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The Foundation’s current Cashback programme is well underway with candidates enjoying a practical session last week from one of our industry partners, Timpsons.

Participant Kai said: “I found it quite fun. I learned how to take a watch apart before reassembling it. I thought it would be more complex than it was, I actually found it quite easy which was a surprise to me and I think it’s a career route I could explore in the future but in the meantime, its good to know I can fix a watch!”

The CashBack for Communities ‘Towards New Futures’ programme aims to re-engage young people with current or past convictions and help them move towards a more positive future including working, training or further education.

Participants improve their physical and mental health by taking part in accredited fitness and coaching sessions and a mental health first aid course. The initiative includes a variety of formal and industry recognised awards (including utilising the Foundation’s SQA Centre status), vocational work experience and the development of core skills which will greatly enhance their employment prospects and CVs.

 Mikey Thorogood from Timpson’s said: “We are here to show what type of work we do and what services we provide as well as give the young people an idea of the career paths they can choose from.

“I started at Timpson’s when I was 19 and before then I never had thought of pursuing a career at a place like this either. It’s a career that any of the young people could follow and make a job for life if they chose to do so.

“It was good to see a few of them in the workshop picking it up quite quickly. It can be tricky dealing with the watches but none of them gave up and everyone gave it a go and you can’t ask for any more than that.

“At a young age it can be difficult to know what career routes are open to you and with workshops like this we put the word out that this is a realistic route to good employment. It doesn’t necessarily have to be with us but gives the young people a different idea of the types of roles that they could pursue.”

Rangers Charity Foundation’s CashBack Coordinator Zander Carruth added: “It was great to have Rab and Mikey from Timpson’s here at the Ibrox Community Complex delivering their workshop to the latest Cashback group. Timpson’s, as one of our industry partners often provide the young people here with opportunities that they didn’t realise that were open to them.

We hope that taking part in today’s workshop will provide the motivation and encouragement to our Cashback participants to pursue career routes like this and others once their course has concluded. Thanks to Rab and Mikey from Timpson’s for coming in and we greatly appreciate their time.”

More information about the Rangers Charity Foundation’s CashBack For Communities Programme and how to get in touch.