Community Learning Newsletter Making It Happen - Autumn 2021

West Berkshire Council sent this bulletin at 12-10-2021 03:39 PM BST

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Making It Happen - Autumn 2021 Focusing on Adult and Community Learning in West Berkshire

Welcome back!

After a year of Covid-19 disruption the community learning team is delighted to welcome all our providers, tutors and learners back for the new academic year. Thank you for all the work you've done to ensure community learning continues to deliver good quality courses across the district.

This year is one of looking forward and building on the things we have learnt and developed over the last 18 months. The lockdown brought a decline in face to face courses but a huge shift to on-line provision. We all became skilled in Teams and Zoom and the new style courses attracted a wider range of learners with younger, male and employed adults preferring a more flexible learning offer. On-line provision continues this year with self-employment workshops, ESOL and parenting courses being offered during the day and evening.

Many of the classroom based provision is returning which is particularly important to vulnerable learners such as those affected by domestic abuse, mental health challenges or have learning difficulties and disabilities.

In May this year we conducted a survey asking West Berkshire residents what sort of courses they wanted. The response was very positive with strong support for programmes to support employment, wellbeing, families and communities. This year’s community learning offer reflects the results of the survey which included an insight in to attitudes on pricing, location and local media to support promotion decisions. Further information on our provider’s plans for this year is included in this issue.

We look forward to catching up with all our colleagues over the next few months and do feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Mark Browne

School Improvement Adviser - Post 16

Alison Prudden

Principal Community Learning Officer

Alex Teixeira

Community Learning Officer

Charlotte Conway-Lusted

Community Learning Systems & Finance Officer

National Update

New Government Lead

Following the government re-shuffle in September the Secretary of State for Education is the Rt Hon. Nadhim Zahawi MP (pictured right) and the new Apprenticeships and Skills minister is Alex Burghart MP (pictured below).

Nadhim Zahawi

Community learning sits within the further education sector which is under the government’s apprenticeship and skills umbrella.

Alex Burghart

Local Update

New Community Learning Service Lead

Rose Carberry is the West Berkshire Council’s Acting Principal Adviser for School Improvement which covers schools and post 16 education (including community learning).

With over 30 years’ experience in education Rose initially trained and taught in Walsall before moving on to become Headteacher of Northleigh Primary School in Malvern and later Headteacher of Westlea Primary School in Swindon. She joined the Council’s School Improvement team in 2019 and is experienced in all aspects of education leadership.

Rose enjoys sports and being outside which she puts down to being a farmer’s daughter! She runs, cycles, plays golf and enjoys yoga although her main passion is her garden. She will happily “bore anyone who will sit and listen long enough, about my seeds, plant care and plans for next year’s growing!” Rose lives in a village just outside of Marlborough with her 13 year old son.”

You can contact Rose at Rose.Carberry1@westberks.gov.uk

Learner Achievement Awards 2021

The 18^th annual Learner Achievement Awards are now open to nominations.

With eight categories of awards there is plenty of scope to ensure learners, groups, volunteers and tutors are recognised for their achievements and contribution to West Berkshire adult learning. All types of courses are considered: apprenticeships, professional, academic, vocational and non-formal programmes that support families, wellbeing and communities.

Winners receive cash prizes and are invited to receive their award at a reception on Friday, 12^th November at Shaw House.

Louise Sugden, Paralympian bronze medallist at Tokyo, will present this year’s learner awards.

Nominations close at 5pm on Friday 15^th October.

Click here to make a nomination.

Provider update

Corn Exchange

The Corn Exchange in Newbury is excited to be running the fifth Wellbeing in the Family course this autumn. They are looking for parents/carers with children aged 4-11 years old who want support and encouragement in making their home life the happiest and healthiest it can be.

Sessions take place on Tuesday evenings in the Corn Exchange Learning Centre from 28^th September to 23^rd November with a break for half term. Parents/carers can self-refer or be referred by an organisation working to support families in West Berkshire. For more information or to download a referral form: www.cornexchangenew.com/wellbeinginthefamily

Newbury College

Newbury College is pleased to welcome the adult community back into college. They offer a range of courses to inspire, grow and encourage adult learners to develop new skills and expand on existing ones. As a college, they continue to evolve and create new courses and programmes, with the aim of providing opportunities for all.

Popular subjects returning this month include: Accounting and Bookkeeping • Acrylics for Beginners • Ballroom and Latin American Dance • Confidence Building • Creative Clay • Digital SLR Photography • Drawing and Painting • Drawing Techniques • Education and Training • French (Online only) • Floristry • Italian • Machine Sewing for Beginners • Maths and English • Plumbing • Spanish (online only)

The College offers professional qualifications to support both young people and adults to achieve the skills they need to succeed in their careers. They are also skilled in delivering a range of leisure programmes that provide valuable benefits to support wellbeing and mental health.

