Bath Rugby Foundation Re-Launch Award-Winning HITZ Programme

The award winning HITZ programme tackles some of the greatest challenges facing young people today ? unemployment, crime and disillusionment.

Delivered nationally by Premiership Rugby and funded by national partners Barclays, Comic Relief, Land Rover and Wooden Spoon, HITZ uses rugby to increase young people’s resilience, self-reliance and confidence. 

It gives them the skills to get back into education, vocational training, apprenticeships and employment.  HITZ gives those with no hope new hope.  (www.HITZrugby.com)

Bath HITZ will be delivered locally by Bath Rugby Foundation, an independent charity which aims to enhance the lives of children and young people in the local area through sport, and education provider Prospect Training Services.

Stephen Barber, Bath HITZ Officer, said, “I’m really pleased that, in conjunction with Prospect Training Services, we are able to roll-out the next phase of the HITZ project in Bath.  On the new course we will be looking to get 40 young people through the project each year and onto some positive progression routes, whether that is paid work, apprenticeships or higher education. The young people will be with us for a five day course for approximately 34 weeks.  Three days a week they will be based at the Rec doing a mixture of sporting activities, including rugby and gym sessions, alongside educational, functional and life skills designed to help them find work.  The other two days of the week will be dedicated to work placements, with each learner allocated a relevant local placement with the aim of boosting their chances of finding work in the long term”.

Attending the re-launch at the Bath Rugby Recreational ground were industry leaders working with young people in the local community, including representatives of Avon & Somerset Police, Project 28 and Learning Partnership West.  Throughout the morning they had the opportunity to learn more about the aims of the HITZ programme and the types of activities available locally.