Ex-service personnel mentors to young people

UK – Former members of the armed forces will become mentors to young people in schools across England following a $3.24 million NZD grant to the charity SkillForce, Education Secretary, Michael Gove, announced today.

Through three pilot programmes, ex-service personnel will be fast-tracked into schools, using the skills and experience gained on the frontline to help young people achieve. SkillForce will be funded to set up the three programmes from September, 2011:

Military to Mentors: 100 ex-Service personnel will be trained to work as mentors for young people in and out of schools across England. 

Zero Exclusion Pilot: SkillForce will provide intensive support to 100 young people at risk of exclusion from school. This will take place in five regions across England over a 12 month period.

Expand SkillForce Core Programme: investing in the existing SkillForce programme that uses teams of instructors from military backgrounds to work with disadvantaged young people, helping them gain qualifications. Over a year, the charity will support 340 additional young people from parts of the country with high unemployment and deprivation.  

Gove said, “It is a huge opportunity for people who have served their country in uniform to serve their country in our schools.

“Many of the virtues that parents across the country feel have disappeared from our schools and need to be restored are self-discipline, a sense of purpose and a belief in the importance of working as a team,” Gove said.

Ex-Service personnel will act as inspiring role models for the next generation. They will help to instill in young people, often from some of the most disadvantaged backgrounds, discipline, self-respect and a sense of purpose.