When plans were announced for the £3 million Foyer Project for young people in West Bowling, Bradford, people living in the neighbourhood feared the worst. They worried the place would be a magnet for young offenders, or worse, drug addicts. But the scheme has proved a success with the first generation of students due to 'graduate' soon. Sarah Walsh reports.

THE TYPICAL Foyer student is ambitious," explains Rosemary Lawrence - boss of the West Bowling project.

"They want to achieve. They want to be part of that whole consumer race. They want spending power - and they know the way to have that is to have work."

Mrs Lawrence, director of the project, is visibly proud of her students.

And there's some great success stories among the youngsters who have formed the first intake at the Bradford Foyer Project, which opened in 1997.

Like the young man who landed a job with the international IT giants Anderson Consulting. Or Eddie, the Internet web page designer. Or two students who are hoping to join the police force.

The striking modern buildings just off Manchester Road in Bradford house flats for young people aged 16 to 25, whose placements depend on them agreeing to knuckle down to education and training.

"Doing nothing is not an option here," Mrs Lawrence emphasises.

"Anybody who thinks coming here is an easy way to pick up a nice flat finds this is the wrong place - and it doesn't take them five minutes to figure it out."

The idea of Foyer Projects is not widely known or understood which led to local people getting the wrong end of the stick when plans were first mooted, Mrs Lawrence believes.

"There was a lot of outrage from the local community who thought it would be a bail hostel, full of people involved with drugs," she recalls.

In fact the Foyer has a campus feel. There is a strict no drugs policy and young people with convictions for violence are banned.

"We have a very strict zero tolerance policy on drugs," she says. "The young people themselves want a place that's safe and secure. Some have lived previously in environments where they have even seen friends die, or drugs have been a big issue in their family. They see the Foyer as a safe environment and our job is to maintain that."

The main aim of the Foyer Project is to offer a second chance to young people lacking qualifications.

Foyer students have - for a variety of reasons - left school with no qualifications; dropped out of college courses; or their education has suffered due to a disrupted home life or being in the care system.

Lacking support or any 'career structure' these young people tend to drift in and out of temporary jobs in catering or building.

"They hit the age of 20 and they're no further on - they're not getting anywhere," Mrs Lawrence says.

"They are in and out of the black economy - short term contract work, it gives them a bit of money but no future."

Once at the Foyer Project the youngsters get decent, modern, supported lodgings and must sign up to an intensive training plan. This can range from basic literacy and numeracy and food hygiene courses to more sophisticated IT training, work placements, and help with job applications and interviews.

The Bradford Foyer broke new ground by signing a compact with the University of Bradford which has led to new opportunities for Foyer students to hold National Union of Students cards and work towards a university qualification.

"The link with the university has raised the expectations and aspirations of our young people," says Mrs Lawrence. "Some are on courses there, they are able to say 'I'm at the university, I have passed a module,' they have got a Student Union card and it's very important to them.

"Our students have never been pushed, they have never had any structure, they respond really well and succeed once you put a structure around them," she enthuses. "What they do want to do is succeed."

The next six months in the life of Bradford Foyer is crucial. The bulk of the first intake of students will come to the end of their two year stints and will need help moving on to their own homes and jobs.

Some are already well on the way: Foyer graduates have become nurses, hope to join the Army or the police, or go on to further training. Six have firm jobs lined up including one student who is training to be a chef.

The project has many friends in local industry through its links with the city's five Rotary Clubs. Rotarians have been involved with conducting mock interviews with jobseeking students and offering advice on CVs. Marks & Spencer have even donated interview shirts and ties.

Staff are working closely with housing associations - especially Brunel Housing which is a partner in the scheme - to identify suitable housing for its graduates.

"Our relationship with housing associations will be very important," says Mrs Lawrence.

"If the only option for our young people proves to be a flat in a really bad part of town, we haven't achieved anything, we are sending them back to the same environment they came from."

One year ago Eddie was on the streets. Now he's a hi-tech wizard

Just over a year ago Eddie Dalladay was living on the streets.

When the 19 year old arrived at the Foyer Project, he didn't even know how to switch a computer on. But thanks to support and guidance from project staff, he discovered he had a great aptitude for IT.

One of the Foyer Project's many success stories, he's now looking for a lucrative job as a website designer.

The only problem for his tutors has been finding him work placements that are sophisticated enough for his talents.

"We are finding it difficult to find an IT training placement for him," says Foyer director Rosemary Lawrence. "Everywhere we send him to, they say he's too far in advance... he's now designing web pages for the Foyer Federation nationally and the Basic Skills Agency have asked one or two Foyer students to design their web pages."

Clutching a new mobile phone, Eddie is upbeat about his prospects and matter-of-fact about his former life as a homeless person.

"I came out of the care system at the age of 18 and lived on the streets, until I found this place," he said. "What did I used to do? I begged and slept, begged and slept."

He's now got an interview coming up for a £300 a week job with a local firm who are looking for a web designer/programmer.

"This place has taught me how to use a computer - I couldn't turn them on until I came here, I had never been on a computer in my entire life," he said.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.