An innovative partnership between Kingsbury Green Academy and Wiltshire Council’s Family and Community Learning service, as well as other local partners, is aiming to provide Calne’s young people with the best future by providing a special range of dedicated workshops and courses.
After talking to local families about the issues that they face, what support they would like and what’s currently preventing them from accessing help, a series of courses and workshops has been designed on topics including starting secondary school, supporting worries and anxiety, wellbeing and careers will be covered. The free courses are taking place across June and July at Calne Library, with workshops planned for later in the year as well.
Cath Young, Careers Leader at Kingsbury Green Academy, explained: “Between us and the other partners involved in the workshops, we all work with a large number of local parents and carers, and so by joining forces we realised that jointly we could provide families with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.
“The great thing about these workshops is that they’re open to everyone, in a convenient location and target support to exactly what is needed. Starting school, career options, and mental health and anxiety in young people are such major parts of life but often families are navigating these issues on their own. Thanks to this workshop partnership we can all work together to support children in our area.”
The first course, taking place over two weeks and focussing on supporting children ahead of starting secondary school, has proved a resounding success with families from across the area attending.
Workshop attendee mum Kiara chose to attend the course to help support her son Lewis who will be attending Kingsbury Green Academy in September. She explained: “I feel that I can now confidently embrace his journey to secondary school, and have fun and enjoy it with him rather than worry about it. I know he’ll be ok and that the worries I have are actually mine and not his.”
Fellow attendee Nicola wanted to know what to expect and learn what to do in the lead up to her daughter, Ava, starting Royal Wootton Bassett Academy. She added: “I feel more prepared for September; it was useful to learn the importance of positive modelling and that we can build her resilience up so that she can be prepared for any worries and the unknown. I’m taking home lots of practical steps and activities we can do over the summer to make it a positive experience for us all.”
Cllr Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills said: “This is a new initiative to bring a range of schools and different organisations together to support families in Wiltshire. Working collaboratively with partners, who are already so embedded in the community, means we can reach as many people as possible and offer the learning and support that they need.
“Our aim is very much around supporting and promoting the wellbeing of our young people as they can’t effectively focus on learning if that doesn’t come first. The courses have been designed to help parents and carers support their children, as well as build their own confidence and spark a love for learning in them too.”
The workshops, which take place at Calne Library, are:
24 June - Helping My Child with Worry and Anxiety
1 July - Supporting My Child with Wellbeing
13 September – Supporting My Child with School Attendance
15 November – Supporting My Child with Career Development
For more information and to sign up for the free workshop on 1 July visit www.workwiltshire.co.uk/signup. To express your interest to join the September and November workshops, please register at https://bit.ly/TogetherCourses
Members of the partnership include Kingsbury Green Academy, Wiltshire Council Family and Community Learning, Word Fest, The Rise Trust, HCRG Care Group, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and Little Stars. Kingsbury Green Academy is part of the Ascend Learning Trust.
l-r Cath Young, Elaine Cook & Liam Collins of KGA with Emma Blease of Wiltshire Council Family & Community Learning
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