THE community dug deep to fund classroom renovations for the Armidale BackTrack program which opened last Wednesday.
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BackTrack helps disadvantaged young people with education, community support and assistance getting into the workforce.
BackTrack founder and manager Bernie Shakeshaft said the new classroom was a huge improvement.
“We have been sitting down in the cold, empty dirty shed and have had the Rotary Club, Community Mutual and the community partnership grant coming together and putting it together has been fantastic,” he said.
The Rotary Club of Armidale contributed $50,000 along with $20,000 from the NSW government.
Mr Shakeshaft, rotary members, Education Minister Adrian Picolli, local MP Adam Marshall and Armidale High School principal Anne Matley were at the opening.
“It is very important, some students are at great risk of not finishing school and those boys in particular that are in the original program, can come here and they can still complete their HSC and generally have a school based traineeship as well,” Mrs Matley said.
Mr Picolli said the BackTrack initiative was delivering impressive results.
“I commend the work being done by the co-ordinators, the volunteers and, most of all, the students,” Mr Piccoli said.
