A CHARITY focussed on delivering early intervention life-skill programmes is introducing a new digital toolkit to help young people struggling to find work.

The Jon Egging Trust, formed in memory of pilot Jon Egging who died while completing a display at the Bournemouth Air Festival in 2011, is calling for change for young people.

The new digital toolkit, ‘JET Inspired,’ is the first series of films and resources which have been developed in partnership with the Red Arrows and licensed by the Ministry of Defence to help young people to re-engage with education and learn key emotional skills.

JET’s area director for the south, Allie Hack said: “Working with young people who have experienced challenges and difficulties in their young lives shows that often their response is to keep things safe.

“Where they have experienced trauma or events which have damaged their self-belief and confidence, young people do not want to push themselves to experience events that might further set them back.

“Opportunities pass them by, they don’t see themselves as candidates for positions of responsibility and yet often they are extremely resilient individuals. Our programmes allow such young people to reach higher, see the value in their views and invest in their own ambitions.”

JET wants to see more emphasis placed on providing the emotional toolkits in schools.

Bethany, now aged 19, took part in JET’s Blue Skies Programme from 2013-2016 and found it an experience that has helped shape her decisions.

JET CEO Dr Emma Egging said: “Bethany was selected for one of JET’s intensive programmes from 2013-2016 because she had low self-esteem, wasn’t sure what she wanted to do after school and was disengaging from learning as a result.

“When I spoke to Bethany last week she had just finished a four hour shift at Sainsbury’s, followed by a five hour shift at Lloyds Bank. She explained that despite working six days a week and doing some really unsocial hours, she was happy to be in employment when so many of her friends have lost their jobs.”

Bethany added: “

Life isn’t easy for young people nowadays, there is always pressure to study but also to work and to build a life for yourself. Young people need support because these are hard decisions to make and they are stressful and now we are in a pandemic.”

To support JET’s Emergency Appeal please visit https://www.joneggingtrust.org.uk/donate/