Team celebrates landmark achievements

Jill Eckersley with Team R100 at their final presentation

The charity behind a long-standing personal development programme for young people is celebrating after reaching a number of impressive landmarks.

The Team programme ran by Groundwork and youth charity The Prince’s Trust has been transforming lives across the Rochdale borough since 1998 and has now delivered 100 Teams. It takes groups of unemployed young people on 12 action packed weeks to increase their confidence and provide the skills needed for work or further training.

Local charity, Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale, has been delivering the Team programme in Heywood, Middleton, Oldham and Rochdale with The Prince’s Trust since 1998. A combined total of 200 Teams have been delivered in the local area with over 2,500 local young people completing the programme.

Jill Eckersley, The Prince’s Trust Team Leader at Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale, is also celebrating 10 years of turning young people’s lives around. Jill commented: “I have been incredibly lucky to work alongside and help so many inspirational young people over the past 10 years. The most rewarding aspect of my job is to see the young people develop their confidence and gain belief in their own abilities, giving them hope for the future.”

The Prince's Trust helps change young lives. It supports 13 to 30 year-olds who are unemployed and those struggling at school and at risk of exclusion. Many of the young people helped by The Prince’s Trust are in or leaving care, facing issues such as homelessness or mental health problems, or they have been in trouble with the law.