Stars offer personal coaching

Work with Livi pupils

Students at a Livingston high school are set to receive mentoring from world-class athletes.

Pupils from Inveralmond Community High School will take part in the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust’s On Track to Achieve programme and also support research to understand the barriers that young people face to get support.

The project was made possible following an award of £200,000 from the People’s Postcode Lottery.

Dame Kelly Holmes said: “We believe that a young person’s life chances should not be determined by their postcode and are committed to finding new ways to engage with young people in isolated areas.

“Over 240 students will benefit directly from our athletes as part of this project.

“However, most importantly, the research will help transform the lives of thousands more in the future who would otherwise experience difficulty in receiving support.”

On Track to Achieve aims to use world-class athletes to help young people in full-time education to fulfil their potential.

The programme is targeted at students facing challenging personal circumstances or suffering from low levels of self-esteem and confidence.

Working in groups of five to eight students, athlete mentors provide tailored support to enhance participants’ personal and social development through setting individual goals and targets. Young people also develop skills such as teamwork.

The trust’s Ben Hilton said: “This is a really big step forward for us as a charity and will demonstrate our commitment to listening to the voices of young people.”