Nathan proved himself the Pride of Britain now he’s helping others get on the right track

Helping to inspire young people to make the right choices in life is a passion for Nathan James.

It is something that was ignited in the former Pride of Britain award winner after he was given the opportunity to turn his own life around.

Now heading up The Prince’s Trust Middlesbrough Team programme, delivered by the Education Training Collective (Etc.), his job will be to motivate young people, helping them discover their ambitions and future direction.

Having completed the course himself 16 years ago, while on day release from prison, he said: “Team was the start to the life I now have.”

Wanting to do for others what the programme helped do for him, he said: “I certainly found my calling.”

The 40-year-old, who is now a dad-of-three, has spent the last 15 years building a career working with youth charities and organisations, giving him the knowledge to better understand the issues young people face and develop the expertise to help tackle them.

Originally from Leeds, Nathan grew up in an area where he said gang violence and the drug culture were rife. Brought up by his grandmother, he explained: “I did try to find work and make my own way.” But in the end, he said, it seemed easier to “follow suit”, falling into a life of crime.

Jailed at 18 for armed robbery and again at 22 for drug dealing, it was while in prison the second time that he first heard of The Prince’s Trust.

Sharing a cell with a heroin addict, and witnessing first-hand the way it destroys lives, he recalled: “I knew within myself I wanted to change, but I didn’t know how.”

The Prince’s Trust Team programme offered the chance to discover his skills, see the positive impact he could be making, and give him the confidence to not fall back into old habits.

“It showed me I was able to have a voice, have a purpose and help people,” he said. “I discovered there is a choice in life.”

Less than a year after being released, Nathan received The Prince’s Trust Young Achiever award, presented by the then HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, Charles and Camilla, at the Pride of Britain Awards in 2010.

Seated among an audience of celebrities he was recognised for the effort he had made to transform his life and, as a youth worker, help others do the same.

Looking back, he described it as one of many “pinch yourself moments”, and there were lots more to come.

For him, perhaps the biggest of them all, was receiving the Bradford South Police Commander’s Award. After all, he said, nothing could be a “bigger reflection of my turnaround” than sitting in that room with 160 police officers.

Now to be appointed The Prince’s Trust Team leader role in Middlesbrough, Nathan described as truly coming full circle.

The 12-week personal development programme is available to those aged 16 to 25 and not currently in education, training or employment. By taking part in a series of activities and challenges, it is a chance to build employability skills, gain work experience, and achieve a qualification.

With the next Middlesbrough course due to start at Breckon Hill Community Centre on Monday (January 16), Team leader Nathan said: “I have experienced it from both sides, both as the young person and the tutor.

“I hope to be able to help as many young people as possible to find something they want to do, to find themselves and their passion.”

To find out more about the programme or to get involved call 07812 011742.

The Etc. delivers Prince’s Trust Team programmes in Middlesbrough, Stockton, Redcar, Darlington, Bishop Auckland and Catterick. All Teams have start dates in January, for details visit: www.stockton.ac.uk/princes-trust

Celebrating 25 years working with The Prince’s Trust

Award-winning teaching staff at the Education Training Collective are celebrating 25 years of changing young people’s lives as delivery partners of The Prince’s Trust.

To mark the occasion the team welcomed a host of special guests to a celebratory event, including The Prince’s Trust UK Chief Executive, Jonathan Townsend.

Jonathan Townsend, Jason Faulkner and Gillian Hutchinson

Hearing former students share their experiences of the programme in the Tees Valley, Jonathan said: “One of the things I have missed during the pandemic is hearing people’s real-life experiences of working with the Trust.

“To hear the stories of students today, so long after they completed the programme, and expressing the impact it has had on their lives, is so uplifting.”

Among those to share his story was 37-year-old Johnathon Gallagher from Middlesbrough. Joining the Team programme almost 20 years ago, he said: “All these years later the elements of the Team programme are still ingrained in my mind. The course is incredible and teaches you skills you need for life, something it is still doing for so many young people today.”

Johnathon Gallagher and Gillian Hutchinson

The Prince’s Trust Team programme is a personal development course available to unemployed young people aged 16 to 25. By taking part in a series of tasks and challenges, including an outdoor residential and work experience, they develop new life skills, self-esteem and direction. Approximately 80% of those young people go on to employment, further education or training.

It’s a formula that worked for Johnathon, who went on to become a Prince’s Trust Team leader himself with Stockton Riverside College, before moving on to a regional manager’s job with The Prince’s Trust in London.

