Waterworks Programme

A longstanding objective of the Trust has been to establish the Waterworks Education Programme for young people aged 14 to 19. Some progress has now been made and research is being undertaken to create a viable way forward. A small grant has been awarded to the Trust by the Youth Council of Three Rivers District Council for the scheme.

Waterworks will be built around a number of modules that will include the National Community Boats Association (NCBA) Training Courses. This will enable us to award national certificates to successful students and make use of RWT as an accredited NCBA Training Centre. One of the key themes of the programme will be to emphasise the value of volunteering as well as working as part of a team. Another feature of the programme will be the personal tuition that many students will receive while undertaking the courses.

It is hoped to have the basic research for Waterworks completed by the end of 2009 with some pilot courses operating during the early part of 2010. The whole programme will require a different fee and funding structure to Learning at the Lock while introducing more teenagers to RWT and the canal environment.

In constructing the Waterworks programme the Trustees will be working closely with Three Rivers District Council to meet the requirements of their Strategic Plan for young people. We will also consult other agencies and educational bodies so that Waterworks meets the appropriate requirements of a range of young people. If successful, Waterworks will greatly enhance the educational work of the Trust and raise our profile in the local area and beyond.

Geoff Greenhough (Trustee) November 2009