Personal skills course on offer.
Traditionally the New Year is the time when most make a resolution, vowing to turn over a new leaf and improving every aspect of their life. But this year Birmingham Police is asking young people to be ahead of the game and sign up to a scheme aimed at making 2015 one to remember.
PC Ian Northcott and Police Community Support Officer Kelly Brookes are asking Brummies, and those able to commute into the city, aged 16−25 years old to sign up to a free 12-week-course which aims to improve their personal skills and job opportunities.
Starting on Monday 20th October and running from Digbeth police station, recruits who sign up to the Prince’s Trust scheme will be able to identify an issue affecting the local community and plan how they and their peers can tackle it.
Videos produced by groups from previous projects focussed on homelessness and knife crime in the city and received plaudits. But as important as these accolades are, participants also had some great additions to their CV and skills learnt to share in job interviews.
The upcoming 12-week course runs until the end of January, with a break for Christmas and New Year, and PC Northcott and PCSO Brookes are keen to stress the amazing opportunity on offer.
“West Midlands Police has an amazing partnership with the Prince’s Trust and by signing up to the upcoming scheme participants will be giving themselves an amazing heard start for everything they are looking to achieve in the future,” said PCSO Brookes.
“When we meet young people who are out of education or work their stock answer is that there isn’t anything for them to do and few opportunities. We can empathise with this but at the same time we’d urge everyone to make the most of schemes like this that are on offer,” added PC Northcott.
As well as his work with the Prince’s Trust PC Northcott shot to YouTube fame when he was recorded singing an Oasis song in the city centre, earning him the nickname ‘Busking Bobby.’
The impromptu sing-a-long was inspired by his desire the improve conditions for homeless people, with Ian’s work also extending to encouraging people to donate socks, hats, gloves, sleeping bags and chocolate to brighten up and make this festive season more comfortable for the city’s homeless. And earlier this year PC Northcott was recognised with a volunteering award presented to him by Prime Minister David Cameron.
PC Northcott added: “I feel incredibly proud to represent Birmingham and everything about the city on a number of levels. And as a police officer there is so much to my work than just arresting criminals to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors. I’d ask the city’s younger generation and their families to give the Prince’s Trust scheme some serious thought and join us as we look to make the end of this year and 2015 a time to remember.”
For more information about the project follow @BWCPTTeam or email i.northcott@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk