South Gloucestershire Council

Published: 14/12/2012

Get on Track is a three month programme run by the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust working in partnership with South Gloucestershire Council. Working primarily with school leavers, the project involves teaching problem solving skills and teamwork activities including practical tasks which help to improve their self confidence and gain experience of working together as a team.

Through the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust, the young people are being mentored by an impressive line-up of sports stars including Beijing 2008 Paralympic swimmer Kate Grey, from Tytherington and triple jumper Vernon Samuels from Little Stoke, who competed in the Seoul Olympics in 1988.

On Monday 17 December an employability day is planned which will provide the young people with an opportunity for them to brush up on their job interview techniques and CV writing skills. It takes place at Pomphrey Hill sports pavilion in Emersons Green.

A photo call with some of the young people and their mentors including Vernon and Kate takes place at 11:00hrs at Pomphrey Hill sports pavilion, Pomphrey Hill playing fields, BS16 9NF.

Jonathan Wheeler, Breakthrough Mentoring Coordinator at the council, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust to help these young people gain valuable skills and experiences which will help them get the most out of life. We are the only council to be working with the trust in the South West and this is because of the work we are already doing through our own mentoring scheme which the trust had heard about and wanted to work with us.

“With such a great summer of sporting achievement at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we are honoured to have some top names from the world of sport helping us to coach our young people to find their true vocation in life. Sports men and women have a great attitude to life and we hope this project will help us inspire a generation and create a lasting Olympic legacy in South Gloucestershire.”

Dame Kelly Holmes said: “These young people really need our support to help them make positive changes to their lives. The impact of an athlete role model on a young person can be so inspiring. I’m pleased we are working with South Gloucestershire Council to help make a difference to the lives of these young people.”

Vernon Samuels, the lead athlete on the programme, said: “The young people have made great strides on this programme. We’ve seen such a transformation since Get on Track began. The group has committed to volunteering to benefit the community, they have engaged in more sport and we have members of the group going on to gain employment and getting back into education and training.”

The project is funded through Sport England.