Santa’s little helpers have been helping bring gifts to children who might not have otherwise received gifts under the tree this Christmas.
Staff at Stockton Riverside College, Bede Sixth Form, NETA Training and The Skills Academy, dressed as elves as part of their annual Elf Yourself celebrations, collecting toys and gifts for Cash for Kids’ Mission Christmas.
“Elf Yourself is a popular event at Stockton Riverside College,” said apprenticeship compliance manager and chair of the staff association, Nikki Thurston. “This year we invited colleagues from our sister colleges to get involved.”
With some staff currently working from home, she said: “We didn’t have quite the number of elves that we usually have on site, but staff were incredibly generous and we collected more gifts than ever.”
The team from health, childcare, education, creative and digital made cash donations, raising £200, and staff headed out to stock up on Christmas gifts.
The department’s programme area leader, Kelly Johnson, said: “I think that we are all aware that during lockdowns money has been tight for a lot of families. We wanted to buy toys and gifts to help people in the local community. It is important that we recognise how fortunate we are.”
Staff members also made donations directly to the charity online.
Handing over the goodies to Cash for Kids’ Mission Christmas driver George Headley, Nikki said: “Staff generously donated gifts of all shapes and sizes, and there was more for the older children this year too. People often just think about donating gifts for the under 10s, but there were lots of gifts for the teenagers as well.”
Cash for Kids’ Aimee Littlefair said: “The support we receive every year is overwhelming and we couldn’t complete our mission without the support of the local community. We can’t thank the colleges enough for joining our Mission and helping make Christmas magical for thousands of local children living in the North East.”
Etc. scoops double award success
Efforts to help transform the fortunes of a Tees Valley college and its community have been recognised with two national awards.
The titles recognise the Education Training Collective’s (Etc.) commitment to building aspirations and opportunities in Redcar following the merger of Stockton Riverside College and Redcar and Cleveland College.
The Etc. was named winner in the Not for Profit and Community Impact categories at The Institute for Turnaround (IFT) Awards 2021 where Robert Griffiths, who was instrumental in the turnaround projects, collected the coveted prizes on behalf of the group.
Jason Faulkner, Redcar & Cleveland College Principal, said: “This is a college for the community and that is very important to the team here, it was something the team sought to achieve from day one, so to be recognised for community impact, on a national scale, is really quite special and quite incredible.”
Jason explained a merger of the colleges in 2018 brought with it the chance to ensure accessible training opportunities in Redcar, developing skills and increased ambition for a community experiencing a challenging time in its history.
The college has worked closely with local schools, employers and the local and combined authorities, to ensure it is delivering the skills that are most needed. Results have included the creation of a decommissioning academy to match jobs created by the clean-up of the former SSI site, and the development of skills programmes that will align with the demands of emerging local sectors.
A partnership with Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, the Sir William Turner Foundation, local football clubs and the Football Foundation, has also seen the build of a new 3G all-weather football pitch at the college, proving an asset to both students and grassroots sport in the area.
Jason said: “More young people and adults are being trained and re-trained to take on jobs needed in the local area. The future for people growing up and living in the Redcar area is now brighter than it has been since 2015 when the steelworks closed. We are extremely proud of all that has been achieved at the college and the impact this is now having on the wider community.”
With 10 awards up for grabs, the annual IFT Awards celebrate the best of business turnaround, recognising contributions towards turnaround, transformation and restructuring.
Councillor Mary Lanigan, Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, added: “The merger of Redcar and Cleveland College has produced a huge improvement in what is on offer to young people in our borough. From being on the brink of closure to providing quality education where people live has been a hugely impressive transformation.
“Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council works closely with the college to support this ongoing improvement and we are proud of what the college has achieved in providing a better chance in life for people in all of our communities.”
Tees Valley colleges scoop £3m skills funding boost
Colleges and training providers across the Tees Valley have come together to secure £2.955m funding to help meet local training and skills needs, and help get people into work.
