mdingwall
Administrator
The Rangers Charity Foundation is delighted to announce that it has successfully delivered 1,000 SQA Awards, helping people of all ages to changes their lives for the better.
In August of 2017 the Foundation achieved Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) centre status, meaning that it has been able to deliver SQA qualifications to hundreds of people via an enormous variety of community programmes focussing on education and employment. For many candidates, these are the first qualifications they have gained.
Since achieving SQA centre status, the Foundation has continued to accelerate towards this landmark milestone each year, delivering 224 qualifications last year alone.
The Foundation’s first SQA Award was delivered to a pupil from St Paul’s High School, and it is fitting that the 1,000th Award was also awarded to a pupil from the same school. St Paul’s was the first school to sign up to the Foundation’s pioneering Wider Achievement programme.
Through Wider Achievement the Foundation works with a variety of schools to support pupils who may not be engaging optimally but could benefit from a different learning environment which sees pupils come to Ibrox for one day a week for a school term and in total 20 groups from 19 different schools are now signed up.
Fourth year pupil, Aaron Weir, was the recipient of the award number 1,000 and he was delighted to be receiving his qualification.
He said:
“It’s a bit mad knowing that I’m number 1,000 but it also makes me feel lucky too.”
“Having these new qualifications is a big boost for me because it can help me get a job a lot quicker than I thought. I find it a lot more comfortable learning at Ibrox and there’s more freedom in the way you learn and that’s really good.”
“One hundred percent I’d recommend coming here because you learn and get qualifications that can really help you going forward.”
It’s not just Wider Achievement participants who have benefited from SQA qualifications. Other courses also offer opportunities to gain qualifications. For example, the CashBack for Communities – Towards New Futures programme sees young people aged 16-24 who have been or are in danger of being involved in the criminal justice system, gain certifications and awards that can encourage them into a more positive destination.
Other programmes have also benefitted adults and over the years, various courses aimed at adults such as Ready For Employment and Ready For Employment 50+ have seen numerous attendees enhance their CV’s and gain employment after acquiring qualifications.
Rangers Charity Foundation Community Programmes Manager, Jamie Duncanson said:
“We are thrilled to reach the landmark of 1,000 awards being achieved through our SQA centre status and looking ahead, we are projecting to deliver over 250 more awards this coming season.”
“With the Foundation becoming an SQA approved centre in 2017, it allowed for current programmes to be enhanced and new ones to be developed which has supported so many young people and adults in relation to gaining accredited qualifications.”
Remarking on the successful delivery of award 1,000, Foundation Chief Executive, Connal Cochrane said:
“It is a real testament to our dedicated staff and partners that the Foundation has been able to reach this significant milestone in the five-year period since gaining SQA centre status."
"That has allowed us to make large strides in the delivery of our education and employment focused community programmes and presented us with further opportunities to continue to improve the lives of so many young people and adults who may not otherwise have been able to gain these qualifications.”
