THE innovative Life Change programme run by C-FAR at Highampton has been given £20,000 by NatWest towards its work rehabilitating young offenders.
The payment is the second part of the overall three-year financial support package of £60,000 the bank has made to the Centre For Adolescent Rehabilitation.
The money will contribute towards the salaries of staff delivering numeracy and literacy educational courses. Known as NatWest Number Power and NatWest Word Power, the courses will ensure that young people continue to receive teaching from dedicated staff specially tailored to their individual needs and circumstances.
Stephanie Allison, acting community investment manager for NatWest, said: 'Our support for C-FAR numeracy and literacy education is part of our long term commitment to help young people to realise their potential. We recognise that social factors may have prevented these young people from gaining the full benefit from the education system and the Life Change programme aims to give them a second chance.
'This programme provides a secure non-critical environment in which they can learn and ask as many questions as they want.'
Mrs Allison made the long journey from Edinburgh to present the certificates to the latest group of trainees graduating from the Life Change programme at C-FAR's base at Burdon Grange on Tuesday, (December 9).
A spokesperson from C-FAR's fundraising department said: 'The continued support given to C-FAR by NatWest is very much appreciated. Literacy and numeracy have been identified as one of the key skills that almost all ex-offenders lack, this in turn makes the transition into society an almost impossible task for this disadvantaged group.
'By addressing these skills, C-FAR has been able to successfully integrate our target group of 18-24 year old male ex-offenders into the community and more importantly into employment. The support both financial and personal from NatWest has contributed to this outcome.'
The funding will continue a close link between C-FAR and NatWest and supports the bank's desire to provide more than just financial assistance to the charities and organisations it supports through its community investment programme.
Nigel Crutchley, regional managing director for NatWest's south west region, said he was 'absolutely delighted' that NatWest was able to provide this level of support to the charity.
'It is great to see the difference that this dedicated programme of numeracy and literacy teaching is having on the lives of the young people undertaking the Life Change programme,' he said.
The C-FAR Life Change programme includes an intensive eleven week residential phase, followed by nine months of support and mentoring in the community.
C-FAR has been operating for more than three years, and less than 40 per cent of trainees who started the programme have been re-convicted.