A SOCIAL initiative to get men back into work by learning personal development through rugby starts in Clacks next month.

School of Hard Knocks, a social inclusion charity running a free course for unemployed men from Clacks at the Alloa Rugby Club, starts on September 7.

The course will take place every Tuesday and Wednesday for eight weeks, with transport paid for and two hot meals per day also included.

Mark Shanks, who attended a School of Hard Knocks programme when he was unemployed, will be running the Alloa course and said it helped his mental health in a huge way.

He said: “I had been looking after my mother for quite a while; she had health problems.

“She unfortunately passed away so I had to go back out into the environment and was going to the job centre.

“I was sending CVs away and hearing nothing back so my confidence was rock bottom.

“I was drifting away into a [bad] routine.”

On one visit to the job centre, a School of Hard Knocks representative gave Mark a flyer and he noticed a difference in himself after deciding to give it a go.

He continued: “They improved my fitness, my confidence and I started getting back into a positive routine.

“My mental health was definitely getting better, I wasn’t so down all the time.”

Mark then went to college for a sports coaching and development HND.

“I was actually confident at the interview,” he said. “[I] got into the course, passed the course and got my qualification.

“If it wasn’t for School of Hard Knocks I wouldn’t have had that drive to go into further education.”

The course has been fully funded by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT).

CRT’s Sean Laird said: “The Coalfields Regeneration Trust are delighted to be able to launch our employability programme in partnership with SoHK.

“The course specifically aimed at coalfield communities, many of which lack employment opportunities and have fewer qualifications since the pit closures, aims to develop both individuals personal and employability skills through physical and classroom based sessions.

“We have no doubt anyone who attends will take something away from the programme and be able to build on this whether this be developing personal skills, gaining a qualification or finding employment off the back of the course.”

The School of Hard Knocks is also holding two informative events at Alloa Rugby Club.

One takes place today, August 25, and the next is September 1. Both events begin at 1.30pm.

Anyone who is interested in joining the course can contact Rosanna at rosa@schoolofhardknocks.org.uk or on 07825 918106 for more information.