Dundee has 1,364 young people who are currently not in education, employment OR training. Their limited prospects and lack of opportunities can lead to negative behaviour and mental health issues.
Organisations are communicating that there is a lack of basic skills in many young people that inhibit them from flourishing in a work-placed environment. These can include fundamental qualities such as appropriate work behaviour, time keeping and communications skills.

ACK are committed to tackling this skills gap with the ACK Young Champions initiative by providing these young people with an opportunity to attend a training programme designed to empower them with a range of work based knowledge and skills from events, PR and marketing, budgeting, administration, IT, communication skills, team working and respect in the work place. Our initiative provides a supportive and safe environment for young people who may lack confidence and self-esteem.

We are bringing these young people into the ACK workplace to learn not only from the ACK team but also from our pool of volunteers who bring a range of different experience and expertise. From these volunteers we now have our ACK mentors who are reinforcing their own skills and adding to their experience of working in a professional workplace environment.

The ACK Young Champions will leave with a portfolio of work which will provide evidence of their new skills to potential employers. With support, these ACK Young Champions can themselves become mentors for future groups of young people.

The costs involved in sustaining this initiative include administration, management, volunteer and young people’s expenses, IT equipment, personal and business portfolios and stationery.

The ACK Young Champions team are fundraising furiously and others are too- if you would like to support Rebecca Connon, 26, who is running the Edinburgh Marathon for this project, or the kids taking part in a sponsored walk, please donate here