Author Archives: Valerie

Local South Eastern Regional College Open Evening

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South Eastern Regional College (SERC) is preparing to host its annual part-time open evening at the Bangor, Downpatrick, Lisburn and Newtownards Campuses on Wednesday 29 August from 4pm to 8pm. The event will be an opportunity for prospective learners to learn about the range of courses on offer and talk to the tutors.

The event has been organised by SERC to help and support the local community re-engage in education and training. Tutors from a range of courses such as Essential Skills, Restart Education, Access to University and many others will be available on the night.

 

SERC Restart Education Programme

SERCs Restart Education programme allows learners to get a solid foundation of knowledge in a positive learning environment that is inviting and supportive. It has been designed for those who have been out of education more than one year. Learners will work towards a level 2 OCN qualification in further study skills covering Maths, literacy, science and social science alongside personal skill building, exploring career options and planning the next step in education.

 

Access to University Course

The Access to University course is aimed at giving adults, particularly those that left school early in life or those that have been away from full-time education for two years or more, the opportunity to return and progress to university. Accredited by Queen’s University Belfast, the certificate provides a good grounding in the knowledge and study skills needed to succeed in higher education. It is equivalent to A levels but is designed and delivered with adult returners in mind.

 

SERC Careers Team – Here to Help

SERC’s careers team will be on hand to offer free impartial advice to those unsure of which course to choose. Student finance and learning support will also be in attendance.

For anyone considering returning to education, Neil McTeer from Newcastle, is a great example of the rewards that can be gained from going back to the books!

 

Having been away from education for nearly 15 years, Neil returned and successfully completed the Restart programme at SERC and applied for a social work degree at university. During his three years at SERC, Neil also completed his GCSE English and Math’s, adult literacy and numeracy and essential skills ICT. Neil said that although it was daunting coming back to education, everyone in the class helped each other.

Commenting on the course Neil explains: “The Restart course was my way of getting the confidence I needed to continue learning. I enrolled onto the course to follow my ambition and it’s the best decision I ever made! I would recommend the course to anyone considering returning to education.”

 

SERC Downpatrick Campus Manager Paul Walsh explains: “We are delighted to be hosting this event to open people’s minds to the huge opportunities that exist within the College. The event is designed to promote the benefits of returning to education and the support mechanisms that SERC offer to help overcome barriers to education that people may face. I would urge the local community to attend the event to see for themselves what is on offer.”

 

Contact Us

For more information, please visit the open day between 4pm and 8pm at all of SERC’s main Campus on Wednesday 29 August, visit www.serc.ac.uk or find us on Facebook, search: SERC.

 

Inclusive Communities – Building Services for all Children and Young People – Video Launched

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Please feel free to download and share our video from the event ……. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXAvOeYtNh0

The Southern Area Outcomes Group along with the Armagh LPG hosted a workshop on 17th May in the EPICentre Armagh, on Inclusive Communities – Building Services for all Children and Young People across the Armagh and Dungannon area. Attendees were presented with best practice on how groups can be more open and inclusive to young people with a disability, including an information pack of easy steps on how to make your service more accessible; presentations on experiences of good practice from service providers, and “Ask the Expert” a service user perspective. Download presentations here.

Overall 70 people attended the event, representing 31 different services and organisations with a marketplace set up where 15 services/ organisations were able to share their expertise.

 

Round Up: Infant Mental Health Awareness Week 2018 in the West

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The Fermanagh and Omagh Locality Planning Groups celebrated Infant Mental Health Awareness Week 2018 by highlighting the excellent evidence-based practice of its members and learning more about the people that lead in this practice. 

A series of key messages were endorsed and celebrated across the Western Outcomes Area as part of the infant mental health awareness week campaign for 2018.

 

Research Scientist, Suzanne Zeedyk shared her aspiration for families in the Western Outcomes Area:

‘I would wish times of warmth and relaxation for families in the West.  I would take away the subtle pressure that parents must somehow be perfect and always ‘get it right’.  Instead, I would wish for parents who are ‘good enough’.  That’s all our kids want: parents who can laugh with them and relax with them and spend time with them and laugh with them.  Having confidence that you can find your way back to laughing each other, even after tension and fighting, gets families through some pretty tough places. So that’s what I would wish for families in the West: times of laughter – living in communities that make those times even more possible’.  

 

Click here to read more about the Infant Mental Health Awareness Campaign in the Western Outcomes Area

 

Contact Us:

For further information contact Priscilla Magee, Fermanagh and Omagh Locality Planning Officer by:

Email: Priscilla.magee@westerntrust.hscni.net

Telephone: 028 66 344 096

 

Summer Programmes for Children with Additional Needs in Down Sector

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The Down Locality Planning Groups Additional Needs Subgroup have prepared a guide of summer activities that are taking place across the Down Sector for children and young people including children with a disability this summer.

 

Activities include a number Education Authority led Summer Schemes, Summer Sensory Story Telling, Libraries NI Big Read and parent support groups for parents of a child with autism.

Click here to download the summer activities guide for the Down Sector for July and August 2018

 

Help Kids Talk in Lisburn & Colin Workshop

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Early Intervention Lisburn hosted an event on the 14 June 2018 with the key note speaker Janet Cooper, Project Manager from the Stoke Speaks Out Initiative. Janet shared her learning on a similar but much more advanced project in Stoke on Trent. 60 representatives from a range of agencies including the South Eastern Health Trust, Public Health Agency, Department for Communities, LCCC, Libraries NI, local Churches, Playgroups, Nurseries, Primary Schools and Early Year’s providers were in attendance. 

 

Janet Cooper said ‘There was great energy and motivation in the room and the message was clear from all that communication, speech & language is everyone’s business. Approximately 50% of our children in Lisburn and Colin are starting school with a speech & language problem, the Help Kids Talk’ initiative aims to tackle this statistic to give ALL children the best start in life.

 

The event has resulted in the development of a three year action plan on how all organisations will work together to prioritise communication, speech & language for children 0 – 6 years in Lisburn and Colin.

 

Photograph Caption: Janet Cooper speaking at the Help Kids Talk Event

 

Contact Us:

For more information contact Mabel Scullion Early Intervention Manager on 02892670755