The investment from the Department for Education Strategic Development Fund will see the establishment of new facilities and the development and delivery of new training programmes, with each provider focusing on projects to cater for specific sector demands and plug emerging skills gaps.
Leading the initial bid for the Tees Valley colleges, group vice principal for business, innovation and partnerships at the Education Training Collective (Etc.), Gary Potts said: “This is further evidence of the clear and demonstrable impact we can have on the Tees Valley when the colleges and training providers across the region work together.
“Our collaborative efforts will see us servicing the needs of local employers and supporting people with the skills and training they need to access local jobs.”
The funding pot has been divided between Darlington College, Hartlepool College of Further Education, Learning Curve Group, Middlesbrough College Group, NETA Training, Redcar and Cleveland College and Stockton Riverside College.
Introduced as part of the DfE’s Skills for Jobs white paper, the Strategic Development Fund encourages colleges and training providers to work together, alongside employers and other partners, to respond to local skills priorities.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen added: “It’s great to see that our colleges have worked together to secure this funding. This cash will target the sectors that need it the most and help create a skilled workforce ready to secure the good-quality, well paid jobs we’re creating across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.”
The investment will see Darlington College focus on professional business services and advanced manufacturing, Hartlepool College of Further Education, on construction and civil engineering; Learning Curve Group, digital, Middlesbrough College will focus on engineering and NETA Training on scaffolding, rigging and lifting.
Redcar and Cleveland College will develop sector skills in clean energy technologies and decommissioning, and Stockton Riverside College further developing logistics, shipping and rail. The fund will also enable further investment in boosting the delivery of the highly successful Teesworks Skills Academy.
Etc. vice principal Gary said: “The funds will be spent on premises, facilities, equipment and the development of new programmes of study, all to support key Tees Valley sectors, the roles available within those sectors and the skills and training needed to support them.
“This is about building skills for the immediate and short term, as well as building capacity for the longer term.”
Celebrating 25 years working with The Prince’s Trust
Award-winning teaching staff at the Education Training Collective are celebrating 25 years of changing young people’s lives as delivery partners of The Prince’s Trust.
To mark the occasion the team welcomed a host of special guests to a celebratory event, including The Prince’s Trust UK Chief Executive, Jonathan Townsend.
Hearing former students share their experiences of the programme in the Tees Valley, Jonathan said: “One of the things I have missed during the pandemic is hearing people’s real-life experiences of working with the Trust.
“To hear the stories of students today, so long after they completed the programme, and expressing the impact it has had on their lives, is so uplifting.”
Among those to share his story was 37-year-old Johnathon Gallagher from Middlesbrough. Joining the Team programme almost 20 years ago, he said: “All these years later the elements of the Team programme are still ingrained in my mind. The course is incredible and teaches you skills you need for life, something it is still doing for so many young people today.”
The Prince’s Trust Team programme is a personal development course available to unemployed young people aged 16 to 25. By taking part in a series of tasks and challenges, including an outdoor residential and work experience, they develop new life skills, self-esteem and direction. Approximately 80% of those young people go on to employment, further education or training.
It’s a formula that worked for Johnathon, who went on to become a Prince’s Trust Team leader himself with Stockton Riverside College, before moving on to a regional manager’s job with The Prince’s Trust in London.
These days Johnathon is the Head of Community Safety for the London Borough of Islington. His role is to tackle tough issues such as youth violence, counter terrorism, gang culture and violence against women and girls.
Joining the college’s Prince’s Trust anniversary celebrations, hosted at Redcar and Cleveland College as part of the Education Training Collective (Etc.), the Queen’s representative, Lord Lieutenant for County Durham, Sue Snowdon, said: “I am absolutely privileged to be here today and to join the celebrations of 25 years of The Prince’s Trust with the college group. To hear the personal stories is humbling but also inspirational. This is what The Prince’s Trust was designed to do and achieve.”
Redcar MP Jacob Young added: “It is fantastic to see and hear all of the amazing stories of people who have gone through The Prince’s Trust Team programme and it is great to now have that presence here in Redcar and Cleveland, supported by the college and the Etc.”
