The new Big Lottery funded partnership project between ng homes and School of Hard Knocks provides personal development courses for people who feel they require support or advice to take positive steps forward in their lives.

During the course, participants learn a new contact sport, get qualifications, take part in a number of fun activities, and get support to take steps towards finding paid or voluntary work, go to college, or other positive destinations.

Pitstops will be running male and female courses over the next three years in north Glasgow. The first Pitstops course is targeted at unemployed males and will run on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for eight weeks from the start of May 2016. The course will include rugby coaching, fitness training and both personal development and employability support.

The course uses learning from recent School of Hard Knocks and ng homes courses run in the area, which have helped support a number of people to gain qualifications, find work, go to college, start volunteering and get fit.

Andy Meharry took part in the first rugby course in north Glasgow back in 2013. He has been in work ever since and has given a great deal of his time back to support new courses.

Andy said: “Taking part was life changing for me. I got back into work, made friends for life and have been involved with (the charity) for years now. If you’re unemployed and looking to change your life – sign up, you won’t regret it.”

Possilpark resident, Paul Richardson, took part in the local course last summer. After finishing the course, Paul gained a ground maintenance position with ng2 – the subsidiary company of ng homes.

Paul said: “Best decision I’ve made in a long time. The course helped me take back control of my life. I met some inspirational people and made great friends. I’m also now working for ng2.”