Young people and MPs gather at Westminster to launch new publication on life skills

Friday 23 October 2009

Last night (Thursday 22 October), young people, MPs and sector professionals heard presentations from young people on the importance of life skills at an event in Westminster, to launch a prestigious new NCB publication, Life Skills: Achieving Positive Outcomes.

Ben, 17 from Yorkshire and Humberside, who gave a speech at the launch, said: 'What a great event, totally overwhelming and a really good turn out. I was very proud to say a few words to help launch the new publication at such a prestigious location. Life Routes (NCB's life skills programme) has enabled me to improve on my own life skills including communication and team work and my confidence has really increased as a result.'

The publication lays out a definition of life skills and merits the importance of life skills to enhance the well-being of all children and young people. Using examples from the NCB programme, Life Routes, it demonstrates how life skills can be learnt and developed in children and young people in a pro-active and practical way.

The event was hosted by Paul Burstow MP. Mr Burstow spoke about how: 'it is essential that young people have the opportunity to develop life skills that will enable them to enjoy their lives as well as become effective learners and active citizens.' Other speakers included, Will Harris, Head of Marketing at Nokia who talked of the value of life skills in the evolving business world.

One of the biggest concerns within the sector at present, is the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Several changes are in motion that intend to encourage more young people to remain in education or training, however making something compulsory does not tackle the underlying problems that lead to disaffection. Life skills learning should be made available to all, but in particular to those obliged to return to a system that they feel has failed them. Life Skills: Achieving Positive Outcomesis a valuable resource to improve the outcomes of children and young people.

Speaking after the event, Sophie Wood Programme Manager of Life Routes said: 'Life skills interventions do work for young people. We must therefore continue to invest in life skills to help find solutions for the underlying problems that lead to young people's disaffection and disengagement from families, communities, education and training.'