These days Johnathon is the Head of Community Safety for the London Borough of Islington. His role is to tackle tough issues such as youth violence, counter terrorism, gang culture and violence against women and girls.

Joining the college’s Prince’s Trust anniversary celebrations, hosted at Redcar and Cleveland College as part of the Education Training Collective (Etc.), the Queen’s representative, Lord Lieutenant for County Durham, Sue Snowdon, said: “I am absolutely privileged to be here today and to join the celebrations of 25 years of The Prince’s Trust with the college group. To hear the personal stories is humbling but also inspirational. This is what The Prince’s Trust was designed to do and achieve.”

Redcar MP Jacob Young added: “It is fantastic to see and hear all of the amazing stories of people who have gone through The Prince’s Trust Team programme and it is great to now have that presence here in Redcar and Cleveland, supported by the college and the Etc.”

The Etc.’s Prince’s Trust team was named FE Team of the Year at the Pearson National Teaching Awards 2020. Finally able to officially celebrate at a sparkling event in London at the end of September, the group’s head of department for the Prince’s Trust, Gillian Hutchinson, said: “What a few weeks it has been. We are so proud of everything that has been achieved over the last 25 years.

“Every young person that we work with is different and that means that every programme is different. To be able to celebrate with former students who have gone on to achieve so much is incredible and quite emotional.”

Inspiring tutors bring home the gold

The remarkable efforts of an Etc. teaching team have been recognised on the national stage.

After months of waiting in the wings, this week the Prince’s Trust department got to officially celebrate being named the Pearson National Teaching Awards FE Team of the Year.

Invited to a glittering celebration at the London Marriott Hotel, the college group’s head of department for the Prince’s Trust, said: “It was an incredible event and we were proud and humbled to be a part of it.”

The National Teaching Awards are a celebration of exceptional teachers that recognise the life changing impact teachers, teaching assistants, head teachers and lecturers can have on young people’s lives. Just 14 gold awards are given out each year.

Working with unemployed young people aged 16 to 25, staff members from the Etc. Prince’s Trust Team regularly make a life changing impact on their students, helping to build their confidence and self-esteem and often seeing them move on to further education, training or employment.

Gillian said: “It is not always an easy job, but the rewards when you see the learners go on to achieve their goals are massive.”

For the team, which this week also celebrates 25 years of working in partnership with The Prince’s Trust, it is far more than just a job. Each member gives their endless support, enthusiasm and motivation to every young person.

Proud to bring one of the coveted titles to the Tees Valley, Gillian said: “This is fantastic not just for our team, our young people, our college group and the region, but also for all those further education workers who teach non-traditional learners.”

Winners were announced on BBC’s The One Show last year but the celebration event was put on hold due to the pandemic.

Etc. Prince’s Trust teaching team are pure gold!

When it comes to winning gold you want to shout it from the rooftops. And an award winning teaching team from the Education Training Collective (Etc.) did just that!

The Etc. Prince’s Trust tutors have been named Further Education Team of the Year at the Pearson National Teaching Awards 2020 – securing the gold prize in their category.

With Covid 19 safety measures putting the glittering award ceremony on hold, the team heard the news announced live on BBC’s The One Show.

“We can’t quite believe it, it still doesn’t feel real,” said the Etc.’s Prince’s Trust Head of Department Gillian Hutchinson. “There are so many amazing contenders, just to be among the finalists was a remarkable achievement.”

The Pearson National Teaching Awards are an annual celebration of exceptional teachers, recognising the life changing impact teachers, teaching assistants, head teachers and lecturers can have on young people’s lives.

The awards attracted thousands of applications, which the judges shortlisted into 76 silver winners and ultimately resulted in just 14 gold winners, announced over five nights during the popular teatime TV show.

The Etc. team delivers Prince’s Trust courses at Stockton Riverside College and Redcar and Cleveland College, as well as venues across the Tees Valley, Bishop Auckland and Catterick.

The programmes offer young people aged 16 to 25 the chance to develop their personal skills and motivation, to increase their chances of progressing on to education or work.

For the staff tasked with inspiring the young people, Gillian said: “It is not always an easy job, but the rewards, when you see the learners go on to achieve their own goals, can be massive.

“For the team it is far more than just a job, giving their time, enthusiasm and commitment to every young person.”

To be recognised and now titled a gold winner of one of the awards dubbed “the Oscars” of the education world, Gillian said: “It is fantastic not just for our team, our young people and our college group, but also for all those Further Education workers who teach non-traditional learners.”

