Mark R, you are to be commended for what you are doing - good luck to you and your colleagues.
However, I would re-iterate what a couple have already said, having spent 14yrs in the trade (Police/HEMS).
None of your 'graduates' will get a job in this industry. It is very important they grasp this. To become one of the above, pilots need a wealth of flying experience garnered over many many years and many thousands of hours. There IS NO SHORT CUT.
Provided your candidates are fully aware that this is the case - no-one will get hurt in the making of their futures.
What they should benefit from is a leg up into the industry in general. I know of a paramedic who sold his house to get started with NIL hours and got picked up by the oil industry flying offshore with a CPL(IR)[Just short of £100,000 it cost him). So it could happen.
MOST 'self helpers' end up doing FI jobs on an ad hoc basis and waiting to clock up hrs becoming more attractive to the bigger players.
Phil the drill, it is essential you brief your brother about this before he takes off down that road.
To ALL "injured" wannabee pilots - your first visit is to an AME to check out if the injury will prevent the issuing of a Class 1 medical for aviation activities in the commercial world. GOOD LUCK