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The Talent Match students (LtoR - Tyler Jones, Rebecca Duff and Charlotte Wood) receive their certificates

Media enquiries:

Stacey Morgan / Marina Wood
Dragonfly PR
Tel: 01709 300130
Email: stacey@dragonflypr.co.uk

Awards Night Demonstrates Real Talent

Forty One local pupils, who have been part of the Talent Match programme in Barnsley, celebrated their achievements at a special awards event held at the Metrodome recently, to mark the final stage of this hugely successful programme.

Three pupils in particular were rewarded for their special achievements: Charlotte Wood, Rebecca Duff and Marga Devonport were presented with a certificate by The Mayor of Barnsley, Cllr John Parkinson. They were commended for their remarkable dedication to the programme, which included attending all their study dates, including during the summer holidays! Along with their fellow pupils, they also received awards for outstanding achievements in health & safety, employability skills - including preparation of their own CV, first aid skills and carrying out work experience with a local business.

The Talent Match programme, which was run by Business & Education South Yorkshire (b&e) and Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council in association with the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, The Source and the Steer Clear Group, was designed to re-motivate and re-engage 14/15 year old pupils who were at risk of becoming disengaged from education, training or employment.

The programme, has offered a wide range of activities to help these young people to develop knowledge and life skills that are transferable to working life, to enable them to gain in confidence, as well as improve their self esteem and employability skills.

The final stage of the programme saw the students, who were from Holgate School and Sports College, The Dearne High School, Kirk Balk School Technology College, Penistone Grammar School ,The Kingstone School and Priory School and Sports College, undertake work placements with local companies in industries including childcare, farming, catering, sport and engineering.

Sharon Peck, lead liaison manager for b&e, explains: "The Talent Match programme has been a great success and we have seen huge improvements in the attitude and ability of those taking part. Students like Charlotte, Marga and Rebecca are an inspiration as they have worked really hard to refocus on their studies and to learn more about the world of work. Charlotte has done particularly well, she has recently delivered lambs as part of her work experience at a local farm and we have had fantastic reports about her! We would like to congratulate all the students on the programme - it just goes to show what can be achieved and it is testament to their commitment to Talent Match that has made it such a success."

Sharon continues: "Students were recruited on the programme from six schools across Barnsley 18 months ago and some of them really did need our help with improving their confidence, self esteem and awareness of the world of work. Over 90 per cent of students who started the course have completed it and the majority have achieved their employability skills qualifications, which means they will leave the programme with a much greater awareness of the world of work and a more brighter, future ahead of them."

For more information on the Talent Match Programme or how your business could get involved, please contact b&e on 01709 336700 or email sharon.peck@be-sy.co.uk

Editors Notes

Business & Education South Yorkshire is the lead organisation in this area responsible for creating and sustaining mutually beneficial relationships between businesses and schools. This involves organising a number of enterprise events throughout the year, as well as planning placements for over 17,000 work experience students. On an annual basis, B&E works with 8,000 local businesses, schools and colleges in the South Yorkshire area.