SARH youth programme participants face Dragons’ Den style challenge

SIX young people on a Youth Contract programme at Stafford and Rural Homes (SARH) have a faced a Dragons’ Den style challenge to put forward their ideas for a team building activity.

The team worked together to develop and present ideas for suitable activities as their final project before they complete a six month training programme with SARH’s trade staff, organised in partnership with the Shaw Trust. This was part of the Government’s Youth Contract scheme to support young people struggling to find work.

“The project was all about getting the group to work together and apply many of the skills they have developed over the last six months with SARH,” said Marie McCarren, Learning and Development Manager for SARH.

The SARH ‘dragons’ included Sarah Wyke, Head of Independent Living and Customer Services, Chris Plant, Head of Housing Management, Steve Tolley, Human Resources Manager and Stephen Garland, Head of Property Maintenance.

Hayden Coomer, 19, from Stafford and John Roberts, 19, from Brewood, pitched the teams ideas to the panel and the winning idea was a visit to a tree top forest adventure activity with three of their mentors.

Steve Tolley said: “The presentation put forward at the Dragons Den was very good , well researched and well presented. The trainees handled the questions and challenges in a confident and self assured manner and showed real team work which in many ways reflects how they have developed as individuals over the past six months.”

The winning activity will now be arranged for the trainees before they complete their time with SARH, on Friday, September 6.

This is the second cohort to come from SARH’s Learning Academy of training and employment opportunities.

In addition to this initiative, SARH provides a series of formal apprenticeships and works with local training providers including an apprenticeship scheme with Stafford College.

Pictured are the SARH ‘Dragons’ L to R: Steve Tolley, Sarah Wyke, Steve Garland and Chris Plant.