Young Devon – which has a branch in Newton Abbot – is ending its basic skills training in September after its main funding provider had to pull out.

For the last 10 years the training in English, maths and life skills has been transforming the prospects of post-16 year olds who had left school with no qualifications.

Young Devon – a registered charity - said it has a 95 per cent success rate in getting young people into vocational training and work.

The courses cost about £2,000 per young person, while the cost of someone claiming unemployment and housing benefits for 10 years can reach ten times that amount.

But now Weston College, which had been sub-contracting Young Devon to provide the training, has had to end the arrangement.

Young Devon’s chief executive Andrew Moreman said: “Weston are no longer in a position to continue, and none of our colleges are able to pick it up despite us having a really good relationship with them, and them also being sad to see the work finish.”

He said the timing of the funding loss could hardly be worse, coming shortly after the Government’s Milburn Review revealed that nationally, around a million young people are currently not in education, employment or training.

“We know the need is greater than ever. We have waiting lists of young people who tell us they have tried every other option and that our support is their best chance to get unstuck.”

“We won’t pretend this announcement doesn’t come with a lot of emotion - frustration and sadness are definitely among them - but this situation comes without any blame.

“Funding is hard to find, and many of our partners have done everything they can to support us.

“This does not mean we are stopping our commitment to helping young people develop the skills they need to succeed.”

He emphasised that the change affects only Young Devon’s post-16 education courses: “Our other work – mental health, homelessness prevention, hospital support, victims of crime, domestic abuse support, supported accommodation - carries on.”

“But the closure of courses is a loss for us because we recognise young people are holistic, complex human beings and we try to support them wherever they need the help.”

In Newton Abbot, that help is now being provided from a new-look centre. This week Young Devon celebrated the relaunch of its Youth Enquiry Service in Market Street.

The site was formerly known as The Change Academy, but has now been officially renamed and refurbished to provide a better drop-in space for young people to access counseling, advice, and group sessions.

It was opened by the MP for Newton Abbot, Martin Wrigley, on Tuesday, June 23.

He said: “This is an amazing space and one that I hope will provide advice and encouragement for young people in the area for years to come.I will always lend my support to initiatives designed to help and enable people, especially our younger generations.”