YOUNG people are being encouraged to build their leadership skills while running activities for children younger than themselves

The Active leaders scheme teaches young people how to run courses for children, in turn boosting their own skills.

Young people joined the one-week course at Cranford House in Wallingford – and is set to return and expand next year.

The programme seeks to empower young people to enjoy leadership activities, maintain an active lifestyle, gain workplace opportunities and acquire skills for life.

Successful trainees are given a reference by their trainer at the end, with a view to helping them in their first steps to employment.

It was set up by Penny Snowden, 57, from Sonning Common, south Oxfordshire, who said she first had the idea when her daughter completed her GCSEs and had a 10-week summer holiday with little physical activity.

She said: "I was frustrated at the lack of available cost-effective courses to suit this age group, so I set about putting together a week of practical experience in an interactive, social environment, with physical activity at the core.

"I wanted the trainees to have the chance of experiencing the widest benefits and opportunities offered by sport and activity – through a re-engagement and re-connection where they learnt almost by accident. Above all, I wanted them to have fun".

Mrs Snowden said the course answered a major problem for teenagers who lead less active and insular lives due to new technology. This has resulted in younger people struggling with the interpersonal skills demanded in the workplace, such as communication, leadership and the handling of responsibility, which the course claims to provide.

"Active Leaders combats this, teaching young people interpersonal and leadership skills, before helping them obtain work with the likes of Camp America," she said.

"I want to help young people on their journey from education to employment, give them something new to talk about and help them see how being active, and helping others to do so, is not only great fun, but is important to their future health, well-being and employability."

For more information about the training, visit activeleaders.co.uk