Trent Bridge is to be the venue this week for the final of a scheme which is designed to identify anti-social awareness problems and develop with solutions.

The Social Awareness Youth Enterprise Scheme in Nottingham has been driven by Victoria Centre, in partnership with Crime Concern, and has involved young people from Bulwell.

They have been working in groups alongside business mentors and the problems being tackled could be anything from drinking and drug abuse to vandalism and theft.

The young people have developed some innovative and creative ideas to combat the problems and these will hopefully be adopted in their area.

Lisa Widdowson, Project Leader at Bulwell Youth Inclusion Project said: “It’s been amazing how each of the groups have really taken this challenge on board.

“They all want their solutions to go forward and be adopted by the community and they all want to win the accolade of ‘best idea’. The enthusiasm and commitment has been absolutely brilliant.

“The final event at Trent Bridge will be a celebration of everything they have achieved through this project, and ideas, enterprise, team work, individual endeavour and overall best idea will be rewarded.”

Paul Francis, General Manager of the Victoria Centre and Chair of the project said: “The fact that these young people can make a difference in their community means such a lot to them.

“And although the rewards on the night will be welcomed, there is a bigger opportunity that many of the young people are aiming for, and that’s the chance to be taken on for paid work and training by a Nottingham business.

“This is what is exciting them the most as they realise this could be an incredible experience which will be relevant to their future employment.”

The ‘Breakthrough Apprenticeships’ offer paid work over a short period of time to those members of the project who have shown the most commitment, enthusiasm and enterprise.

Many of the young people taking part have previously had little motivation to pursue a career, and this is often coupled with poor academic achievement, leading many to have low aspirations when it comes to their future career prospects.

A number of companies are offering a Breakthrough Apprenticeship and these include: Eversheds, Galleries of Justice, House of Fraser, John Lewis, Carter & Carter, Hoofers Gym and Integral UK.

The winners of the Breakthrough Apprenticeships, along with winners in other categories, will be announced on Thursday July 12 in the Derek Randall Suite at Trent Bridge.