The Etc.’s College Principal of Redcar and Cleveland College, Jason Faulkner, who started his own career with the group as a Prince’s Trust Team Leader, said: “We couldn’t be prouder of our Prince’s Trust Team, this is testament to their hard work, dedication and commitment to the young people that they work with.

“This isn’t just a job for our Prince’s Trust team, it is so much more. It is a vocation, one in which making a positive difference to the lives of young people is what they work tirelessly to achieve – and that, for me, is what FE is all about. Seeing potential and supporting the realisation of that potential, while being a key part of the local community.”

Etc. teaching team is going for gold

The Education Training Collective (Etc.) Prince’s Trust staff have been named Silver Award winners at a UK celebration of teaching dubbed “the Oscars” of the education world.

The teaching team has been recognised for their hard work and commitment helping to change young people’s lives.

Among those announced silver title winners in the Pearson National Teaching Awards, the Etc.’s head of department, Gillian Hutchinson, said: “This is fantastic recognition for the team and the work that they do.”

Working with those who may have become disengaged with education or somehow lost their direction along the way, the Etc.’s Prince’s Trust team helps young people to get back on track.

“It’s not always easy and the challenges can be huge,” said Gillian. “But there’s no greater reward than seeing the young people develop new skills, grow their inner confidence and accomplish things that often even surprise themselves.”

With hundreds of Prince’s Trust students moving successfully into employment, further education or training, Gillian said: “For the team it is far more than just a job, giving their time, enthusiasm and commitment to every young person in an effort to help them to achieve.”

Delivering courses at locations across the region, including Stockton Riverside College and Redcar and Cleveland College, the Etc. is one of the largest delivery providers of The Prince’s Trust programmes in England.

They have worked with thousands of young people, with many facing significant challenges in their personal lives.

Selected to receive a Silver Award, the team is now in the running for one of just 14 Gold Awards with the winners to be announced at a televised BBC UK ceremony later this year.

The Pearson National Teaching Awards is an annual celebration of exceptional teachers, recognising the life-changing impact exceptional teachers, teaching assistants, head teachers and lecturers can have on young people’s lives. This year marks the celebration’s 22nd year.

Rod Bristow, President of Pearson UK, said: Congratulations to all of our Silver Award winners for their commitment, dedication and passion for their work.

“It is so important to recognise and celebrate teachers, teaching assistants and lecturers for the impact they have on our young people.”

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “My warmest congratulations go to all this year’s Silver Award winners. They should be proud to receive this recognition of their commitment to the profession, and the outstanding education and guidance they provide for their students.”

Etc. college tutors shortlisted for education “Oscars”

Shining a national spotlight on their work, a Tees Valley teaching team has been shortlisted for an “Oscar” of the education world.

Transforming lives is part of the day job for the Education Training Collective (Etc.) tutors, who work in partnership with The Prince’s Trust to help inspire and motivate young people who might not otherwise step foot in a college.

Their efforts have now been recognised as the team has been shortlisted for a Silver Award in the Pearson National Teaching Awards for Further Education Team of the Year.

“We are over the moon,” said Gillian Hutchinson, who heads up the Prince’s Trust Teams at the college group, which delivers courses from Stockton Riverside College, Redcar and Cleveland College as well as locations in Middlesbrough, Darlington, Bishop Auckland and Catterick.

Working with some of the hardest to reach young people, aged 16 to 25, who may, for a whole host of reasons, have found themselves out of education, work or training, Gillian said: “There is no denying the team has a really tough job at times. They support our young people through the many challenges they may face on a day to day basis. They do it with dedication and enthusiasm and their commitment to the young people is endless.”

With the ability to engage learners who may have previously put up barriers to traditional education, the department head said: “With the right motivation and support, these young people can turn their lives around, and so often do.”

Many go on to vocational courses, start work, or take up further training or volunteering opportunities.

For the Etc. Team, Gillian said it is seeing that first spark of enthusiasm return that makes all of the hard work worthwhile.

She added: “It’s fantastic for the tutors, and also for other FE workers who teach non-traditional learners, to be recognised by the Pearson Awards.”

The Pearson National Teaching Awards is an annual celebration of exceptional teachers. If the team go on to be named among the Silver Award winners they will compete for one of just 14 Gold Awards announced at a televised BBC UK ceremony later in the year.

Steve Munby, Chair of the Teaching Awards Trust, said: “Congratulations to all of the amazing staff in the running to win a Silver Award. This is fair recognition of the outstanding job they are doing and their efforts in going well beyond their role to make sure their students get every chance in life. Now more than ever is the time to appreciate our teachers and the fantastic work they are doing.”