There were smiles, tears of pride and plenty of applause as six Project SEARCH graduates celebrated the end of an incredible year at a special graduation ceremony held at Burnley Mechanics.
Graduates, families, friends and supporters came together to mark the occasion and recognise everything the young people have achieved over the past 12 months.
Hosted by Employment Coach Maria Bolton and Tutor Sarah Moorhouse, the ceremony reflected on a year filled with personal growth, new experiences and increased confidence. Guests heard about some of the highlights from the programme, with many emotional moments as graduates looked back on just how far they had come.
A number of guest speakers joined the celebrations, including Sam Howarth, Director of Operations at Syncora, Carlie Johnson, Head of Division for Maths and English at Burnley College, Jason Faulkner, Principal at Burnley College, and Ring Stones Executive Director James Macaree, who presented awards to each graduate. The Mayor of Burnley was also among those in attendance.
One of the standout moments of the evening came when each graduate took to the stage to deliver their own speech. Speaking in front of a packed room of family, friends and colleagues, they reflected on their experiences, shared memories from the programme and thanked the people who had supported them along the way.
The room was filled with pride as guests listened to the graduates speak with confidence and enthusiasm about their journeys and future ambitions.
Following the ceremony, everyone had the chance to continue the celebrations over food and refreshments, sharing memories and congratulating the graduates on their success.
This year’s graduating class included Liam Johnson, Connor Cochrane, Louis Haworth, Michael Turner-Hartley, Louis Fairclough and Joseph Hindle.
Their graduation marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another, with each young person leaving Project SEARCH having developed valuable skills, greater independence and the confidence to take their next steps.
For everyone who attended, it was an occasion that perfectly captured what Project SEARCH is all about: creating opportunities, building confidence and celebrating achievement.
