ROUTE 4/NEW PATHS
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Making it happen

Derbyshire County Council's Community Economic Development team linked with Shirebrook Secondary School to develop pilot project Route 4 for pupils on the verge of exclusion. A student at risk of being excluded has worked at Creswell Crags for the academic year 2005/06 one day per week instead of attending school.

Jim and one of the participants

The museum's Heritage Learning Officer has managed this pilot project. One of the Creswell Crags wardens has acted as a mentor to the student, providing direct one to one support. The student reports back to school every week.

Creswell Crags is now preparing funding applications to develop the work under the working title New Paths, as they have been approached by other organisations to repeat the project, but currently have insufficient capacity. If this bid is successful, the site hopes to host 6 students in total and to introduce a wider range of skills (for example ICT and presentation skills). New Paths could also draw from a wider catchment across the limestone landscape area, depending on the response locally.

How it was done

The funding for the pilot project, Route 4, was from Derbyshire County Council's Community Economic Development Team, which has a base in Bolsover. Creswell Crags is approaching various funding streams for New Paths. The new project would aim to build partnerships with more schools, Connexions and other organisations such as local history groups.