The Etc.’s Prince’s Trust team was named FE Team of the Year at the Pearson National Teaching Awards 2020. Finally able to officially celebrate at a sparkling event in London at the end of September, the group’s head of department for the Prince’s Trust, Gillian Hutchinson, said: “What a few weeks it has been. We are so proud of everything that has been achieved over the last 25 years.
“Every young person that we work with is different and that means that every programme is different. To be able to celebrate with former students who have gone on to achieve so much is incredible and quite emotional.”
Inspiring tutors bring home the gold
The remarkable efforts of an Etc. teaching team have been recognised on the national stage.
After months of waiting in the wings, this week the Prince’s Trust department got to officially celebrate being named the Pearson National Teaching Awards FE Team of the Year.
Invited to a glittering celebration at the London Marriott Hotel, the college group’s head of department for the Prince’s Trust, said: “It was an incredible event and we were proud and humbled to be a part of it.”
The National Teaching Awards are a celebration of exceptional teachers that recognise the life changing impact teachers, teaching assistants, head teachers and lecturers can have on young people’s lives. Just 14 gold awards are given out each year.
Working with unemployed young people aged 16 to 25, staff members from the Etc. Prince’s Trust Team regularly make a life changing impact on their students, helping to build their confidence and self-esteem and often seeing them move on to further education, training or employment.
Gillian said: “It is not always an easy job, but the rewards when you see the learners go on to achieve their goals are massive.”
For the team, which this week also celebrates 25 years of working in partnership with The Prince’s Trust, it is far more than just a job. Each member gives their endless support, enthusiasm and motivation to every young person.
Proud to bring one of the coveted titles to the Tees Valley, Gillian said: “This is fantastic not just for our team, our young people, our college group and the region, but also for all those further education workers who teach non-traditional learners.”
Winners were announced on BBC’s The One Show last year but the celebration event was put on hold due to the pandemic.
College group joins nationwide campaign to support its local communities
Hundreds of hours spent helping good causes are now being added up by staff and students across the Education Training Collective (Etc.).
The college group has signed up to a national campaign encouraging people to support their local communities. The Good for Me Good for FE campaign aims to generate £1m of social value via a sustainable programme of community action including volunteering, fundraising and charitable partnerships.
No stranger to doing their bit for their communities, the Etc. colleges were happy to get on board.
“I believe everybody at some point in their life should do some form of volunteering,” said James Ruddock, Stockton Riverside College’s course leader for professional programmes.
Volunteering up to 90 hours a month as a special chief inspector with Cleveland Police and a driving force behind the launch of a new water safety charity, he said: “For me, it is enjoyable and a privilege to be in a position where you are able to help people.”
Now supported by its own small team of volunteers, Tees River Rescue aims to preserve and protect lives on the River Tees by deploying a river rescue craft and carrying out river safety patrols.
James, 35, of Middesbrough, said: “I get a lot of personal satisfaction knowing that we have made a difference and that can be quite grounding and humbling.”
Once again heading into her busiest time of year, NETA Training’s centre support manager Sian Cameron is also well known for putting the voluntary hours in, as Poppy Appeal organiser for Hartlepool.
For her, it means limitless hours spent manning the stands, delivering poppies across the borough and seeing her home in Wolviston full to bursting with red paper flowers.
Entering her 12th year at the helm, Sian’s efforts were recently recognised by Hartlepool Council, named Honorary Freewoman of the Borough.
“It’s good to be able to give back to the community,” she said. “Volunteering or doing something for others ultimately gives you a sense of pride, knowing what you have done is helping those around you.”
Counting up the time she dedicates to the Poppy Appeal alone each year, she said: “It works out about 900 hours.” Also giving many more hours to helping those in her local community, she added: “It is nice to be nice.”
