Ex-Para to drop in on trouble spot with a deal to set young straight
In his new role as an entrepreneur, he’s helping young people stay on the right side of the law. As a result of his efforts, our streets will become safer and fewer youngsters will follow a life of crime.
Mr Reynolds left the Army in 2009, and since then, he’s been delivering outdoor fitness classes and running military style corrective training courses through his private company.
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Hide AdHe said yesterday: “The latter have now been swept up by my social enterprise Conamur, which means ‘We Endeavour’ in latin.”
Doncaster-based Conamur has secured cash from the European Social Fund (ESF) to carry out a contrcat with Luton Borough Council.
Mr Reynolds said: “We’ll be delivering an employment support programme for 19 to 29-year-olds who are at risk of slipping into gang culture and lawlessness. Our success will be dictated by us reaching 40 participants over 12 months; with 12 of them achieving sustainable paid employment. Our last programme had a 94 per cent success rate, so we hope this will be achievable.
“It’s just a shame we have to travel two hours south to deliver this project, as there is certainly a need for this sort of programme closer to home.”
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Hide AdConamur’s other director is Dave Cooke, a former regular Army major in the Royal Military Police.
Mr Reynolds said; “He left the Army in June 2013 and now serves as a reserve army major in the same regiment. We share the same passion for helping mis-directed young people realise they are capable of more than disruptive behaviour. Ultimately, we want them to contribute to society by getting a job and being a good citizen.
“In addition to the Luton project, we also have a full time programme starting after Easter. This Doncaster-based project deals with excluded pupils. Our last project in Doncaster was with Danum Academy. We achieved a 93 per cent success rate there, by raising the aspiration of the pupils we coached in order for them to re-engage with normal study.
“These pupils were at risk of exclusion, and on their last warning.”