A mentoring school for young men has received a $5,000 donation from the Argus Group.

Impact Mentoring Academy, a full-time school for boys aged 11 to 18, is a registered charity with a mission to empower boys so that they can graduate into “productive citizens”.

According to a press release, the Argus donation will help to support the school’s Trades Programme, an initiative that offers students the opportunity to train under professionals across various industries in an effort to prepare them for the workforce.

The Trades Programme includes a landscaping component that teaches students through hands-on lessons in a garden in Flatts, a hospitality offering in partnership with Bermuda Hospitality Institute that culminates in the catering, presentation of a three-course dinner for parents and the school’s donors, and an HVAC component in partnership with Air Care that teaches the students about air conditioning and the jobs available in the technical, mechanical and engineering field.

The Argus donation will cover the cost of travel, tools and equipment for the effective operation of the programme.

Chris Crumpler, executive director at Impact Mentoring Academy, said: “Unlocking potential and releasing destiny is our school’s motto and the Trades Programme is a key part of doing this.

“Our goal goes further than offering our students an experience, instead we strive to find what it is each young man is passionate about in an effort to help cultivate the skills that will help him succeed both in work and in life. I would like to thank Argus for their donation to Impact Mentoring Academy; their contribution helps us train and mentor our young men into well-rounded future leaders of the community.”

Lauren Bell, executive vice-president of Life & Pensions at the Argus Group, said: “I commend Impact Mentoring Academy for offering their students real-world practical experience.

“Argus is proud to sponsor their Trades Programme, an excellent teaching model that will grow the boys’ confidence, introduce them to professionals in a number of fields and perhaps even spark a lifelong passion.

“At Argus, we understand that young people are our future and to support them in their endeavours is to invest in the success of Bermuda.”