A SCHEME which has reduced the number of young people in Blaenau Gwent who are not in education, employment or training has had its funding extended.

The Prevent 14-19 project works with young people in the county borough who have been identified as at risk of becoming NEET and are disenchanted with education, employment or training.

The project, which has worked to address young peoples' needs since its launch more than three years ago, faced coming to an end after its funding from the European Social Fund ran out in October last year.

But Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council has been looking at ways to save the scheme and has secured interim funding through the Regional Collaboration Fund to keep it going.

The Regional Collaboration Fund, launched in 2012, aims to encourage regional collaboration across public services by assisting with upfront costs. The Prevent 14-19 scheme has been jointly worked on by the councils in Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend.

Thanks to the fund, three Prevent youth workers will continue working with the young people until a new European-funded project, called Inspire to Achieve, is announced this September.

The number of young people in Blaenau Gwent becoming NEET has reduced from 8.7 per cent to 3.9 per cent since the project was created. More than 800 young people have worked with the project.

Lynette Jones, corporate director of education in Blaenau Gwent, said: “The Prevent Project is so important to Blaenau Gwent and the young people who have been involved, so it is great news that we have been able to secure the funding to ensure that there is no gap in the support they receive.

"We can see that Prevent 14-19 has had such a positive and, hopefully long lasting, impact for these young people and we hope to carry this on even further when we hear details about the new Inspire to Achieve project in September."

Ms Jones said the aim in Blaenau Gwent is to "raise standards and aspirations and achieve better outcomes for all learners".

She said: "As a result of the Prevent Project, we have learned that there is no quick fix to supporting vulnerable young people to remain in education, employment and training but they can be supported holistically in order that they can overcome any barriers to learning and reach their true potential.”

The Prevent project has been delivered by Blaenau Gwent council’s youth service, together with partners including Careers Wales, Coleg Gwent, work based learning providers, schools, the education welfare service, the youth offending service, social services, Communities First and a range of voluntary sector agencies.