AN INNOVATIVE new training course has been organised to give unemployed Redbridge youngsters the skills they need to succeed.

Young people from across the borough who are neither in employment or education will get the chance to improve their employability by having a go at physical theatre and film-making as part of the Creative Skills in the Gateway Project.

The scheme, which has been jointly organised by Redbridge Council, Barking and Dagenham Council, The Film Company and Scarebeus Theatre will teach 26 people from the borough a wide range of creative and interpersonal skills to help improve their job prospects.

The project, which will also involve 26 youngsters from Barking and Dagenham, has been paid for with £47,000 worth of funding from the 2012 London Cultural Skills Fund, and will see 28 people taking part in the theatre course and 24 having a go at film-making.

A council spokeswoman said: "The Creative Skills in the Gateway Project aims to provide skills development and employment support to young people aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training living in Redbridge and Barking and Dagenham.

"The course is free to those eligible. There is a choice of two courses either Physical Theatre and Ariel Arts led by Scarebeus Theatre or a film and documentary making project led by the Film Company.

"The Physical Theatre and Aerial Arts project will teach up to 28 eligible young people, 14 in each Borough, aerial skills in harnesses and cocoons suspended from the ceiling. The programme will offer up to 20 sessions of aerial arts and physical theatre training.

"Running alongside the course will be an eight week intensive film and documentary making training programme for up to 24 NEET young people, 12 in each Borough. They will also produce a documentary film of the aerial arts project and create a short training DVD, 'The Secret to Successfully Applying for a Job' , which can be made available to schools, colleges, youth centres, employment and training establishments.

"Both workshops aim to teach young people a range of skills including interpersonal, artistic and creative skills, decision-making, project management, time management and good communication skills, all of which are transferable to other industries.

"Two taster sessions take place on Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 January and the courses start in the first week of February but if there are available spaces, eligible young people can join later in the course.

"To register in Redbridge or for more information, email: Arts&Events@redbridge.gov.uk."