Lancashire Adult Learning College

Community Learning

Newsletter January 2016 Welcome I hope the start to the New Year has been enjoyable and successful for everyone. I know our re-inspection will be a high priority for you all, but I am very confident,

particularly since our last monitoring visit, that we are ready to show what we are achieving daily across Lancashire. My thanks go to you all for your professionalism and exceptional commitment to the development of our College in recent months.

This January newsletter is an inspiring read, and is further evidence of the breadth of our reach and activities. I encourage you all to share your own experiences in future editions so we can all gain new knowledge and ideas for the

future. Amanda Melton Very best wishes, Amanda LALC Principal

Family learning course deemed a huge

success! Family l earning fun…

A group of learners attending The Family Learning team have so much an accredited family learning fun engaging parents and children in learning together. course in Morecambe have shown true commitment and

dedication to the 10 week long course.

Through all the challenges that come with being full-time parents of young children, the group have remained truly focused.

Each week they have produced work to support their

portfolio of evidence, and have thrown themselves into each of their classes. Families at Park Primary School in Colne have enjoyed completing a Spaghetti As a result of attending the course one learner has Challenge. They were set the task of secured a role as a welfare assistant in a primary school designing and then building the tallest for three days a week. Another, who started the course as tower possible using just a handful of a very resistant learner, has now developed her spaghetti and four marshmallows. The communication skills and is able to converse fully with the tallest tower was an impressive 39cm tall! teacher and the group. This has also improved her ability to relate better with her baby. Janette Covell – Establishment Teacher: Wider Family Learning Denise Watson - Establishment Teacher: Wider Family Learning

Safeguarding, Welfare and Advice Team

News from over the festive season… Cri me Reduction Initiatives (CRI) Spreading joy with staff advent calendar During December, staff teams took it in turns to open the inspire… staff 'Advent Calendar' to reveal goodies to share with CRI are a leading charity their teams. This proved a huge success. providing free treatment and Golden Bauble award support to vulnerable people The Community Learning Development facing addiction, homelessness Officers Team won the coveted and domestic abuse. They Golden Bauble award after their excellent provide a variety of services and training interpretation of a 50% Ofsted off sale courses to their service users. They have a was judged by Amanda Melton to be the large group of volunteers that have come best dressed office. Congratulations to this team. through the service and are now putting their Raising funds on Christmas Jumper Day skills back into the service. Lancashire Adult On 18 th December, staff participated in the national 'Text Learning College will deliver a number of Santa' Christmas Jumper Day – raising £54.75 for training courses that CRI are unable to Macmillan Cancer Support, Make a WishUK and Save provide. Volunteers and service users will the Children. benefit from courses including First Aid, Food The next charity event will be Sport Relief on 18 th Safety, Befriending, Counselling and March. More information will be available shortly. Confidence Building.

Forthcoming events Jill Hirst – Community Learning Development For those of you able and willing to attend – the following Officer exercise classes are running at Lancashire College:

• Yoga: Mondays, 5.45-6.45pm

• C25K: Tuesdays, 5.15pm – meet in reception Learn My Way We are continuing to • Zumba: Wednesdays, 5.15-6.00pm support Lancashire Lyn Butcher – Team Leader Welfare, Safeguarding & Advice Libraries to deliver Learn My Way courses Additional Learning Support across the county. So far this year Lancashire Additional Learning Support is being provided to learners Libraries and LALC have helped more than across the county in many community venues. Over the 800 people improve their online skills past term learners have accessed support on English and maths courses, as well as family learning, confidence Learn My Way enables learners with little or building, languages, drawing and painting courses. no previous experience of using computers Additional support is also given to learners working to enjoy the benefits of being towards qualifications in ICT. online. Learners can choose a package based on their interests and needs, Our support does make a difference. Here is some of the including staying healthy, jobs and skills, feedback: managing money, keeping in touch and “Multiplication tables were reinforced to me – it increased more! my confidence to use them in class and I now attend class Other features of the site including allowing independently.” users to track their learning so they can “Having someone record my answers meant I could take check their progress. The content on Learn part in discussions without worrying about what to write or My Way is always being updated to reflect how to spell it.” what’s happening in the real world - providing internet beginners with the skills “Everything was excellent by way of support.” needed to progress online.

