Empowering Young People
Cobnor Activities Centre Trust (CACT) helps change lives by providing high-quality, educational and fun activities that inspire and educate young people in West Sussex and neighbouring counties. CACT’s various funded programmes seek to provide the most vulnerable and disadvantaged young people in our community with the chance to engage in activities at the Centre within Chichester Harbour.
Many of these young people face barriers of limited opportunities, isolation due to social deprivation, mental health challenges and physical or learning disabilities.
The overarching goal is to remove these barriers and empower every generation to improve self-esteem, build resilience and positively shape their future
This goal not only relates to customers, but also includes staff, volunteers and trustees – apprenticeships also help change lives.
The apprenticeship programme will provide further support for young people in the local community. By targeting disadvantaged young people, the programme is a cost-effective way for CACT to recruit and develop young talent at the same time as giving back to the community.
The government’s ‘sustained positive destination’ measure shows 93% of apprentices in 2020/21 had a sustained positive outcome either into learning or employment or both.
On completion of their apprenticeship, it is anticipated that the apprentices will be offered the opportunity to remain with CACT as full-time employees.
The ongoing programme will create a pipeline of professionally qualified young talent. To this end, the trust has appointed an apprentice and training co-ordinator to enable Cobnor to expand the scheme further.
“Now with my qualifications, I could go to Greece or even New Zealand and work as a sailing instructor. That is just amazing. I would never have believed that would be possible for someone like me.” – Kian Davis, CACT Apprentice 2024
The Apprenticeship Scheme with Locomotivation
During the 15-month apprenticeship, participants spend 80% of their time gaining practical experience in the day-to-day activities at CACT and 20% of their time is spent dedicated to training and development. This might be completing online courses, working with their designated training specialist from Locomotivation, reviewing techniques, compiling their portfolio or completing designated tasks.
The programme is customised to meet individual needs, allowing participants to develop professionally by acquiring skills and qualifications that lay a strong foundation for a career in Outdoor Education. The Outdoor Activity Instructor (Level 3) qualification equips participants with the skills to conduct safe and enjoyable activity sessions for both children and adults.CACT’s Chief Activities Officer, Tom Collins, said “We researched apprenticeship programmes for several months before identifying Locomotivation as the ideal provider for us.
The partnership with Locomotivation enables us to support the apprentices to find their strengths and overcome barriers. They have grown into valuable members of the team. I have no doubt that these life skills will enable them to thrive in the future whether with us at CACT or further afield.”
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