Awards all round at new Centre Stage

Awards all round at new Centre Stage

A unique Sefton drama company for people from across the borough with support needs staged a special celebration event this week to salute the success of its members on a linked college course.

New Centre Stage held the certificate presentation ceremony to mark the achievements of 15 group members who have successfully completed the first 12 months of the two-year St Helens College course, the Certificate in Skills for Further Learning and Employment,

The event was held in the studio theatre at the Netherton HQ of the group which is run by Sefton’s leading adult social care provider, New Directions.

The flexible Open Awards-accredited course has been using drama as the basis of a range of activities designed to help students acquire useful new life and work skills.

Group members are encouraged to set a number of individual goals to boost their personal awareness, health and wellbeing, self-confidence and self-esteem.

The aim is that over time the course will have a very positive effect in terms of students’ personal development, social skills and employability.

The parents and carers of the students were also invited to the presentation ceremony which included a short talk from course tutor Paula Butler, and was followed by afternoon tea.

Commenting on the event New Centre Stage Advanced Care Worker, Vicky Bennett, said: “The group members involved have been very enthusiastic about this course and have worked really hard to achieve their success.

“I am sure they will find the new skills they have learned extremely useful in the future. In the meantime, they are now keen to build on what they have achieved so far in the second half of the course.”

New Centre Stage has built up an impressive track record of successful productions of hit musicals including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Grease, Scrooge, Mamma Mia and – most recently – The Wizard of Oz earlier this year.