Bulletin 22 October 2009

After-School Study Programme & Young Writers Club at Millin Centre, Benwell
After-School Study Programme
Exam preparation Maths, English, Sciences
GCSE & A-level
Help with Homework and Assignments
One-to-One tuition in other subjects can be arranged
Tutors are student volunteers from the University of Newcastle & Northumbria
(all involved have been CRB-checked)

Starting Monday 28th September 2009
Every Monday & Wednesday 5:30-7:00p.m.

Young Writer’s Club
For children & young people (8 – 13 years)
Write your own short story
Improve your English writing skills
Run by student volunteers from the University of Newcastle & Northumbria (all have been CRB-checked)

Starting Monday 28th September 2009
Every Monday & Wednesday 5:30-7:00 p.m.

At the Millin Centre, 160-4 Ellesmere Road, Benwell, NE4 8TR
0191/2725115 or Caroline Afolabi on 07930469198

Contribution of £1.50 per session

Community Grants in the North East
The Learn North East Community Grants Programme will provide grants of up to £12000 to small, third sector voluntary and community organisations to engage with local communities to deliver a range of skills and employment support activities. Grants will also be available to assist organisations to build their own capactiyy and to enhance their services to support local residents.

For an application pack contact: Hartlepool Adult Education, Municipal Buildings, Upper Church Street, Hartlepool, TS24 7EQ Tel: 01429 868616, Fax: 01429 891673 Email: adult.education@hartlepool.gov.uk

Available to organisations in the following local authority areas:
Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees and Sunderland

From Non-Formal Education to Living Learning
Generating valuable learning experiences within youth in action
11 to 16 January 2010 – De Glind – netherlands
This training is a response to the need for a better understanding and better use of “non-formal” education activities in the framework of the Youth In Action Programme.

In this training we want to focus on Living Learning (the positive synonym for non-formal learning), explore how young people and youthworkers learn through Youth in Action projects and optimize the learning process. Some of the questions we set out to answer are:
•    How can these activities be better prepared and carried out in order to achieve the highest learning outcomes and the biggest impact?
•    How can we support learning from new, unusual and not anticipated situations?
•    How can we create situations in which the participants feel that their desire to learn and their burning questions are valued?

This training will also explore the impact of living learning and its importance in our fast changing world.

For more information contact Selina at the Unit.

The North East Child Poverty Coalition

In the North East, an estimated 165,000 children are living below the poverty line.  Too many families are facing a daily struggle to ensure their children have the opportunities to reach their full potential.  At a time when the government, with cross-party support, has committed to eradicate child poverty by 2020 our current position should give us real cause for concern. The Child Poverty Bill places a duty on all local public bodies to have regard to child poverty when exercising their functions. This will require all local authorities and local partners to understand their role in tackling child poverty and to take this into account in planning and carrying out their mainstream activities.

In recognition of the scale and scope of the problem a regional coalition has already been established. This group is drawn from across all parts of the public sector, the unions, third sector and key interest groups[i]. This group will lead and champion our vision of taking this region from one of the worst places for large numbers of children to grow up to one of the best.

Local authorities across the region have identified child poverty as a priority for action and there is strong political commitment as shown through the Association of North East Councils Task and Finish Group. Reducing the multi-dimensional impact that child poverty has on the region’s families requires the alignment of both social and economic strategies, which this broad based coalition can help to facilitate.

The coalition has three long-term goals:

• Reducing the numbers of families with children whose incomes fall below the level  where an acceptable quality of life is possible;
• Developing interventions to reduce the broader impact of poor incomes and material deprivation on children’s well-being in terms of health, housing, education and environment;
• Ensuring those families and children who are experiencing the negative impacts of poverty are supported to undo the damage and build resilience.

A North East Child Poverty Champion and Coordinator[ii] have been appointed to engage with national and regional leaders and decision makers to raise awareness and understanding of child poverty in the region. They are working closely with the coalition to identify and promote the key activities needed to reduce and eventually eradicate child poverty in the North East.

[i] Current membership: Association of North East Councils, Children England, Directors of Children’s Services, Durham University, Government Office for the North East, Homes and Community Agency, Jobcentre Plus, Learning and Skills Council Tyne and Wear, National Energy Action, Newcastle City Council (Child Poverty Beacon), Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, ONE North East, Public Health North East, TUC, Schools North East.

[ii] North East Child Poverty Champion – Sue Stirling; North East Child Poverty Coordinator – Carol Nevison