Galloway Glens Scheme interns hold pre-Christmas gathering

Young people who have benefitted from an internship programme held a gathering in the run up to Christmas.

The Galloway Glens Scheme has so far helped 11 people with work experience roles as it bids to encourage them to see their working future in the region.

And five of them recently got together to share experiences and meet each other.

They were previous and current Galloway Fisheries Trust interns Dan Pollard and Alyx Rhodes, Phoenix Lord, an apprentice with Carsphairn Community Woodland, CatStrand intern Phoebe Watt and Better Lives Partnership intern Thomas McClure.

Galloway Glens education and community engagement officer, Jan Hogarth, said: “It was brilliant to have this group come together to share their experiences with each other. What came through very strongly was how the internship had helped them develop the skills and knowledge they needed to go from college or university into industry.

“Also, it was very clear from the session that the employers who are hosting the internships couldn’t have been more supportive of the young person they had taken on, providing training and industry specific mentoring to build confidence so the young people could make the most of future employment opportunities.”

Galloway Glens team leader, McNabb Laurie, added: “The main beneficiaries of our Galloway employment projects are obviously the young people themselves, but it is much wider than that. The employers often benefit from hosting these roles, and we all benefit from an increased understanding of this topic.

“We are now approaching a dozen of these roles supported – a number which might not seem earth-shatteringly large but is significant in our rural region.

“We have learned that the decisions behind whether a young person plans their career in Galloway are personal and complex.

“They should not be simplified to precise location, age or skillset.

“It really is a case of working to secure as many of these roles as possible, using our relationship-led approach with employers.

“This provides the most benefit, while working to challenge the perception that as a young person you either have to leave Dumfries and Galloway – or that you should not seek to return.”