Project Medusa launches Motor Vehicle Workshop at Coop Bebington Academy

Project Medusa has teamed up with the Coop Academy Bebington to open its first motor vehicle workshop for students.

The workshop, funded through the Project Medusa, has been established to offer some students the chance to complete vocational and apprenticeship courses, keeping them in full time education, working towards the goal of employment.

Project Medusa is a Merseyside-led initiative set up to tackle County Lines drug dealing and child criminal exploitation.

Detective Superintendent Andy O’Connor said: “We recognise there is more than one way of tackling serious and organised crime and alongside enforcement, partnership work and education is key.

“We are proud to partner with the Coop Academy Bebington to offer these young people a structured and accredited option to learn a skill that could lead to full-time employment.”

He added: “We want to be able to give young people the chance to get a qualification, but also the opportunity to gain some self-esteem and in some cases, give them the chance to make a different decision in their lives, which we hope will lead them along a better path.”

A spokesperson from Coop Bebington Academy said: "With the support of Project Medusa, we have been able to provide this initiative, to teach our students valuable, practical and life skills. The resilience and self-confidence they have developed will be essential as they journey their way through early adult life and beyond. Our dream is the students will continue with their studies through apprenticeships and into full-time employment."