Opening of the Tay Skills Academy
An on-site skills academy, aimed at improving employment opportunities for young people in care, has opened in Angus.
The Tay Skills Academy at Rossie Young People’s Trust near Montrose will operate in partnership with Dundee and Angus College, to provide vocational skills training for its community of young people.
Thought to be the first of its kind in Scotland, the on-site skills and training centre offers practical training in a range of skills, from plumbing and painting to joinery and IT. The facility will complement the existing Rossie school, which provides bespoke education programmes and qualifications. Through hands-on activities, young people will also have the chance to strengthen their core skills in areas such as maths and English.
Rossie also provides specialist support and welfare services for children and young people up to age 18. Set amongst 150 acres of mature grounds and woodlands between Arbroath and Montrose, it offers both residential and secure accommodation, with over 200 highly skilled staff.
Supported by skills coaches employed by Dundee and Angus College, the on-site provision will enable small-group skills development within Rossie’s supportive and therapeutic environment.
As well as providing the opportunity to gain qualifications, core skills will be integrated into practical training, including communication; numeracy; health and safety; and teamwork, to ensure young people are well prepared for life beyond Rossie. The academy also houses a fully functioning kitchen to teach independent living skills and office spaces for staff.
Kevin Northcott, chief executive of Rossie Young People’s Trust said: “This marks a major milestone for children and young people in care, who deserve every opportunity to develop their skills, confidence and pathways into adulthood and life beyond care.
“Rossie is home to a community of young people, many of whom have experienced multiple adverse childhood experiences, resulting in complex needs and vulnerabilities. These experiences can often affect their engagement with education, meaning learning must be delivered in a way that recognises and responds to their individual needs.
“Importantly, The Tay Skills Academy has been shaped with our young people at its heart. They have helped influence not only its name, but also its look, feel and the kind of environment they want it to be. It is designed to be a place that works for them, a welcoming and inclusive space where they can learn new skills, overcome obstacles, solve problems and discover what they are capable of achieving.”
Pictured left-right: Elliot Jackson, national convener and chief executive of Children’s Hearings Scotland, Kevin Northcott, chief executive of Rossie Young People’s Trust, Lee Lappin, director of curriculum and partnerships at Dundee and Angus College and Neil Rennick, Scottish government director-general education and justice
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