A scheme to improve the appearance of Sheffield’s roads and pavements while helping young people find employment has been praised as a success.

The Environmental Stewardship scheme saw Sheffield City Council pair up with engineering company Amey to help young people not in education or employment to find a pathway into work.

The scheme spanned a 12 week period and saw six young people spend alternative days working and a further day with a ‘lifelong learning and skills team’ to complete English and Maths work.

Scott Ford, a Community Services Officer at Sheffield City Council, said: “You have more of a sense of pride when you’re working in your own area and this is an essential thing for a service like this.”

To date, the team has carried out 126 pieces of work across, Beighton, Birley, Mosborough, and Woodhouse.

There have been many positive outcomes of this scheme so far, with jobs including clearance of fly tipping, litter picking, cutting back overgrown garage sites, supporting local environmental voluntary groups and work on cemetery’s and shrubbery.

Councillor Gail Smith, Chair of the South East Local Area Committee said it was a good opportunity for young people who are not in education.

She said: “I think this is important to mention as we are giving them purpose, so that is a fantastic job.”

A particularly successful project was the clearance of shrubbery outside a house on Badger Road, in Woodhouse, where the owners both had dementia and just wanted to be able to see the outside of the property and into their garden.

Due to the nature, of the scheme, the shrubbery could be re-attended to if it began to grow back.

Mr Ford said: “It is a significant scheme because it improves peoples physical and mental health.”

The young people involved with this programme, get to work alongside the LAC, The Safer Neighbourhoods Team and Police to ensure safe and aesthetically pleasing improvements.

The council said outcomes of the scheme include improved satisfaction from residents and has even resulted in employment within the council as well as Amey.

Councillor Karen McGowan, who represents Birley, said: “This is some fantastic work, they are brilliant young people.”