DBS Law Ltd

Bringing Law to Life

DBS Law teams up with the Prince’s Trust to give Birmingham youngsters a chance.

This summer we witnessed some disturbing events in our City. Young people from deprived inner city areas took to the streets for what some commentators have called an orgy of criminality and others a sickening indictment of our society that doesn’t care.

Whatever the reason for the riots it’s clear that the West Midlands has the highest unemployment of any region in the UK and the prognosis for our young people who are neither in work or training is all bad. With this in mind DBS Law looked for a way to help.

We teamed up with the Princes Trust to sponsor a twelve week development course for unemployed youngsters from the Solihull area.  MD at DBS Law Rob Bhol believes employers have a moral duty to stop young people from falling through the cracks of our society. “I left school at sixteen and was given the chance to train as a lawyer, that sort of opportunity just doesn’t exist anymore and many young people without the qualifications to go to university can easily get left behind.  As a successful business in Birmingham we feel an obligation to help those who otherwise could end up on the scrapheap,” said Rob.

It’s not just about the money either. DBS staff take an active part in the twelve course, attending classes, offering advice and joining in with the hard labour too.

The team members spend a week at a residential activity centre at Beaudesert Park Campsite in Cannock Wood to learn the importance of teamwork.  They take part in group problem solving challenges, learning to care for and motivate others.  In the evenings they work on their communication skills learning to put their opinion forward in discussion while respecting the views of other team members.

Later the group will raise money for a community improvement project which they choose and implement. The team DBS Law sponsor will be renovating a pond area at Coppice Junior School for the use of children with learning difficulties.  The course builds to a two week work placement for each participant. When it’s over most team members find a job or a place at college.

The course leader is seconded Police Officer Mark Cooke who says the effect of the course of every one of the team members is startling.  Mark said, “The members are transformed by the course, they start shy and inarticulate and lacking in confidence, they leave raring to go and succeed in a World they’re no longer afraid to face.

“I spent some of the night in August chasing what the media call hoodies around the streets of Birmingham. During the day I was helping a group of young people find a new direction.  The help of companies like DBS Law is invaluable to this project and it would be great if others would get involved.”

 

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