ELEVEN young people who have completed a special sports project aimed at re-igniting their interest in education will be awarded certificates at a presentation next Tuesday. July 15

The annual Sports Project presentation is taking place at the Epic leisure centre to acknowledge the hard work put in by the 15 and 16-year-olds who have taken part in the scheme.

The project is an alternative education programme that uses sport as a tool to engage young people who are at risk of exclusion or who have already been excluded from mainstream education.

Sport is used as a way of giving the young people a fresh approach to their studies, as well as targeting other issues they might be facing.

This year’s participants completed a heart start course and a DISC (Drug Intervention Service Cheshire) workshop.

The students have been working hard to complete their Sport and Fitness ASDAN qualification (Award Scheme Development Accreditation Network) since September 2007.

This culminates in them being assessed on their participation in a 60-hour activity programme and production of a folder of work.

The young people studied rugby as their focus sport, and did work on sports injuries and physiology.

Participants were referred from Ellesmere Port Specialist School of Performing Arts, Cheshire Oaks Specialist Sports College, Capenhurst Grange and the Education Support Team.

Each referring agency was involved in the planning and development of the programme.

Michelle Aspden, the borough council’s youth sport development officer, said: “All the young people, families, agencies and schools should be exceptionally proud of the work that has taken place over the last academic year. The young people have not only received qualifications, but also developed their personal and social skills.”

Aaron Snow, a student at Ellesmere Port Specialist School of Performing Arts, said: “I met lots of new people and got to learn to play rugby. We all had a chance to use the gym and the instructor helped us make a routine.”