A project in Scotland, aimed at recruiting young and unemployed men into the childcare sector, has received #50,000 of funding to increase training opportunities.
The Coalfield Trust awarded the money to the Men into Childcare project, which aims to help young and unemployed men in former mining areas in East Ayrshire. The Trust was originally formed in 1999 to help mining communities recover from the impact of pit closures.
The project will involve 10 men aged between 16 and 25, and will run for a year. Organisers hope that at the end participants will seek a career in childcare, teaching, social work or nursing.
“We believe this new and unique project has the potential for addressing the gender imbalance in the independent and public sector early education and childcare workforce,” said Janice Hendry, development director with yipworld.com, which will run the programme.
“Our training programme will combine personal development, IT training, and training for an SVQ in child work or in play work.”