Ospreys in the Community are delighted to receive a £358,135 grant off the National Lottery Community Fund to further develop our work across the community as part of our TACKLE programme over the next three years.
The employability and education team at OitC currently work with those who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET) over four main programmes using the Ospreys brand and the power of sport, to engage with learners with the help of schools and colleges.
As part of the programme, we try to use the skills we see in a sporting context day to day and transfer them into an employability and education remit. Those include communication, teamwork, leadership, creativity, how to motivate yourself, how to be organised and looking after your own wellbeing.
TACKLE is a collaborative approach to supporting young people, we will work closely with our partners, key stakeholders, private, public and third sector organisations to ensure we support as many people as possible.
We’re able to draw upon our commercial partner’s expertise including Philtronics and Keytree and offer our learners the opportunity to experience a wide range of industries. We’re able to take our learners on factory visits, have Q&As with a whole range of people in different roles and offer them the chance to gain on hands experience.
A key to the programme’s success has come in the form of funding from the National Lottery Community Fund. The team have been able to develop their programme to work with a greater number of disengaged individuals, and more importantly keep them engaged for longer.
Speaking after receiving the grant, Community Foundation Manager Tom Sloane said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded this funding from the National Lottery Community fund to increase the capacity of the great work within the community. TACKLE is a community response to the endemic problem of young people not being in employment, education, or training in South West Wales. TACKLE began as a community idea to harness a sporting brand to support young people and has evolved through the active and ongoing engagement of young people, their friends, families and communities.
“Thanks to this funding, we’ll be able to support, guide and empower more people than ever across our communities and continue to work closely with local public, private and third sector organisations. We have an aim to engage with 900 young people who are disengaged from education/employability, reengage them into various settings and open up other avenues for a successful future that they are passionate about.”
Karl Napieralla, Chair of the board of Trustees said: “It’s really pleasing to see such a great programme like TACKLE being funded by such a well-regarded funding body. The significance of this grant allows us to reach more people and support more of our region than previous utilising a tried and tested programme which has been shaped by the learners themselves.
“It’s a testament to the charity and its ability to reach those in need of support across our region.”
For more information on the project and to find out more about our Employability and Education Pillar, contact the team today, nick.white@ospreysrugby.com, melissa.sartain@ospreysrugby.com