Alasdair's Story
Diamond-setting is an art, as well as a skill, and it can take up to 10 years to train a setter to the highest level. With the help of Edge, the independent education foundation, Alasdair Craig was able to become Cellini Jeweller's most senior fourth-year diamond-setting apprentice back in 2006.
After just two years of training, Alasdair had exhibited enough competence to reach a commercial standard. His mentors at Cellini feel sure that he owed his success not just to natural talent but also to his great enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge. By the third year of his apprenticeship, Alasdair was an accomplished artist with a public exhibition of his work under his belt.
With the funding from the Edge Award, Alasdair put himself through further training and has now decided to enrol at university. “I don't think I would ever have had the confidence to go to university if I hadn't gone to Cellini,” he says. “To see someone who can do things with their hands, things you thought were impossible, and find someone who is prepared to teach you, that's when you realise you have to be prepared to learn to get what you want.”
A New Start with Bronze
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The KRAN Riverside Project offers Life Skills education for 16-18 year old unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC). The course has boosted the students’ independent living skills, and gradually improved their English. These young people are now living independently within the community.
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Alasdair's Story
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With the help of Edge, the independent education foundation, Alasdair was able to realise his ambition to become a diamond-setter.
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Carly's Story
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BTEC Performing Arts student Carly Cook explains why she chose to study for a diploma at college.
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Claire's story
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Claire didn't realise how rewarding volunteering could be until she started volunteering at her local primary school through Worldwide Volunteering.
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Conor Smith
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Connor Smith, 14, is studying the Higher Diploma in C&BE at the Construction Design Centre.
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Dan's Story
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Dan Evans is a 19 year-old from Kent whose life changed when his school joined CCE's 'Schools of Creativity' programme. Dan began to realise he had an interest in dance and this became a channel for his emotions.
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Fran's Story
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Fran Matthews recently completed her Bronze and Silver Youth Achievement Awards.
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Jade's Story
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Jade was one of the first girls to be referred to South Park Enterprise College because of her challenging behaviour.
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Janine's Story
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How work experience in a dental technology lab inspired one student to make it her career, combining paid work with a part-time BTEC
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Karl's Story
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Karl Francis has been working with 'Personal Best', using the prospect of working at the 2012 Olympic amd Paralympic Games to allow disadvantaged young people to learn and develop new skills.
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Kat and the Youth Achievement Awards
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Kat undertook the Platinum Youth Achievement award which had five challenges, including training, volunteering and taking ownership of a project.
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Kayly and the Youth Achievement Awards
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Kayly recently completed her Gold Youth Achievement Award. She says, "From all of my challenges I feel I now have more confidence and have gained new skills". Find out what she did here.
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Kyle's Story
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Kyle joined the South Park Enterprise College in June 2004 following severe bullying in his mainstream school.
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Laura's Story
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South Park Enterprise College's work-related learning programme gave Laura the opportunity to work in a nursery for a year whilst taking a Diploma in child care. At the end of the year Laura was offered a job at the nursery because of her success.
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Lynne's Story
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Lynne McAlpine struggled with school until she began the Youth Achievement Awards Scheme.
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My Success Story by Jane Berry
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The Youth Achievement Awards helped Jane gain confidence and find a career path.
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Niall's story - Salford Lads and Girls Club
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Niall Armsden has organised weekly activities for more than 200 young people and campaigned to raise £1,000,000 to keep the Salford Lads and Girls club running,as part of his ASDAN Certificate of Community Volunteering.
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St Benet Biscop School in Lesotho
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Students from Sutherland School in Shropshire and St Benet Biscop School in Northumberland helped to run a student co-operative conference in Lesotho. Zoe and Charlotte from St Benet Biscop talk about their experience.
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The Bloomer Family
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Helen, Sam and Eve Bloomer all left school without qualifications. They have 18 children between them, and already had four grandchildren when still in their thirties. The Innovation Unit's Communities for Learning project has helped to transform their lives.
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Victoria and the Youth Achievement Awards
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Victoria Murrell recently completed her Gold Youth Achievement Award. She says, "I already had silver so I thought ‘this should be okay’. Boy was I wrong!"
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