President’s Award for Luke

Merthyr Tydfil College/ University of Glamorgan
01 March 2006

Luke Sayce, a Skillbuild trainee at Merthyr Tydfil College, University of Glamorgan has been awarded The President’s (Princess Royal President of Crime Concern UK) Award for Volunteering 2006.

The award is a great achievement for the 16 year old who left school at just 13 to attend Options to finish his education. The Options Programme is designed to help young people who find education difficult in a formal environment.

Luke from Galon Uchaf says, ‘I didn’t really like school and I found it really hard to learn there.’

At Options Luke gained skills in I.T. maths and English. He left the programme last summer and enrolled on Work Based Learning at Merthyr Tydfil College where he was found a work placement at the Youth Inclusion Project in the Gurnos Estate.

‘I love the placement,’ Luke says, ‘It has completely changed my attitude and now the only fights I get into are at Taekwondo competitions!’

Luke began training in the martial art two years ago and has won a few awards. He says, ‘Taekwondo makes me feel good about myself. It has raised my self esteem.’

Luke thinks the change in his behaviour can be traced back to the discipline of training and also the support from staff at the Youth Inclusion Project and Work Based Learning.

He says, ‘I now want to help people, especially young people. I see my old attitude in some of them and just want to help them.’ He says the Youth Inclusion Project is an excellent way to help young people because it is way to help keep them off the streets and out of crime.

Luke wants to continue working with the project and hopefully help young people. ‘I realise I can be an example to them, a good role model. If I can change, anybody can.’