Bath and North East Somerset Council’s Youth Connect have awarded four Skill-Me-Up certificates to Somer Valley FM trainees from Somervale School. These recognise skills gained through volunteering and are accredited under the national ABC Qualifications for life awards.
The certificates were awarded during Somer Valley FM’s recent public meeting in Midsomer Norton Town Hall which brought together local businesses, schools, charitable groups and sports clubs.
The students had all completed their After Schools Training course at Somer
Valley FM, which gives them a grounding in communications and media skills. All the students are now contributing to both the local radio station and Somervale School’s own radio service which will soon be launched.
Year 8 students, Amy Rogers, Daniel Chard and Ciaran Skinner and Ted
Slocombe, who is Year 10, received their certificates from former Chairman and B&NES Alderman, Bryan Chalker and Tracey Pike, who is the Operations Manager for Youth Connect. Bryan Chalker is a longstanding radio professional, who came to the West Country as a founder presenter on Bristol’s Radio West in 1981 and now presents for Somer Valley FM.
Tracey said: “It is great to see young people enthusiastically learning communications skills with Somer Valley FM, as they will be so useful to them – whatever they end up doing.”
Attending the meeting on behalf of BPB Accounting Solutions, Bev Iles, said: “This was a very informative evening. It was lovely to see young, local people receiving their awards for skills they have developed through working with Somer Valley FM.
It is clear that these programmes not only benefit the individuals, but also the wider area, as media skills are now essential in the business community.”
Somer Valley FM is currently training fifteen school students and aims to deliver at least twelve Skill-Me-Ups per year.