Changethinking

Archive for the ‘Funding’ Category

Somewhere, in my past I remember being told ‘more haste less speed.’

The Draft Structural Reform Plan is in plenty of haste. Built into that, is the feeling that there is no time to talk about these major changes in our education system that will happen by September 2010.

To discuss openly can only ever be the right thing to do. Consultation is a process that, in the end, has huge benefits including involving people, creating ownership, making changes, being reflective.

So, why is there so much haste in these sweeping changes? At what level of breakneck speed are we expected to see the education system move into academies and free schools?

The Draft Structural Reform Plan, published by the DFE in July 2010 states that they will replace “the old, top down systems of targets and central micromanagement”. The power is being given to the people and the communities, only responsible to the Secretary of Education of course.
Improvements will be made through; local democratic accountability, competition, choice and social action.

But how does the setting up of academies and free schools be democratically accountable and provide social action or indeed choice. Schools set up by parents and anyone that wants to is not the same thing as being democratic

They would, I suggest, create competition and provide choice for those who can afford to move their children and to wherever offers the best in facilities and results.

But what are the opportunities for the schools in less wealthy communities?

And where does this fit with the increasing needs of children living in poverty in our country? Will it bring a good education and a chance to broaden young people’s horizons?

It may enhance children who already have much, but what about those who have not? Are we heading to a fairer society? Will this narrow the gap between the rich and the disadvantaged?

The haste in which this will happen is staggering, over a period of 4 months, including the summer break, legislation will be in place.It is hoped that the first schools will be converting to Academy status in September 2010, one month from now!

Plenty of haste at a breakneck speed for major changes.

Let’s be clear about what the changes are, and for whom, and which children will really receive a better education as a result.

The Arthur Guinness Fund, UnLtd and Rathbone have joined forces to create the Guinness Bring It To Life Awards, offering new young entrepreneurs with a community changing idea the chance to get started.

Aimed at ideas driven social venturers in the cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham or London – the new fund will support ideas, exisitng or new, that have social or environmental aims.

The Bring It To Life web site states that…

Two levels of Award are available for entrepreneurs. 15 Catalyst Awards, each worth up to £2,200, are available for those who need the running costs to get their idea off the ground and 6 Development Awards, worth up to £15,000 each, are available for established social entrepreneurs to get their ventures fully operational.

You need to send in your expression of interest by July 9th, 2010. The full application process closes on 23rd July.

The winners of the awards will be announced, it is planned, by September 2010. See the award web site for more details.

What I want to be………

Daycare Trust are asking children and young people of all ages to join them to celebrate National Childcare Week 12th – 16 th July.

The art competition is based on “ What you want to be”. It may be a racing driver, a teacher, a writer, a spaceship astronaut, who knows……

Winners of the competition will be invited to an awards ceremony in Central London where they will receive their prizes and the chance to meet some famous book and tv characters, like Big Chris and Roary the Racing Car and their creator, Keith Chapman. The closing date is 18th June 2010.

All the winning entries will be published on Daycare Trust website and Flickr and other outlets, as well as being included in a booklet to mark the occasion.

SmithMartin Partnership LLP is a supporter and sponsor of the event and are pleased to be part of the Daycare Trust’s continued work, campaigning for accessible and quality childcare.

The research carried out by Daycare Trust continues to be relevant and informative to parents, employers and government initiatives. One of the recent guides produced by Daycare Trust is,
‘A Guide to childcare for disabled children’ which provides lots of details and support contacts .

You can become a member of Daycare Trust and receive much of the information for free. Contact through the website.

The Digital Participation Fund deadline is approaching. Applications have to be with the fund by 5.00 p.m. on the 1st. June 2010, for this first round.

Designed to support initiatives that increase participation in online activities, get more from already being online and to get help to exploit the real social and economic benefits of being online.

The Fund is open to any charity or incorporated organisation, with the Fund stating that there is likely to be several rounds of funding available over the next three years.

The Fund notes say they are looking for projects of any size, that can be evaluated, replicated and that offer depth and breadth to internet access.

You can get full details of the Fund, the aims it has and all the forms for application here, in both PDF and Word format.

If you are already helping people get access to the online world, or are planning to, check out the Digital Participation Consortium.

The government is to spend £3million pounds on training children’s centre outreach workers. This is a drive to ensure that the most disadvantaged families are reached and the needs of all children and families are being met.

Now that children’s centres have been running for some time they are good at planning and delivering services and activities and ensuring in many cases that financial stability is a priority.

Our partnership is involved in developing children’s centres and continues to support them in both their marketing and work with the community. The local neighbourhood and a knowledge of families and organisations can make so much difference to ensuring that they are part of the community and not seen as another service beyond a closed gate.

Over 5000 workers are intended to be part of the training programme, which is being developed by Children’s Workforce Development Council . It is being provided by  National Children’s Bureau through a programme called Families Going Forward and underpinned by 4Children.

The increase in the free entitlement from 12.5 hrs to 15 hrs a week (when delivered in term time) is already being implemented in some local authorities.

Its intention is to improve access to good quality early years provision and to support all young children’s development and understanding. It also is a great help and support to parents in the growing needs of young families and in enabling some parents to be able to access work related opportunities more easily.

There is a need for flexibility to be built into the programme so that parents can have a range of options to chose from. These should include access on a termly basis or through the year.

Schools and also private, voluntary and independent (PVI’s) settings generally have very different abilities to offer a range of flexible options. But these can be achieved and within areas or neighbourhoods there can be a number of ways of offering the extra time that will best meet the needs of the majority of parents. Some effective consultation is the best way to discover parental needs.

The pathfinders and local authorities that are already successfully delivering the scheme have been asked to have all settings offering 15 hrs by September 2010. Other local authorities now have until September 2011.

There is some helpful information on the DCSF website and includes research and findings from Sheffield and Cambridge.

Pass on the message.

Directgov have recently launched  Join – a new set of web pages for young people who are interested in volunteering, organisations that can help and the sources of funds available.

Part of the Youth Citizenship programme the pages offer young people an opportunity to talk about the issues they have, as well as having access to information on government and democracy at a local and national level.

There’s a youthnet blog too and a chance to vote for the Youth Parliament.

Helping young people understand the world better, with a chance to get their voice heard.

‘Home Access is the new Government programme which will help to ensure that more children in England have access to technology at home to support learning. Eligible low-income families (eligibility is based on the criteria for free school meals) with learners in Years 3 to 9 will be able to apply for a grant to buy a computer and internet package’.

It is intended that this new government initiative will benefit at least 270,000 households in the UK.

The packages offered to families also include assistive technology, to make sure access by young learners on-line is at its most effective.

Parents and carers can review information on the Becta website here. (Becta is the organisation dedicated to the innovative use of technology in education).

Schools who wish to actively participate in the programme can find Home Access information here.

Detailed information for parents, carers and organisations who wish to support the Home Access programme can be found here.

Happy Days is a UK charity that provides funds to offer the opportunity for children from three to seventeen years of age, with learning, mobility or chronic illness needs, to undertake trips and holidays.

You can visit the Happy Days web site here and find out more about the work of this charity.

The applications for funding and the types of activity that can be funded are found here.

Do you have an active church in your community that could benefit from funding to develop both accessibility and increased levels of service from the premises?

In 2010 the National Churches Trust has both repair and community grants available for applications that meet their criteria.

For community grants the funds approved can be from £2,500 to £25,000.

You can review the Trust funding criteria and download an application form on the trust site here.

SmithMartin LLP – helping communities change their landscape.