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Welcome to the YorOK newsletter for March 2011!

This month's newsletter includes a variety of opportunities!  Whether it's volunteering in a children's centre, starting a Foundation Degree, looking into apprenticeships or the opportunities fair for students with special educational needs and disabled young people there will be something for you.

Don't forget, if you have anything you would like to share you can get in touch to submit an article! 

Sue Metcalfe
Chair of the Children's Trust Board
Deputy Chief Executive (Director of Localities)
NHS North Yorkshire and York

Volunteering in the City of York Children’s Centres

Come and join us and be part of the team!

'K' is now an administration volunteer supporting and receiving support from staff in two children’s centres.

"The experience of working in an office environment is really interesting. The work is varied and interesting, not just the opportunity to develop skills but also to see children’s centres in action.

"Being part of a team is a great feeling, especially one that can make a real difference to the children and families across the city. The work that goes on here is a incredible.

"My previous experience was in retail where you helped the customer to make choice, whereas the work in children’s centres is about making a difference. It’s a nice feeling to be a part of that".

For more information about volunteering in children's centres contact Ann Spetch on 01904 554592 or email ann.spetch@york.gov.uk.

Opportunities Fair

Monday 4th April 2011, 9.30-4.00, Askham Bryan College

This year is the third annual ‘Opportunities Fair’ for students with special educational needs and disabled young people, their families and staff working with them.

The fair is for all students who have a Statement of Educational Need or who are on school action plus from Year 9 onwards and their parent/carers.

There will be a variety of different services, colleges, supported employment agencies to provide the young people with information and advice to allow them to make considered choices about their futures.

Download more information about the 2011 fair or read about the success of the 2010 fair.

Connected York

A new website to help people find out about partnership working in York has just been launched. Connected York is a directory of groups, forums and networks in York and aims to:

  • Help people find out about groups working on issues related to: children and young people, the environment, health, learning, economic development, culture, inclusion, and safety.
  • Show which groups are working with each other.
  • Help groups promote their work.

Go to Connected York now.

Interested in Apprenticeships?

Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities and Remploy have announced a new project. It is about increasing the number of disabled young people who take up apprenticeships.

The project is called Diversity in Apprenticeships and is designed to give disabled young people information, advice and support to join an apprenticeship programme.

Disabled young people who are interested in starting an apprenticeship, and key advisers who work with them, can call the Skill helpline for more information on 0800 328 5050 or email info@skill.org.uk.

Children's Centres Celebration Event

A very successful Children’s Centre Celebration Event was held in the city centre at the beginning of February. Nearly 1000 people from a wide range of backgrounds attended the event which had free children’s activities as well as information about children’s centres and partner organisations such as Family Information Service.

Parents and carers who participated in the consultation were given the chance to enter a prize draw. The three winners, Martin Alexander, Holly Kilner and Martin Smith, received a Story Sack containing books and toys.

Find out more about York Children's Centres or contact Family Information Service on 01904 554444.

Is a Foundation Degree for me?

Foundation Degrees are degree level vocational qualifications designed for people who want to combine academic study with work-based learning and experience.

All Foundation Degrees are designed with employers. An example of a local Foundation Degree is ‘Working with Children and Young People’. This is offered at York St John University, and other institutions.

Typically courses are compiled in collaboration with local practitioners and Local Authority advisers to ensure that it is relevant to the work that you do. This type of course offers an opportunity to reflect on your work by utilising academic study.

You’ll get the chance to learn in the workplace as well as the classroom and study flexibly, in a way that suits you. So whether you’re looking to change job, return to work or boost your career prospects, Foundation Degrees offer a route into Higher Education for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Find out about Rob Jessiman’s experience of studying the Foundation Degree in Working with Children and Young People by watching this video.

Find out more about Foundation Degrees at York St John University.

No Wrong Door!

On the 13th June 2011 York’s Children’s Trust Unit will be hosting the annual No Wrong Door conference at York St John University.

