Personal Best
Personal Best hailed as a success
The programme is being hailed a success in the region. Out of 27 starts, 22 completed the programme and many have since gone on to employment, part-time volunteering posts and level 2 qualifications.
Charlie Hefford, 25, from Bookham said the best thing about being on the Personal Best programme was meeting new people and feeling part of a team. She said: “If you’re thinking about doing Personal Best, I would just do it. It’s given me a lot of new opportunities and confidence. And now I have a CV.”
Ray Kingston, 33, from Maidenhead said he heard about the programme through his local drop in centre. During the programme, he secured part-time volunteer work at Maidenhead United Football Club and at Braywick Heath Nurseries. He enjoys sport and is hoping to volunteer at the Surrey Youth Games in 2010 and eventually at London 2012.
Tahibn Saddiq, 21, from Woking was unemployed before she started Personal Best. While on the programme, she did reception work, painting and cleaning at her local community centre and is now studying level 2 English and Maths. “I hope to get the call up to work at the Games,” she said. “I’ll be waiting by the phone and the mail box with my fingers crossed.”
Personal Best students graduate at Guilford Spectrum
Surrey County Council and its partners including Sussex Downs College showcased the best of disability sport and art at the Guildford Spectrum on Thursday 3rd December. By 2012, we want to improve support for young people in disability sport, and to promote all the positive aspects of both sport and art in the disabled community.
The Personal Best programme builds self esteem through work experience and students gain transferable skills through a nationally recognised qualification in volunteering. Surrey's learners from the 2012 inspired Personal Best course celebrated their graduation. They are now guaranteed to be interviewed for a volunteering role at the 2012 Games provided their application is successful. The course is aimed at the long-term unemployed and those who have few or no qualifications. The course helps individuals gain a qualification through classes and one-to-one support, as well as connecting learners with their communities through voluntary work experience.
Above: Rachel Morris with Personal Best Graduates
Lizzie Kemp Business Development Coordinator for Sussex Downs College said: "Personal Best is an excellent example of what can be done. It builds up the experience and confidence while also offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a part of the London Games in 2012."
Rachel Morris, Surrey's gold medallist in hand-cycling from Beijing opened the event. Guildford Spectrum spoke about their aspiration to host foreign teams, as an official venue for Paralympic Pre-Games Training Camps.
The P&G Surrey Youth Games will be launching their search for volunteers who can collectively contribute 1000 hours of volunteering by 2012. ThIt brings together thousands of young people each year to take part in sports across Surrey, including sports such as disability badminton. "They are a fantastic demonstration of the Olympic and Paralympic values. Thousands of young people compete annually, but at the same time learn the importance of values such as friendship, respect, excellence, and courage." said Claire Davenport, Head of Leisure Services at Guildford Borough Council.
Read about the launch of Personal Best