Putting the spotlight on the amazing voluntary work carried out by their staff members like James and Sian, the Etc. colleges, made up of Bede Sixth Form College, NETA Training, Redcar and Cleveland College, Stockton Riverside College and The Skills Academy, are among over 100 signed up to the Good for Me Good for FE campaign.
The initiative builds on the success of FE Foodbank Friday, an initiative that saw colleges around the country come together during the pandemic to raise over £47,000 and collect more than 20,000 items for local foodbanks.
“This is chance to highlight the fantastic work that individuals across our college group are already doing to support their local communities and to encourage others to think about ways they can help make a difference,” said the Etc.’s Group Marketing Director, Erika Marshall.
“While people like James and Sian go above and beyond, there are so many small ways we can all play our part and together make a really positive impact.”
The Good for Me Good for FE campaign is being spearheaded by London South East Colleges, East Coast College and Loughborough College.
Colleges collaborate to support NHS and careers in healthcare
Colleges and health bosses are making a pledge to work together to help plug potential skills gaps and raise awareness of opportunities in the health and social care sectors, among young people.
The “Skills for Health” pledge comes as the impact of Covid 19 has shone a spotlight on the vital services provided by those working in the industry.
The Education Training Collective (Etc.), Hartlepool College of Further Education and the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, will now work in collaboration to help identify skill needs, recruit new staff, educate and raise awareness in communities and upskill and reskill existing staff.
And with funding from The Prince’s Trust, as part of the charity’s initiative to support young talent into work in healthcare, the colleges have also committed to help more young people, aged 16 to 30, start new careers with the NHS and wider care sector.
“The pandemic has highlighted more than ever the essential work being carried out by our hospitals and care workers,” said Stockton Riverside College Principal, Lesley Graham. “At the same time, the impact has seen significant rises in unemployment, particularly among young people.
“As part of the Education Training Collective, which incorporates Stockton Riverside College, Redcar and Cleveland College, Bede Sixth Form College, NETA Training and The Skills Academy, we already have effective working links with the NHS, along with over a hundred healthcare employers.
“Our Skills for Health Pledge will now continue to build on this, helping to plan for and meet current and future training and skills needs, ensuring vital services are maintained and enhanced through a strong and capable forward-thinking workforce.”
Also throwing their weight behind the pledge, Darren Hankey, Principal and Chief Executive of Hartlepool College of Further Education, said: “Labour market intelligence clearly highlights current and future skills gaps in the NHS and wider health and social care sector.
“Digitisation, an aging workforce and an increasing demand are three such challenges and it’s important the college has a curriculum that ensures our students gain the right knowledge, skills and qualifications to meet these challenges.
“In further education, collaboration is key. We hope to build on the work we currently do with the Etc. and North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust to help meet the Trust’s organisational development needs as well as to ensure our curriculum is preparing our students for opportunities that will clearly be there once they leave college.”
The project has already recruited a Skills for Health ambassador, and there are plans for a further ambassador role plus additional support roles in the pipeline, to co-ordinate employer and community links.
Tracy Squires, Deputy Chief People Officer at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We welcome the pledge as an education-led initiative to help people pursue a career in health and social care.
“As one of the region’s largest employers it’s only right and proper that we support this initiative and attract local people to work for the Trust. Education and employment can help people live happier, healthier lives.
“Working in partnership with local colleges allows the Trust to develop courses to get the people with the skills needed to deliver quality care for our patients. There is huge flexibility working with local partners. During the height of Covid 19 the Trust developed a course to train people to become team support workers. This role allowed ward nurses in the Trust to focus on their distinct roles whilst collaborating with support workers who could take on other essential duties such as feeding and supporting patients with essential aspects of their daily care. At a time of great need, our partnership found a solution which helped us, our partners and created more than 60 opportunities for employment with the Trust.
“Nationally, we know there is a lot of demand for people to work in health and social care. We’re always looking for people with the right values and behaviours to work in the NHS and we’re confident our partnership will identify and train those people. And once you begin a career in the NHS, who knows how far you can potentially develop and contribute given the many opportunities and range of positions on offer.”
