SVNW Youth

Westley Winchester

Westley was referred to Burnley Borough Council from one of their partner agencies and he was signposted to their Strike for Life project. This project is a full time 5 week programme targeting 16-25 year olds that are currently unemployed, not in further education, are from troubled backgrounds and/or at risk of offending. Westley has had a difficult upbringing and became involved in offending at a young age. However, through the Strike for Life project he quickly acquired a number of coaching qualifications and from here joined the Lancashire Volunteer Programme to continue his interest of coaching, through volunteering for Burnley Borough Council. He quickly accrued over 200 hours on the scheme in a short space of time coaching as well as recently mentoring the young people on the current Strike for Life programme.

 

Westley has been a huge influence to the majority of his friends in doing likewise and become involved in sports volunteering. The travel expenses and incentives, in particular the contribution towards NGB Level 1 courses, have been hugely successful in encouraging his friends to join the programme. Most of all they now have the nationally recognised MV accreditation that is significantly helping them in gaining employment.

 

He has turned his life around, gaining employment and staying out of trouble. He is far more educated through gaining the following qualifications; Safeguarding and Protecting Children, How to Coach Disabled People in Sport, Equity in your Coaching, Appointed person first aid certificate, Basketball Level 1, Assisted Cricket Badge certificate, Skills for Life Literacy, FA Level 1 Certificate and FA Junior Football Organisers. His experience has now enabled him to gain part time employment as a casual coach and is continuously inspiring others to follow in his footsteps. Without Westley’s volunteering and influencing of others, the council would not have had the capacity to take on the amount of community work that they do. His is an exceptional role model to his friends, family and work colleagues.