Jurby’s recently opened BMX track is proving to be a hit with local youngsters and their parents. The new track is the fruit of a unique partnership between local teenagers, The Children’s Centre, and Friends Provident International, working together under the The Leadership in the Community (LinC) scheme. Leadership in the Community (LinC), which is run by The Children’s Centre and funded by Friends Provident International helps local people gain the skills they need to become future community leaders. Jurby teenagers who took part in first Young LinC scheme last summer identified the need to revamp and revitalize an old BMX track which had fallen into disrepair. Nine months of hard work in the design and planning – plus generating local impetus and support for the project – followed and the result is a fantastic new facility for the Jurby area, plus a lot of useful experience gained by the young people involved. Talking about the project, Janet Bailey, Head of Community Services at The Children’s Centre, said, “Young LinC is a very practical course which encourages young people to gain experience of the challenges of making things happen in their local community. Every project in the scheme involves learning lots skills, and helps youngsters to value themselves and understand that they too have a stake in the community.” The new track was opened by Jonathan Hall, Friends Provident International General Manager, who said, ‘“This project demonstrates exactly why Friends Provident International has been so keen to support the LinC programme. It is a great example of people using the skills they have acquired on the programme to make a tangible difference in their own community. It was great to see the pride which the children took in the achievements. A lesson to us all.” The LinC programme for adults began in 2008 to promote community involvement and is a 12-week part-time course which teaches leadership skills to volunteers who wish to make a contribution to benefit their own community. It is wholly funded by Friends Provident International and graduates from the LinC programme often go on to join existing community groups or set up new ones. There will be a Young LinC course on offer in Peel over the summer holidays. For more information contact Janet Bailey on 843762 or 432437 or by emailing janet@thechildrenscentre.org.im - ENDS -