STAINDROP’S Scarth Memorial Hall enjoyed a minor makeover last week, thanks to a community group that is helping students get on-the-job training.
Trades4Care, a community interest company, was launched two years ago with a pilot project at Stainton Village Hall, which saw a group of Bishop Auckland College students get work experience alongside qualified tradesmen in a number fields.
Now after a completing a number of successful projects across the county, the group was invited back to the dale to carry out minor renovations to Staindrop’s premier community venue.
Charlie Wright, from Trades4Care, said normally they would take no more than six students at a time to ensure each one gets individual attention.
He added: “We have only two today because of the social distancing and we have given them masks, gloves and hand-sanitiser. Because they have been off college so long they were desperate to come.”
He added: “We are tradesmen in our mid-fifties who just want to give back and give them a bit of experience.
“All of the kids we had on the pilot in Stainton have all got jobs.”
As part of their final college year, students have to do 45 days of work experience and the Scarth work is one of several that 19-year-old second-year student Megan Cowan has taken part in with Trades4Care. She has already gained three weeks’ worth of work experience.
Of the first day at the Scarth Hall, Mason McMeekin, a 16-year-old level one student, said: “It has been great. We have got a lot of work done and got all the preparation done.” Andrew Coxon, of Trades4Care, said the scheme not only helped students learn from experts in their field but it also gave community venues and facilities, like Scarth Hall, get much-needed work done at a very affordable rate. We particularly work in health, social care, education and community venues and facilities such as this provides a fantastic opportunity to bring young people at the start of their careers together with older or vulnerable people providing them with new and rewarding experiences, improved communication and social skills.”