For more information about Additional Learning Support Kevin Vickers – Establishment Teacher: ICT please contact [email protected]

Debs Toward – Team Leader Learning Support

Fylde Social Inclusion Service Fylde and Wyre Social Inclusion Service (F&WSIS) help people who have been referred to the Service access the resources they need to become more involved in their local community and improve their health, wellbeing and quality of life. In a collaborative working partnership, LALC and F&WSIS have put together a range of courses for people using this service and mental health peer support groups. These courses have made a great deal of difference to the learners, many of whom have benefited from increased confidence and higher self-esteem. These opportunities contribute to help support recovery and social inclusion as well as provide a wide range of people with access to new learning opportunities. Many learners go on to access other courses and resources available in the community and the selection of comments below illustrates the difference such courses can make to an individual’s wellbeing: “Brilliant! Not easy but well worth the effort – thank you and the College for organising it and helping me get on it” (Confidence) “I can’t tell you the difference it makes – so good for your ‘wellbeing’ as they say, to me I know it just makes me feel so much better” (Yoga) “Thank you all so much. I hope the people that are in charge realise what a free course can mean to people – I could never have afforded to come on a paying course and this is something that could potentially change my life – you can’t put a price on that can you?” (Confidence) “Oh I’m so glad I stayed – I really enjoyed it and can’t wait until next week. I was so anxious but now I will come back” (Arts and Crafts) “Please let this continue – it’s the first thing I’ve found that helps me – so beneficial” (Yoga)

Monica Woodroffe - Community Learning Development Officer

Supporting LCC staff with New Community Centre in Chorley English and Maths LALC are happy to be working in partnership with Natalie Lancashire Adult Learning College is Holt, Community and successfully running fast- track English Neighborhood Development and Maths courses for Lancashire County Officer for Chorley Borough Council staff wanting to gain a Council, and are planning to qualification to improve job prospects deliver a raft of courses at the and/or gain a qualification that will also brand new Community Centre support access to further education. in Buttermere Avenue, Chorley. LALC are also in discussions with the local community, to decide on a These accredited courses are aimed at community activity strand, which will result in some artefact people without GCSE English and/or being produced to celebrate the opening of the centre. Maths, but who are willing to undertake a short but intense period of learning. The new centre is due to open shortly, following an eight year battle for residents. Activities and courses at the Since September, six classes of LCC centre will help to break down barriers and encourage the staff learners have already successfully local community from four local estates (Gillibrand, achieved their Level 2 qualifications in Grasmere, Liptrot and Tootle) to come together, creating a English and/or Maths and, with more community hub and improving community cohesion. courses throughout the year, many more Information gathered from a community consultation, which LCC staff will go on to gain the vital the council organised over the summer, will also help to English and Maths qualifications needed determine the type of activities to be offered. This is an for their futures. exciting time for the local residents, and LALC are looking Andrea Cowton – Curriculum Leader: forward to taking plans forward. Preparation for Life, English & maths Sue Little – Community Learning Development Officer

Meet our Community Partners

Hyndburn and Ribble Valley CVS

Lancashire Adult Learning College in partnership with Hyndburn and Ribble Valley CVS have develop a training programme of nine courses for volunteers based in the small grassroots groups across Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley. LALC will be delivering quality training which is vital to these people who are giving up their time to help others in our diverse communities.

The partnership allows LALC to bring quality training into local communities. LALC offer a diverse range of courses such as First Aid, Food Safety, Introduction to Volunteering, and Equality and Diversity. The courses will be delivered in venues, which will allow all groups to access the training.

LALC are working to maintain this training partnership into the future, to help benefit the community. This will result in volunteers being better trained and/or the clients themselves receiving better services.

Mark Roberts - Community Learning Development Officer

PSD Course: Develop Motivation to Succeed

Since building a partnership between ourselves and Lancashire Adult Learning College, two courses have ran at St Wilf’s, Preston; both of which have been a great success and have had a massive impact on the learning and recovery overall of individuals attending. As a majority, the service users that have attended these courses have been in a position where they have completed the majority of recovery-orientated structured programmes available to them and are unsure about what the next step is for them exactly. In developing an aftercare plan, the possibility of further education, volunteering etc. is discussed but is often met with resistance due to fears around going to college. By facilitating Lancashire Adult Learning College courses at St Wilf’s, Preston, the above fears and resistance have essentially been eliminated, with many clients completing a course of education for the very first time. Furthermore, with these courses being able to run in a building that clients are familiar with, this has also reduced anxiety in accessing somewhere new for the first time. The feedback following completion of a course has been fantastic, with all attendees speaking very highly of the service they have received and saying how they have benefited from the course in a variety of ways, including a confidence boost, increased self-esteem, more motivation to move forward, and enhanced social skills. Furthermore, the enjoyment experienced by all service users attending these courses has been very high and I feel that this is not only due to the course content, but also the tutor, Sarah, who our service users have greatly enjoyed being taught/supported by. Case study: A lady, SN, who has engaged in the above courses , has been suffering with Dyslexia for a significant length of time; this has had a huge impact on her life overall, as well as contributing to her previous alcohol use, but has also caused her confidence to be ‘knocked’ greatly over the years. By receiving support from her LAL tutor, Sarah, it was arranged by Sarah for SN to have a full Dyslexia assessment which would then lead on to further support in helping this lady cope with dyslexia but also open up opportunities that dyslexia had previously stopped SN from accessing. Since this assessment, the lady’s confidence has grown greatly with her voicing how she is more optimistic about future goals now.

