Youthstart

The Youthstart Initiative was started in 2000 by PC Martin Bamford on behalf of the Dunfermline & West Fife Community Safety Panel in partnership with Inverkeithing High School. The basic principal is that, through effective mentoring and supported activity, students from Learning Support and Behavioural Support curriculum are given interactive guidance in a move ensure they have maximum career prospects and become valued members of the community. As a member of the Dunfermline & West Fife Community Safety Panel, Neil Mackie became an active leader of Youthstart from 2003 onwards - bringing a private sector business management element to the package.

From the outset, the teenage youth participants are far from "lost causes" to the education system - quite the contrary, they are young people who simply need more support to achieve (or even realise) their own potential. Students are taken on in their 3rd year of higher education and retained until the end of 4th year.

During this time, various activities are carried out - including drug and health education (classroom based), justice system overview (classroom based), personal development (classroom based), workplace visits, outdoor activities such as hillwalking, career / further education advice, personal presentation training, curriculum vitae development / employment application, interview technique - and culminating in a 5 day residential course which brings together all factors developed over the previous two years.

Overall, Neil Mackie, Martin Bamford and the leaders from Inverkeithing High School find the Youthstart Initiative as rewarding as the youth participants. In the history to date, and in excess of 80 participants, there has only been one failure in a previous participant gaining full employment and becoming a valued member of society.

Additionally, Youthstart grows from strength to strength - unlike many other community projects - in that we were fortunate to secure funding from The Big Lottery to the value of £20,000 in 2006. This award allows Youthstart to progress for the forthcoming four years with a sense of financial security. Also, Martin Bamford and Neil Mackie take every opportunity to promote the Youthstart Initiative within the wider national community - including commendation from Fife Constabulary in their Problem Orientated Policing Awards and a promotional presentation at a COSLA conference in 2006.