A GROUP of hardworking young 16 - 25 year-olds have spent the past fortnight repainting a youth centre to benefit others.

Twelve unemployed teens and young people, who make up Poole Team 32, of the Prince’s Trust programme, chose the Embassy Youth Centre, on Brassey Road, as the deserving cause to help.

Over the last two weeks, they have thought up designs, colours and different ways to decorate the youth centre’s main hall and artroom, before it was unveiled yesterday to the people who use the building.

Tania Mandall, Team Leader, said: “The Prince’s Trust programme involves the young people doing community work, team work and learning the things needed for employment.”

She added: “They get referred by the Job Centre or by their youth workers as all the young people are unemployed, and then they take part in the 12-week programme.

Tania says that generally they have more people wanting to do the course than they have places available, so next year there will be 12 Prince’s Trust programmes in Dorset taking place throughout the year.

“This team started on 24 September, and the first week they did team building, in the second week we went to Dartmoor, and in the third we did community fundraising, then we’ve been in here for the past two.

“Then next week, we are doing work place skills and then for the two weeks after, the young people go out on work placement.

“I believe that, nationally, three out of four people who do the Prince’s Trust programme end up in employment or apprenticeships.

“It is surprising what friendships they make and they are all very keen and work really hard.”

Vijay Balli, 21, is one person enrolled on the course.

He said: “We have redecorated the upstairs art room with Pacman and cartoon characters, which is good.

He added: “We’ve also painted the main room, which I think looks a lot more colourful, vibrant and uplifting.

“We had three different places that we could help within the community and we chose this one because it is a youth centre, so it would benefit young people and the future generations of people to come to the centre.

“Particularly at a time when there is a recession on, when perhaps more young people will come and use this.

“It is the best, most awesome thing to do.”