Business Opportunities
Training opportunities
The following training opportunities are advertised on behalf of providers based in the Walker area. If you are interested in learning new skills, but cannot find a course to suit your needs, please contact us with details of the type of training you’re interested in, and we will try and help.
Introduction to Community Development
Wednesday February 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th and 3rd March 2010, 9.30am – 2.30pm, Byker Fire Station.
This course aims to give people more confidence and skills to be involved in their local community. It explores what community development is and how it tries to ‘bring about social change and justice'. The course leads to an Open College Network North East Region (OCNNER) Level 2 Introduction to Community Development qualification, with 3 credits. Topics include:
What is community development?
Understanding my community
How groups work
Problems within groups
How to plan & prioritise issues
Skills for representing my community
How to include different groups and people
Understanding and getting involved in partnerships
East End Community Development Alliance is offering this training free to volunteers, activists, management committee members and workers in the East End of Newcastle. Learners are expected to have had some experience of being active in their communities.
STEPS - Free Personal Development Training
The STEPS course is a personal development programme which encourages you to identify positive changes that you would like to make within your life and helps you look at setting goals and finding a way of achieving them. The course also helps you build your confidence and self esteem.
This course is FREE
To all east end residents and any member of a community or voluntary sector group which is based in the East End There will be 5 STEPS courses running over the next three months.
Please contact The Alliance for more information on 01912759477 or email enquiries@eastendalliance.org.uk
Job Club at Building Futures East
Did you know Building Futures East runs a Job Club every Friday from 10am - 12noon? No appointment is needed, you can just call in to discuss employment and training with staff from Building Futures East.
Building Futures East is based at Low Yard, White Street, Walker. NE6 3PJ or contact Melissa Egan 0191 2632752 or email melissa@buildingfutureseast.org
Square One - work experience, training and mentoring project
Square One is a work experience, training and mentoring project focussing on young people aged 16 - 25 in Walker which is being run by Building Futures East. Work placements will be varied and the young person will be matched to a work placement as closely as possible to their interests.
Square one is primarily aimed at placing young people who are NEET or at risk of being NEET with a 6 month work experience placement. The young person is paid £92 per week and the young person feels that they have a job. The work experience provider contributes a minimum of £1 an hour towards the costs of ‘employing’ the young person.
For more information call Melissa Egan, 0191 2632752 or email melissa@buildingfutureseast.org
See also attached information sheet and application form.
WATBus - Midas Mini Bus Training
Local charity WATBus Community Transport have just received extra funding from the Community Foundation.
WATBus manager Lynn Mcintosh said '' We are very grateful to the Community Foundation & sponsors. This will pay for 20 volunteers to have free driver or passenger assistant training on one of our minibuses. The training includes passenger safety, wheelchair hoist and clamping, updating driving skills and knowledge to drive up to 16 passengers in comfort. On completion a Midas certificate is issued and drivers can then drive a Watbus for their own group and benefit from group discount on minibus hire.''
WATBus have 18 volunteer drivers and 12 minibuses serving community groups throughout Northumberland, North Tyneside and Newcastle. Anyone interested in driving for their own club or group and obtaining free training, or sponsoring a bus should contact (01670) 522999 or email lynn.watbus@yahoo.co.uk
JET - Raising Aspirations
Eight JET (Jobs, Education and Training) clients recently completed the ‘Raising Aspirations’ programme, developed by Your Homes Newcastle in association with Building Futures East. This was a three week course offering taster workshops in areas such as construction and first aid, held at BFE’s premises on Walker Riverside. Five of those who complete the course have since gone back to BFE for further training and two have enrolled on an administration course. YHN Employment Initiatives Co-ordinator Brian Neill said it had been “…a very worthwhile programme, well attended by the JET client group, who benefited immensely. We look forward to working with this client group again in the future.”
JET work predominantly with people who speak English as a foreign language, and they offer outreach support from the Thomas Gaughan Centre on Monday’s between 10-1pm. For more information contact Khatoon Khan on 0191 2263 620.
Work Based Learning (WBL) based in Walker
WBL is a form of learning that concentrates on developing the vocational training and key skills that employers require. Young people can choose to follow programmes from E2E to Advanced Apprenticeships depending on their academic achievement or personal circumstances.
E2E is a programme for young people who are not yet ready for either an Apprenticeship or Further Education because of learning or social barriers or are still unsure about their career choice. E2E provides individual support to young people using a number of providers and agencies to develop employability and life skills in a real working environment.
Rathbone Training, based in Church Walk, offer courses in:
Customer Service, Child Care, Cosntruction (P&D Joinery), Motor Vehicle
Programme led Apprenticeship Level 2
Apprenticeship Level 2
Nacro, based on Welbeck Road, offer courses in
Motor vehicle, Child care, Animal care, Horse care
Programme led Apprenticeship Level 2
Apprenticeship (Level 2)
For further information about these courses visit www.rathboneuk.org, or www.nacro.org.uk, or contact Connexions on 0191 234 5566 or 0191 265 8164.
To find out more about Work Based Learning in Newcastle, contact Kath Roe on 0191 265 8164.
Basic IT / Work UK / Esol 4 Jobs
JET was formed in 2001 by the Newcastle City Council ESOL Service (English for Speakers of Other Languages). It is now a Charity in its own right and provides support to those from the ethnic community including the indigenous population, refugees, asylum seekers and some migrant communities. ET provides one to one advice and guidance, through its qualified Outreach Team, in particular to those looking for a route into training and employment. JET will manage the entire client journey from initial contact, to provide the necessary support to assist the client to overcome the multiple barriers that many from these communities face. As part of the Newcastle Futures partnership, this includes referral to additional support agencies and access to all of JET's own free training.
Basic ICT
Would you like to learn how to use a computer? Do you want to improve your IT skills and develop further? FREE use of our computers and guided lessons with one of our volunteers
Work UK
You will learn about: Improving your English skills, What a contract is, Flexible hours, Sick pay and holiday pay, Employees’ rights, Building Confidence, Work culture in the UK.
ESOL for Jobs
You will learn how to: Improve your English skills, Learn how to fill in application forms, Write letters, Develop Interview Techniques, Get Computer Training, Improve your Jobsearch Skills, Prepare a CV,Build Confidence,Meet Employers.
JET has regular outreach sessions in Walker:
- Monday, 10 – 1, Thomas Gaughan Centre
- Thursday, 11 – 1, Common Ground, Church Walk
If you are interested in any of the above courses please contact JET on 0191 2263620 admin@jetnorth.org.uk, or visit their website www.jetnorth.org.uk
Skills for Work
In small groups (max 6), Northern Learning Trust plan to run a number of ‘Skills for Work’ sessions, in convenient local venues. The aims of the sessions are to increase learner employability and improve the individual’s job search, application and interview technique.
Sessions can be flexible in venue, time and content, covering topics that could include:
Jobsearch, Letter writing and form filling, CV building, Interviews, Heartstart, IT Skills, Thinking Skills, Confidence Building, Assertiveness and Memory Skills.
Many of the topics above will also allow the learner to gain qualifications.
To be eligible for these FREE sessions, you must be: unwaged, aged 16+, a residents of Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead or Durham, and below Level 2 in English and/or Maths.
For more information contact Colin Laidler on 0191 212 5800, claidler@northernlearningtrust.org.uk