A charity that helps troubled teenagers turn their lives around is hoping to expand so it can double the number of youngsters it works with.
Frontiers, an outdoor education group running activities for disadvantaged young people, is looking for a third site in Oxfordshire to allow it to cater for more youngsters who have been excluded from school or have struggled in mainstream education.
It already has a centre on the outskirts of Oxford, near Farmoor, and another near Pangbourne, south Oxfordshire, but is now hoping to find a site in west Oxfordshire with at least two acres of open space and access to 10 acres of woodland.
This would allow the charity, which was launched three years ago, to take on children from schools in west Oxfordshire.
Youngsters take part in activities such as bushcraft, building, carpentry and catering to help build their self confidence with a view to them eventually rejoining classes at school.
James Schumann, a spokesman for Frontiers, said: "Up until now, the majority of pupils involved have been aged 14 to 16, but it isn't always easy to get students this age to re-engage so we are now expanding to work with younger children.
"Our aim is to work with them earlier on — halting a downward spiral — and work with schools to provide a programme to bring them back on track before it is too late."
A pilot scheme involving 30 Year Eight and Nine pupils from The Cherwell School, in North Oxford, has already proven to be a great success.
The charity has been working with up to 1,000 students a year, but currently only has the capacity to enrol about 60 youngsters on its core programme, which sees pupils spend three or four days a week following the Frontiers curriculum.
A third site would allow at least another 60 children to enrol on its main programme.
Mr Schumann said: "To further expand this programme we are seeking new staff and another site to take on younger children.
"The site would be a blank canvas for students to create their own area for learning.
"Students are usually caught up in negative behaviours which don't get them what they want — throughout the curriculum we coach them beyond these attitudes, helping them find better alternatives."
To find out more about Frontiers, see the website frontiers.uk.net or call 0118 984 2500.
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