STANDING up for injustices and trying to right a few wrongs was the sub-plot to one of the most famous historical adventure stories ever written.

And while the context of the Alexandre Dumas classic may not have stretched to isolation and mental health issues, his 17th century Three Musketeer heroes did draw their swords on the way the divided French society of the time was causing deprivation and unemployment.

Roll forward almost 400 years to the Scottish Borders and our very own Athos, Aramis and Porthos are staging their slightly smaller, but no less significant, fight against the way modern society is casting aside so many.

Every year in the Borders, dozens of youngsters find the end of their education road is a place with little in the way of prospects, confidence or optimism.

For many teenagers the future stretches no further than their bedroom walls and benefits, if they are old enough.

That’s where our own Three Musketeers are stepping in.

And over the past 18 months Scott Wight, Mark Timmins and Grant Pringle have helped 121 of those young people from across our rural region rediscover themselves and embark on a new journey.

Earlier this month their Works+ charity held its first awards celebration to mark the initial year-and-a-half of making a difference in the Borders.

While similar projects operate all over the country, there is something a bit different about Works+.

They may not ride around the countryside with feathered-hats or rapiers, but they do take a rather unconventional approach to righting the wrongs of the world – and it works.

During the first 18 months of Works+ a total of 96 percent of all young people who walked through their Focus Centre doors in Galashiels have gone on to ‘positive outcomes’ of employment, training courses or further education – the national average for similar projects across Scotland is just over 30 percent.

Works+ trustee Allan Doyle told the recent awards celebration: “Works+ does amazing things for so many young people who fall away from the traditional path of education.

“They unlock their potential and help each and every young person help themselves.”

While all of the participants of their bespoke and at times off-the-wall 10-week programmes still have to undertake CV writing, interview practice and other employment skills, the boring bits are interspersed with making music videos, planting trees, creating beach sculptures, designing and constructing paths and bridges, cooking pizzas, woodworking or national arts projects.

And many of them also study for, and pass, Adult Achievement Awards during their short stay at the Focus Centre.

Matthew Rogan from Selkirk first walked into Works+ in July as a disillusioned 17-year-old.

Just five months on he is now in full-time paid employment with Innerleithen-based Bike Punks.

Matthew told us: “I didn’t have any idea what I was going to do when I left school – I just knew that I wanted to leave.

“I’ve never really had any confidence and I was doing nothing.

“My life changed when I went to Works+. They helped me an awful lot.

“Through them I got the confidence and skills to get a placement with Bike Punks, and from that I now have a one-year paid contract.

“I love being at work and earning a proper wage – this wouldn’t have happened without Works+.”

During the recent awards ceremony at the MacArts in Galashiels, a series of films were shown demonstrating many of the issues the young people face when they arrived at Works+.

The short videos also highlighted many of the success stories and the partnership projects which have been undertaken during the first 18 months.

The three Works+ Ambassadors, Grant, Mark and Scott, also handed out certificates to many local companies and organisations who have financially helped the cogs of the charity continue turning.

And thank-yous were also offered to the growing army of volunteers who support their project.

But the evening was all about the young people who have been transformed by their sessions.

The Works+ Team of the Year award was presented to the Bowhill Bridge Builders.

Leah Page, Aaron Leonard, Scotty Wight and Glenn McCrum spent a couple of weeks, along with the Grant, planning and constructing a footway bridge on the picturesque estate near Selkirk.

And all four of the young builders are now in either employment or on college courses.

The Young Person of the Year Award was won by Clare Bridges from Newtown St Boswells.

The 24-year-old suffered from both anxiety and Borderline Personality Disorder when she first embarked on the Works+ course.

By the end of her time with Grant, Scott and Mark she had entered a television broadcasting competition, going on to be named as the regional winner and her mental-health report was even aired on ITV.

Ahead of presenting the award Grant said: “We have never worked with someone who grabbed every opportunity that was presented to them like Clare did.

“She is truly an inspiration.”

An emotional Clare told us: “I feel like crying, I’m so happy to be the first person to have won this award.

“I was so anxious when I first went to Works+ as I’ve always doubted myself.

“I always wanted to be a broadcast journalist but I couldn’t even speak to people on the phone because I was so anxious, and I thought there’s no way this could be the career for me.

“But Works+ mentored me and they introduced me to a lot of people.

“It was amazing to do my report for television and even more amazing to have it aired.

“I went from having absolutely no confidence to being on television a few months later.”

Works+ is open to all 16-to-24-year-olds in the Scottish Borders.

And as a famous French novelist once said, they are very much ‘one for all, and all for one’.