern apprenticeship and is now a trainee butcher at local firm DC Campbell and Son.
“We have a number of examples where local young people have come through the project and are now attributing their success to the intervention with Callander Youth Project.
“There are many urban social enterprises which tend to get more exposure so it’s just brilliant that a rural project like ours has been nominated.
“It’s great to be recognised but for us to be able to say that the majority of our young people go on to a positive destinations is what it is all about.
“On the whole the youth work sector has a substantial and yet largely unrecognised role in increasing the employability and resilience of our young people, particularly those furthest away from the labour market or further training, and I feel being shortlisted will give us the profile to further enhance our work.”