For more information, please follow the link below or call 01635 845000.

Back to College for adult learners (newbury-college.ac.uk)

PACT – Bounce Back 4 Kids

Community learning is working with the Council’s Supporting Families team to commission the Bounce Back 4 Kids (BB4K) programme.

Delivered by PACT, the BB4K’s course supports families affected by domestic abuse once the perpetrator of the abuse has left the family home. It is part of a therapeutic support service to assist families in healing from trauma. To be able to receive a therapeutic intervention, families must be physically safe and emotionally ready to access support.

Last year PACT developed the under 5s BB4K group programme which complements the existing BB4K provision by focusing on younger children with very specific age-related needs.

For more information email: bb4k@pactcharity.org / Website: www.bounceback4kids.org

Link Up

During the summer Link-Up delivered an exercise and fitness course to build on the exercise and activity skills learners had gained over lockdown. The aim of the course was to help them to understand the importance of keeping active and to introduce new sports that many learners had not previously experienced.

With visits to the Newbury bowling club in Victoria Park and tennis lessons with James from Ignition Tennis Ltd in Chieveley, the learners soon realised that keeping fit can be both healthy and fun.

Click here to find out more about Link Up and the services they provide to the community.

The Real Business Club

The Real Business Club will continue to deliver free on-line self-employment and business workshops in 2021-22. The courses are hugely popular with young and older adults and provide the knowledge to support new careers and new opportunities.

Positive feedback is always welcome and below are some of the comments from last year’s learners.

Start your own business

Learners found the handouts really useful - both in giving answers but also in being a resource that could be used “at leisure”

“Before the workshops I was so confused but the tax topic is now much clearer”

“I have much better ways to manage my time now”

“Thanks for demystifying the lot!"

Marketing for Business Owners

“I have better clarity on my USP - after years of not having it!”

“Getting helpful feedback from other learners was so valuable”

“Great to have the experts on websites and social media - I learned so many tips to apply”

Click here for more information or email: admin@therealbusinessclub.co.uk telephone: 0118 9680 813.

Creative Communities West Berkshire

Creative Communities is a new community learning provider that will be delivering courses in care settings and local community venues throughout 2021-22.

Launched earlier this year, the company is owned and run by local, experienced adult learning providers, Sarah Hemmings and Tanya Reid. Creative Communities will be focusing on using art and creative based courses to deliver positive learning opportunities aimed at the most vulnerable adults.

Click here for more information.

Tanya Reid

Managing Partner of Creative Communities West Berkshire

Tanya is a painter, potter and adult community teacher. Her background is Fine Art, which she studied at the Durban University of Technology in South Africa. Tanya moved to West Berkshire in 2012 and has a small studio where she works on her pottery and painting. She started her teaching in 2016 focusing on delivering creative based courses to vulnerable adults.

Tanya passionately believes that creativity is the key to an optimal life experience and has seen the benefits it can bring to people living with issues around mental health, dementia, special educational needs, physical barriers, and socio-economic disadvantages.

Sarah Hemmings

Managing Partner of Creative Communities West Berkshire

Sarah has worked in the adult education sector for over 12 years, as a teacher, an assessor, internal verifier and a department head. She is passionate about lifelong learning and has been privileged over the years to witness first-hand the difference it can make to someone’s life – regardless of their background or situation.

In her spare time she runs an online business selling a wide range of handmade crafts and enjoys exploring the beautiful local countryside with her husband and their dog, Odin.

Lifelong Learning Survey

In May 2021 the community learning team conducted a survey to investigate what type of lifelong learning is required across West Berkshire. Click here to find out more or you can download the results in table format.

Tutor Forum

This year’s tutor forum will be held on Friday, 3^rd December at Shaw House, Newbury.

The forum provides a unique opportunity for community learning tutors and providers to refresh their professional skills, gain an update on the community learning sector and develop links with other providers across the service.

Please contact the community learning team if you have any specific training requests that could be included in the programme.

Community Learning Partnership

The Community Learning Partnership brings together West Berkshire based learning providers and community organisations to provide a high quality, accessible, safe and varied community learning programme for adults and families across the district.

Members include adult and family learning providers, local apprenticeship and training organisations, funding bodies and local communities groups and services. The Community Learning Partnership is open to any organisation involved in the delivery of post 19 education and training within West Berkshire.

If you would like to become a member please complete the on-line registration form.

The next Partnership meeting will take place at 10am on Thursday, 11th November 2021 at Shaw House

Contact us

Community Learning Team
West Berkshire Council, West Street House, West Street, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 1BZ
Tel: 01635 519060.
e-mail: aclteam@westberks.gov.uk