Youth job scheme to start after £100k pledge

A new scheme to try to help youngsters find jobs will be launched in a city after a £100,000 donation to a youth charity.

The Way Youth Zone, in Wolverhampton, has announced training company NIS Group as its first cornerstone patron.

As part of the role, the firm has pledged the money to the charity, which will partly go towards a new programme called Way2Work.

Activities the scheme will deliver include confidence-building and teamwork sessions for children along with work to develop teenagers' skills.

Workshops and mentoring will also be provided for families and those with special needs, while the programme could be extended into communities through outreach work, organisers said.

Paul Snape, chief executive of The Way Youth Zone, said the investment from NIS meant they could expand the work they did with families in Wolverhampton.

"Way2Work is not just about preparing young people for jobs – it's about giving them confidence, life skills, and belief in their own potential," he added.

The training firm is based in Wolverhampton and supports more than 3,000 students annually in the rail, utility, civil and construction industries.

NIS Group chief executive Davie Carns said they were proud to be supporting the charity.

"It is a fantastic place where young people can achieve great things, and it felt like a natural next step to reinforce our commitment by becoming its first cornerstone patron," he added.

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