RURAL affairs minister Alun Michael visited West Devon last week to see an innovative youth training project in action.

Mr Michael was at Morwellham Quay to meet young people from rural areas who are benefiting from WestDEN?s Ley of the Land project, which provides them with rural employment skills.

He was accompanied by the board and executive of the Countryside Agency, which sponsors the project, including its chairman Sir Ewen Cameron.

They were able to watch Ley of the Land trainees being taught the traditional art of hedge laying, one of many training courses available to them through the project.

Mr Michael said he was very impressed with what he had seen of the scheme.

He said: ?It?s quite clear that the young people are interested in and thoroughly engaged by what they see as an opportunity to gain useful and rewarding skills which will enable them to make their own choices about their futures.

?Schemes like this are so important because young people in rural areas often face the additional problems of social isolation and lack of opportunity.?

Mr Michael said the visit provided an excellent opportunity to hear the concerns of youths living in rural West Devon.

?Defra is constantly looking at ways to improve the quality of life for those living and working in the countryside,? he said.

?Meeting people and hearing their concerns is a vital part of this work and we are now developing a specific focus on listening to the views of young people.?

Sir Ewen Cameron, who is the Government?s rural advocate as well as chairman of the Countryside Agency, said the Ley of the Land project enabled people to remain in their communities and find work.

He said: ?This particular project empowers people so that they can stay in their area and it gives them a lot more confidence in themselves.

?It?s important that they have the chance to live and work in their own communities, instead of having to move away to find employment opportunities.?

WestDEN?s Ley of the Land project offers practical support and training to young people in West Devon in disciplines as diverse as forestry, woodland management, dry stonewalling and organic growing.

The project was set up six years ago and in that time it has helped hundreds of socially and economically deprived young people to find employment and start their own businesses locally.

18-year-old David Gaultieri has gained qualifications in hedge laying, stonewalling, tractor driving, small engine maintenance and other courses organised by Ley of the Land.

He said: ?I would like to start my own business one day using the skills I have learnt through the scheme.

?It gives you the qualifications and the confidence to do the things you want to do rather than settling for working in a factory.?

The visit by Mr Michael and the Environment Agency was part of a fact-finding mission last Thursday looking at the challenges facing young people in West Devon.

The tour concluded with a visit to a rehabilitation centre at Highampton to discuss regional youth issues.