A MAJOR funding boost has been secured help develop young people’s skills through environmental projects.
The One Planet Pioneers initiative has been awarded a Big Lottery Fund grant of £917,485 through the Bright Green Future programme.
The five-year project will be led by local environmental charity Middlesbrough Environment City working with Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, Actes Trust and Teesside University.
The funding will help to improve the life chances of young people aged 14 to 21 by helping them develop their skills through a diverse range of environmental activities using the One Planet Living approach.
Middlesbrough Environment City and Tees Valley Wildlife Trust will provide volunteering, training and apprenticeship opportunities, including nature conservation, cycling and horticulture projects.
Actes will help recruit young people to the programme and provide on-going support to help participants make the most of their time on the programme.
The project aims to provide 400 volunteering places and 24 apprenticeships, with a total of 30,000 hours of participation, with 160 people expected to progress to further training and 30 into employment through the project.
Councillor Julia Rostron, Chair of Middlesbrough Environment City, said: “This is great news for Middlesbrough.
“Through the project, young people from the town will be able to take part in a wide range of opportunities that will also improve their future employment prospects and also help them make a positive contribution to their local community.
“One Planet Living is all about improving quality of life for local people whilst ensuring a sustainable future for the town and the planet. This project will help achieve both of these things.”
The project started in April this year and run through to March, 2021.