A YOUTH centre in York is being given a facelift with the help of two local students - as part of a unique life skills course.

Burnholme Community College pupils Simon Flintoft and Cole Varley, both aged 15, picked up hammers and paintbrushes as part in the two-year programme of personal development, work experience and life skills.

As part of the programme, which has been specially adapted from the national Trident Skills For Life scheme, around 27 year ten and 11 pupils must undertake work experience, help out in the community and develop their life skills through a series of projects.

It aims to help build on skills and talents of pupils who do not want to follow an academic career, and ensure that they can find employment when they leave school.

This week the two boys were helping to refurbish the Burnholme Youth Club, which is on the school grounds in Bad Bargain Lane, with the help of Tang Hall area youth worker Mick Philips.

John Fletcher, head of careers and work experience at the school, said the scheme was only two years old but had already proved to be successful, as this project highlighted.

He said: "The pupils choose to do the course as an option in year nine, it's for those who want to follow an alternative curriculum.

"For the work experience part of Skills For Life we put them out within school time in a work environment , so they all tell me what sort of things they want to do and I try and make it happen for them.

"We have girls working in nurseries, a chap working in a garage or at the council's Foss Island depot.

"So we are supporting businesses and community links."

Mr Fletcher said the course had not all been plain sailing but he was confident the skills learned would prove vital for many youngsters.

He said: "We have had some problems with it, some pupils didn't get right through the work experience and we have had a couple drop out of it, but on the whole it's been enjoyed and they have built up an awful lot of skills and certificates that they otherwise would not have been able to."

Updated: 11:25 Friday, February 08, 2002