The Phoenix – November 2015 Page 29
EDUCATION, TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT
Booktastic Borrowing Scheme Is Launched
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andwell Council is launching a second year of the highly successful Booktastic scheme which helped to double the number of four and five-year-olds regularly borrowing books from its libraries last year. Council bosses say the scheme, which gives children in Sandwell library membership and access to free books has helped bring more children into libraries than ever before and are launching it again this year. Library cards will be given to more than 4,000 primary school starters again this year. The library service is working with every primary school in the borough to launch its second year of a library membership drive for reception children aged five to six. Each child will receive a special Booktastic membership pack, which will include a membership card, folder and information about the library service. There will also be special Booktastic Missions for children to complete and
earn stickers. The scheme was thought up Councillor Simon Hackett, cabinet member for children’s services. He said: “This is a first step towards getting children to read for pleasure. "Visiting the library from a young age is important as statistics show children who read from a young age are more likely to do well in education. “Working closely with local schools we want to encourage classes to visit the library, and also invite parents and carers too.” The Booktastic scheme was launched at Blackheath Library on Friday 16 October at 10am. Along with Councillor Hackett, Sandwell’s Mayor also attended to celebrate the launch. The Library Story Players team held a ‘Storytime Lab’ interactive story session, conjuring a magical story for reception children from Highfields Primary School who came to celebrate the launch. To join the library service visit www. sandwell.gov.uk/libraries
l Councillor Simon Hackett and Mayor, Councillor Barbara Price with Dion Salem, Najma Kaid, Ibraheem Farooq, Sam MacFarlane and Anjali Salhan.
New Youth Choir aims to reinforce British Values in UK Schools
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upils from an “Outstanding” Birmingham school are to participate in a pioneering East meets West-style children’s choir, the first of its kind, ever, as part of a drive to reinforce British Values. Around 120 Year 5 pupils from Greet Primary School in Sparkhill will take part in the inaugural British Carnatic Youth Choir by presenting a series of songs in Sanskrit, the ancient language, including one similar to the UK National Anthem, ‘God Save The Queen’. The British Carnatic Youth Choir is the brainchild of Dr Chithra Ramakrishnan, one of UK’s finest Carnatic vocalists. Her mission is to raise awareness of this: ‘mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and for those without faith’, one of four fundamental British Values, according to Ofsted, the schools watchdog. Carnatic music is a system of classical music associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent. The violin was introduced into Carnatic music by Baluswami Dikshitar, the younger brother of Muthuswami Dikshitar, a South Asian poet and composer (1775 – 1835). He encountered the
W instrument through British bands in colonial Madras, and decided to learn it. Almost all pupils at Greet Primary School speak English as an additional language. The British Carnatic Youth Choir is an off-shoot of the British Carnatic Choir, or BCC, which was officially launched in June this year. Pat Smart, Headteacher at Greet Primary School said: “Equality of Opportunity is at the heart of everything we do at Greet Primary School. We are delighted to have been offered the chance to participate in the British Carnatic Youth Choir, an exciting and inclusive experience for us all.” The British Carnatic Choir aims to create and explore choral singing in South Indian classical music in the UK. With a key focus on children and young adults with a passion to connect through music. The event will take place on Friday November 6 at South & City College Birmingham Auditorium. A separate celebration has been organised on Saturday November 7 at the Adrian Boult Hall in Birmingham to mark the 10thanniversary of Shruthi UK, the parent Arts & Culture nonprofit organisation of which Dr Ramakrishnan is Artistic Director.
est Midlands Housing Association, Nehemiah UCHA has appointed two new Property Services Trainee Surveyors and one Housing Services Trainee. Mohi Kazi and Jordon Fearon will work closely with the Property Services Manager as part of their graduate two-year internship programme, and Rakpinder Basra will work alongside the Housing Operations Manager to complete the internships which
West Midlands Housing Association Appoints Three Graduate Trainees have been made possible through the Nehemiah UCHA Academy. The Nehemiah UCHA Academy and Charitable Aid Foundation (CAF) was set up in 2013 and offers a range of work placements, internships, educational opportunities and financial aid packages for tenants and local people across the West Midlands who are looking to improve their career prospects. As part of their new role as Property Services Trainees, Mohi and Jordon will ensure all main-
tenance services are provided on both a routine and responsive basis and that properties are kept at the highest possible standard. Rakpinder will be engaging with customers on a range of issues, from handling property lettings through to negotiating repayment plans, as well as listening and responding to customers’ everyday needs. Nehemiah UCHA Chief Executive Llewellyn Graham, says: “We recognise that in the current economic climate, which has im-
Society Shines in its Support for Beacon Centre Programme
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pacted negatively on the UK’s employment rates, young people are especially vulnerable, due to their lack of on the job experience and specific skills required by employers. Through the Nehemiah UCHA Academy which we set up in 2013 to help local young people with training, work experience and funding for college and university courses we have in 2015 been able to offer three internships.”
Wolverhampton charity that encourages people with sight loss to take part in activities such as water ski-ing and rock wall climbing has been awarded a £4,000 grant by the West Brom building society. The Beacon Centre is using the funding to further its ActivEyes programme, which facilitates participation in a variety of leisure and social activities. The programme’s primary goal is to encourage independence and confidence, while also contributing to a valuable community spirit. ActivEyes has 300 registered members from around the local area. Annamarie Balram, Innovations Development & Funding Officer for Beacon,
said: “The money will be put towards furthering ActivEyes and its activities in the community, with a particular focus on our allotment area at Boundary Way in Lower Penn. “The West Brom has been very supportive of the ActivEyes programme, not just through its generous donation but also undertaking regular voluntary work.” Three teams of volunteers from the Society – 25 colleagues in total – visited the allotment to prepare it for use by ActivEyes members, clearing rubble and soil, creating planting space, laying a new patio and putting up fencing. Annamarie added: “The volunteers worked really hard and have been a wonderful help to us at Beacon ActivEyes.”
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