Children in Wales is piloting an initiative which supports projects to help vulnerable young people develop skills that are essential to their future. The Life Routes project, funded by Nokia Make a Connection, is being piloted until June 2009. It is the equivalent of the successful project in England.

Life Routes works with youth organisations to help vulnerable young people to gain skills that they may have missed out on during childhood. This could include:

• Young people who are, or who are at the risk of becoming disengaged from education, employment or training
• Young carers
• Young people in care
• Young people in rural or economically deprived areas

Participation is central to the project with young people identifying, developing and running a project on the topic of their own choice. They also record and evidence their own learning. By leading the projects they develop a number of life skills essential to their future:

• Team work
• Communication skills
• Problem solving
• Decision making
• Taking responsibility

Life Routes is designed to be a highly flexible project and enables young people to choose their own project, and to develop it in their group how they want and when they meet. It’s also designed to have as few forms as possible for both practitioners and young people to complete.

Children in Wales is now looking for new projects to take part in the Life Routes project. An FAQ sheet with more information about the pilot project is available to download, and more information is available on the Life Routes website, and the young people’s blog. Please contact Ed Janes (Ed.Janes@childreninwales.org.uk) if you are interested or would like more information.