Snap Tin Café in Goldthorpe are providing young volunteers with the opportunity to learn vocational skills as part of a scheme funded by the Barnsley Chronicle Stronger Together grant scheme.

Funding of £1,000 provides work experience opportunities through placements for young people in the Dearne area who have recently successfully completed reparation programmes.

The young people who have been referred to Remedi in Barnsley are given the opportunity to access supported work experience by working voluntarily in The Snap Tin Community Café.

Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner visited the café on Wednesday, 2 May.

He said: “This is an excellent idea to help young people gain some important skills that can equip them for working life.  Not everybody is academically minded and many will leave school without the qualifications that will help them gain work.

“By offering work experience at the café, these young people are being trusted and are learning mathematical skills, cooking skills and find out where food comes from and how it is prepared safely.

“This scheme shows how if young people are offered the opportunity to learn these skills, they will come along and enjoy the experience and come away with food safety qualifications that will help them in the future.”

The Snap Tin Café is located in The Factory on Barnburgh Lane in Goldthorpe.  The community café runs a number of activities throughout the week which include ukulele sessions, crafting sessions, breakfast club for nursery children and they work with a diverse range of people with learning difficulties.

Jane and Anita of The Snap Tin Cafe said: “The funding has enabled us to work with several young people so far. We believe that we have provided worthwhile training experiences.

“One of the attendees really rose to the challenge and continued to attend as a volunteer after her sessions were completed.”

The Stronger Together grant scheme is administered by The Barnsley Chronicle on behalf of the Police and Crime Commissioner to enable small community groups to apply for funding in the Barnsley area.