Record intake as new HITZ programme begins
After a successful programme in 2016/2017 Hitz welcomed its new intake of students to Kingston Park on Tuesday, as the 2017/18 learning Academy got underway.
Premiership Rugby’s award-winning education and employability programme, Hitz works with over 2,000 14-18 year-olds across England every year and uses rugby’s core values of teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship to get young people not in education, training or employment (NEET) back into learning or employment.
Funded by partners Land Rover, Comic Relief and Wooden Spoon, the HITZ Learning Academy, offers a relaxed environment targeted at 16 to 18-year-olds to improve their functional maths and English, develop valuable life skills and gain important qualifications alongside experience from work placements and employer-led sessions.
The programme also offers essential enrichment and sporting activities which support the development of the students and allows them to make positive steps in their lives and the community as well.
Ran by HITZ officer Joe Brown, the 2017/18 Academy will see over 30 students on the course at Kingston Park Stadium, the highest numbers since its inception and will work alongside the Level 1 & Level 2 Sports programmes at Newcastle College, who have been the education provider for the last 3 years.
Participants in the HITZ programme regularly report an increase in resilience, self-confidence and aspiration as a result of their involvement, and over 70% go on to achieve a positive progression into further education, training or employment.
Places are still available for the new course, for full details, email joe.brown@newcastle-falcons.co.uk