James Longton Senior Group Worker – Preston Community Phoenix Futures Discover Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service

The Intact Centre

Adult Ingol and Tanterton Community Trust (‘Intact’) is a registered Charity (No: 1128330), and a multifaceted community based organisation operating in the heart of Ingol, a deprived ward in Preston. Intact provides a ‘hive of activity’ for its community, in the form of the Ingol Community Centre. The Centre is a focal point for local people and offers a café, training room, IT suite, therapy room, quiet room, and a community garden. Various services, activities and support is provided, including education and training funded by Lancashire Adult Learning, which we name Learn, Share Grow. Learners have use of computers, and can attend IT training, they can also access welfare and consumer advice services, children and young people’s activities including homework and youth clubs, sports and family fun days. Core services include weekly Work Clubs, drop-in (to use the phone or talk to someone) free supported I.T training, and we also bring in organisation to help deliver basic skills training (English and Maths). We also provide a range of social activities to reduce isolation especially for older people (Friday Club, exercises, bingo and trips out); non-clinical health activities (holistic therapy, weight management; blood pressure testing, walking, and cycling).

Operating locally for 20 years, Intact is the only facility of its kind in Ingol that provides a focal-point for support. To complement our services Intact enable other providers/partners (both voluntary and statutory) to have access to the community (through the centre) so that local people do not miss out on additional opportunities/support. Often, the nearest comparable provision is city centre based. The centre is a vital part of community life for local residents and for many it is a lifeline. So much so, that a significant proportion of the community, use the centre for one activity or another or to seek advice, or to access our well established quality volunteering programme. Furthermore, Intact’s board of trustees are wholly made up of members and other key stakeholders within the community. Having a locally based community centre helps to reduce isolation, increase participation and remove barriers to learning.

Helen Dixon – Volunteer & Skills Development Manager

Linkbridge Centre Upcycling Event A showcasing event was held on Thursday 14 th January at the Linkbridge Centre in Burnley by members of the Upcycling course. Learners exhibited their first range of upcycled furniture at the well-attended event. This was a unique opportunity for the centre to invite new learners to the show and let people see first-hand what this new initiative offers. Juliet Huntington commented that she was delighted by the enthusiasm of the learners who have actively recognised what the course can do for them. Juliet has worked

really hard on the course and will be passing over the reins to new tutors Hannah Copeman and Helen Draper who are really excited by this venture and who have met former and new learners. Will Oldham - Community Learning Development Officer

Community Solutions North West

Community Solutions North West is a social enterprise whose aim is:

“To empower local people to meet local needs within the communities of Lancashire and beyond; promoting inter-dependence, confidence and self-esteem”.

Our services offer the tools to engage with the most vulnerable and hard to reach. Our holistic model promotes successful outcomes for an individual’s social, health and economic situation, while still giving them the ability to take control and facilitate their own supported personal development. We operate an asset based community develop model working in services such as befriending, training/employment, volunteer management and support solutions projects. In 2015, we helped 6000+ people in all five boroughs of East Lancashire. We have more than 250 volunteers and also recruit and train volunteers for other organisations. We have worked alongside Lancashire Adult Learning to deliver bespoke community learning for the past three years, with local people having an opportunity to learn new skills and to progress onto volunteering, further training and employment. Deborah Clark – Managing Director

Lancashire Women's Centres

The Mind Fit Programme has continued to attract more learners onto our therapeutic course progression route. We ran 18 courses over the quarter covering a wide variety of subjects including Confidence, Anger Management, Mental Wellbeing and Anxiety Management. The November courses were very popular with some learners progressing through the next stage and getting ready to start on the third part of their journey in January 2016. More courses start in February so the next quarter should provide a good range of support for learners on groups. We have implemented regular training team meetings for tutors, which has been a good forum for sharing best practice and experiences, as well as ideas. At the December meeting we looked at risk factors and problem solving and ensured everyone was up to date on these in relation to group work. Some comments from learners include: “It has helped me get in touch with and cope better with my feeling.” “The course helped me recognise that anxiety is shared and can be managed.” “Friendly staff and brilliant course.” “Caring and supportive learning environment and structure.”

Case Study Learner A was very anxious at the start of the course. She found it difficult to turn up to the first few sessions and really had to push herself to get here. She was visibly shaking, not contributing to the group and didn’t speak to other learners. You can see and hear the impact the course has made. She has contributed a lot within the group, making friends, become more open about her thoughts and feelings, sharing past experiences as well as how her week had gone. She has booked onto the next stage course and has said how excited she is about coming. She explained that she felt outside her comfort zone being here but pushed herself to stay as she could feel she was benefitting from the course.

Moya O'Hagan – Training Co-ordinator