This conference is for all practitioners working with children and young people in York, looking how we can work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for the children across the city.

The day will:

  • Celebrate the work undertaken in York to provide early preventative services and build resilience for children and young people.
  • Share the lessons and how to bring those lessons into your everyday practice.

There will be:

  • Workshops covering a variety of city wide subjects
  • Extensive marketplace – showcasing services in York

We will be taking bookings from the 1st April 2011, and it will be on a first come first served basis. A booking form will be sent out widely but if you don’t receive one please contact Becca de Koning at rebecca.dekoning@york.gov.uk who can send one to you.

Find out more about No Wrong Door.

YorOK Board Update

The YorOK Board (or children's trust board) meets every two months and its meetings are open to the public.  The most recent meeting was held on 14th March and items on the agenda included:

  • Children's Trust Development Update
  • Review of Children and Young People's Plan 2009-12
  • Changing Times: Funding Updates
  • Safeguarding Update: Report from the Chair of the City of York Safeguarding Children Board

View the Agenda and Minutes for the YorOK Board.

Contribute to this newsletter!

The more contributions we receive from partners, the better this newsletter will be. If you have something you'd like to contribute, or a topic you'd like to see included, please use the YorOK Workforce Article Submission Form, or for queries contact Chris Shipley

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In this newsletter...

  • Volunteering in the City of York Children's Centres
  • Opportunities Fair
  • Connected York
  • Interested in Apprenticeships?
  • Children's Centre Celebration Event
  • Is a Foundation Degree for me?
  • No Wrong Door!
  • YorOK Board Update
  • In the news
  • Toy Bus
  • YorOK Glossary
  • Castlegate opening times are changing!
  • Young Researchers Investigate Child Poverty!
  • Integrated Working and CAF Training
  • Playing Out: A Guide for Parents
  • Funding: Big Lottery Fund

In the News

  • Recommendations from the Vetting and Barring Scheme and Criminal Records Regime Review have been announced. Download more information.
Toybus

Toy Bus

Check out the new look Toy Bus website!

The Toy Bus is an excellent resource for parents and practitioners and the website now has photos of some of the wide choice of toys as well as information about your nearest stop!

YorOK Glossary

Confused about an abbreviation? Baffled by an acronym?

Check out the YorOK Glossary now!

Castlegate opening times are changing!

The "drop in" opening times at Castlegate for Young Adults will be reduced from Monday April 4th to 11am - 1pm and 1.30pm - 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. Appointments will continue to be offered from 9.15am.

Download more information.

Young Researchers Investigate Child Poverty!

A group of Young Researchers have been investigating Child Poverty in York and have been asked to include an article in Children & Young People Now.

A group of Young Researchers have been investigating Child Poverty in York and have been asked to include an article in Children & Young People Now.

Read the article to find out more.

Integrated Working and CAF Training

Just a reminder that Integrated Working and CAF Training is free to attend and runs monthly.

Book a place.

Playing Out: A Guide for Parents

In a recent survey, carried out by Play England, 72% of parents want more time to play with their children. 81% of adults believe that children playing outside helps to improve community spirit.

This new leaflet, produced by Yorkshire Play, seeks to myth-bust commonly held perceptions and worries about outdoor play, as well as provide useful suggestions for parents about safe play out and about.

For a copy of the leaflet contact the Play Team on 01904 553426 or visit the YorOK website.

Big Lottery Fund

The Big Lottery Fund's Improving Futures programme aims to improve outcomes for children within families which experience multiple and complex problems - for example, to do with poor health, unemployment, debt or housing problems - which can affect their children's wellbeing and life chances.

York CVS and City of York are wanting to support the development of a bid from the City of York to this Fund. We would like to invite those who are interested to a meeting on 6th April 2011, 10am-12pm at CVS Priory Street.

Find out about the fund or the meeting.

This email was sent by the York Children's Trust Unit on behalf of the YorOK board.
YorOK: working together with children, young people and families.

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