Celebrate ‘Park Stars’ creative achievements
Young people from across Loch Lomond and the Trossachs 
National Park attended a glitzy red-carpet awards ceremony on the 29th October 2015 at Cameron House to celebrate their creative achievements in the Skills Partnership’s Park Previews Project – to promote careers in the National Park.
During the past year, the Community Partnership’s (CP) Skills Partnership provided 20 pupils from Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh, Vale of Leven Academy, McLaren High in Callander and Balfron High with professional training in film-making as part of the Park Previews Project, which is funded by the Big Lottery’s Young Start and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority (LLTNPA).
The young people were trained by award-winning Scottish film company, Urbancroft Films who 
supported them to shoot five inspiring films about what it is like to work for some of the industries flourishing in the National Park.
The films were premièred at the event and can be viewed on our website, and will be distributed to schools throughout the area. Click on the link to see our Park Profiles – ‘Behind the Scenes’ filmed by Brandon Gray for a sneak preview. Martyn Robertson, Creative Director at Urbancroft Films said he was impressed by the creativity and energy of the young people and awarded certificates to the trainees. Seventeen year old Brandon Gray from the Vale of Leven Academy said:
“Park Previews has not only introduced us to businesses and careers in the Park, but it’s also trained a new generation of young film-makers. I’ve enjoyed everything about the experience and it’s helped me realise what I want to do in the future. I’m going in to my fifth year at school and my subject focus is media and business and then I hope to go on and study TV production at college and hope to a job in this sector in the future.”
Twelve local businesses offered advice and tours of their businesses, while local employers, Monachyle Mhor Hotel, Carrick Golf Club, Loch Lomond Homes & Garden Centre and Fraser C. Robb provided work experience placements to eight young people and presented Certificates of Achievement to the pupils. Jim Brown, Estates Manager from the Carrick Golf Club said:
“I offered Hermitage Academy students Sarah and Craig the opportunity to learn about grounds keeping at the Golf Club, and was really impressed by their enthusiasm and hard work – they were great ambassadors for the school. Work experience is a great way to learn new skills and to get an insight into the realities of employment – work experience really does work!”
Budding photographers, Haydon Cameron, Kathleen Grant and Adam Findlay from Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh were also honoured for their photography talents in a competition after receiving training from local business Paul Saunders Photography. First prize went to Olivia White from Hermitage Academy for her photograph promoting Hospitality and Catering, which judge, Stuart Cordner from Cruise Loch Lomond, said was of “exceptional professional quality”. LLTNPA Chief Executive, Gordon Watson, presented a prize to Brandon Gray for his photograph promoting the Environmental and Conservation sector.
Five winning photos were designed into eye-catching posters promoting local industry sectors and will be distributed to schools, job centres and youth groups in the area.
Rebecca Chad from Education Scotland spoke at the Park Stars event and outlined the ambition of the Scottish Government’s seven-year Youth Employment Strategy, Developing the Young Workforce, that education and employers will work closely together to equip all young people with the skills and knowledge they will need to flourish in work, and to support diversity in the workforce. She said the Park Previews Project was an “excellent example” of partnership work underway at a local level.
More than 100 guests including young people, teachers, employers, business representatives and skills practitioners from Skills Development Scotland and other support agencies attended the event. Thanks went to young musicians from McLaren High who entertained guests with live music and to more young film-makers from Hermitage Academy’s TV Club, who filmed the event.
Links for further information:
Developing the Young Workforce: Scotland’s Youth Employment Strategy: www.scotland.gov.uk
Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park: www.lochlomond-trossachs.org
Big Lottery Young Start: Big Lottery Young Start 
For more information about this event get in touch by giving us a call T: 01389 722 134 or drop us an email to: Fiona.jackson@lochlomond-trossachs.org or Fran.crumley@lochlomond-trossachs.org
