Picture for City College Brighton and Hove Apprenticeships
Picture for City College Brighton and Hove A Levels
Picture for City College Brighton and Hove Full time Courses

News

Picture for City College Brighton and Hove Business Open Event
Picture for Adult Funded Courses 2012

Zoe Ball praises City College's Prince's Trust team

11 May 2011

In her capacity as a Prince's Trust Ambassador, TV and radio personality Zoe Ball recently met a team of young people from Brighton who have successfully completed City College Brighton and Hove's Prince's Trust 'Team' programme, a 12-week personal development course which helps unemployed young people gain the skills and confidence to move into work or training. The programme includes work experience, qualifications, practical skills, community projects and a residential week. Since completing the programme, all members of the team are moving back into education, including courses starting at City College this September.

'Talking to members of the team individually, I found that they all come from very different walks of life and they've all encountered their own challenges and some of them have had tough upbringings', says Zoe, who met the team at a presentation event at Brighton's Grand Hotel. 'It was great to see the confidence that they've gained and how the programme helped them learn how to work as a team. It's given them a self-belief that they might not have been able to get at home or school and they've all got a lot of hope about their futures. I really want to see what happens to them next and how they fulfil their potential. They're all really bright, brilliant kids and they deserve some success and happiness. Projects like this can give young people hope, enthusiasm and self-belief and they should be greatly encouraged.'

Zoe and the Prince's Trust team

Zoe and the Prince's Trust team

'We were all so impressed with how warm and friendly Zoe was', says City College's Prince's Trust Deputy Team Leader, Charlotte Cussins. 'When it came to all the personal stories of how the course has transformed individual team members, she took a genuine interest in what each of them had to say on a one-to-one level and it was a real thrill for them all to meet her. Also, Zoe was actually only scheduled to come in for an hour in the afternoon to meet the team but when they invited her to a presentation event in the evening, she changed her plans especially to be there, which was really kind and supportive of her. Her ongoing support means a lot to everyone involved in the Prince's Trust.'

'It's been really good to see people's confidence grow and it's obvious that the programme does work', says Team member Jess North, who has gained employment with a local carpenter and also got an interview to study on a Scenic Construction Course at RADA. 'There were two or three individuals who said nothing for the first couple of weeks and then suddenly there was a massive turning point and everyone's communication skills were far better than they were in the beginning. Everybody's grown through this programme and for me personally, it's boosted my confidence and helped me believe in my own skills and abilities again. I've now got my motivation back to drive forward and do what I want to do in life.'

For more information on Prince's Trust programmes at City College starting in June, please email princestrust@ccb.ac.uk or telephone 01273 667788 ext 402

City College is also still recruiting for a range of courses starting in September 2011. For more information, see www.ccb.ac.uk or call course information on 01273 667759. The next Interview Day for full-time applicants will take place on the afternoon of Thursday 30th June.

For City College media enquiries, please call Brian Bell, Marketing Communications Officer, on 01273 667788 Ext. 488 or email bb1@ccb.ac.uk website www.ccb.ac.uk

About City College Brighton and Hove: Situated in the heart of Brighton, City College Brighton and Hove has become an international centre of vocational excellence. Every year, 2,000 full-time, 7,000 part time, almost 400 Higher Education and 400 14-16 year old students as well as many international and European students choose City College as their place of further and higher education training. In addition, the College provides training to over 2,000 businesses via its 'City Business Skills' department which focuses on employer training needs. Offering over 700 courses from basic level right through to business and postgraduate training, City College is working with its partners to develop the workforce of the future.