FORCE FOR CHANGE

AN EDUCATION charity which works with “difficult to reach” young people, SkillForce began in 2000 as a Ministry of Defence pilot project.

It now works with 10,000 pupils at 150 schools across Britain who are in danger of leaving without any skills or qualifications.

The charity focuses on those aged 14-19 and has its own curriculum, which is delivered through in-school and extracurricular activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

One of the charity’s first Scottish successes was in Moray, where it was brought in by the local authority to work with a number of young people.

Since then, SkillForce has had instructors working in all eight of Moray’s secondary schools, helping 400 pupils.