Every Child Matters Careers Fair

8/7/2019 Every Child Matters Careers Fair

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worcesterneWednesday, March 9, 2011
http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/newspaperevents


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Wednesday, MarSPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

Want to work with childreFair can help in your searc

THIS years EveryChild MattersCareers Fair looks asif its going to be assuccessful as ever

and organisers are hoping itwill help even more peoplediscover their dream career.

Previous exhibitorsConnexions are excited to bereturning to the fair and theevent is also welcoming newexhibitors such as theNational ApprenticeshipService.

Last year, more than 400people looking for informationand advice about a possiblecareer working with children,young people and their

families found the answers atthe event, which was held atWorcester Racecourse for the

very first time. The event,which is organised byWorcestershire County

Councils early years andchildcare service and yourWorcester News, broughttogether 32 exhibitors rangingfrom universities to charitiesall offering training and adviceto answer questions and helppeople on the path to theirperfect career.

Rachael Oakley, workforcesupport officer atWorcestershire CountyCouncil, said: We're hopingthis years event will be assuccessful as last year when itwas held at the WorcesterRacecourse for the first time.

The venue was fantasticand we hope that it will be justas packed with visitors again

in 2011, particularlhave a wider rangexhibitors than ev

The fair is a peropportunity for pewanting to work wchildren, young pefamilies, at any pocareer, to come alospeak to training gvoluntary organismany others, who available to answequestions.

We look forwardpeople on the day.

This years fair wplace on Wednesdafrom 10am to 3pmELIZABETH SWEETMA

PREPARATIONS: Careers adviser Uzma Asghar, left, talks toJess Kings and Dannie Evans ahead of the Every Child MattersCareers Fair on March 16. Picture: John Anyon. 09217401

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Wednesday, March 9, 2011 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

Charity can trainyou as a volunteer

HOME-Start Worcester andWychavon is a registeredcharitywhich has, for 27years, offered support,friendship and practical

help to parents with young children, inWorcester, Droitwich, Pershore andEvesham.

It offers a unique service, recruitingand training volunteers who areusually parents themselves to visitfamilies who have at least one childunder five to offer informal, friendlyand confidential support in the familyhome. To help give children the bestpossible start in life Home-Startsupports parents as they grow inconfidence, strengthen theirrelationships with their children andwiden their links within thecommunity.

If you have parenting experience,and two to three hours a week to offer,

Home-Start would love to hear fromyou. Volunteers are always needed tomeet a growing demand from familieswho face difficult times and stressfulsituations.

Jess Holden, manager, said: We askvolunteers to complete an enhanced

criminal record bureau check and wetake up references before they join ourtried and tested preparation course.

The course offers an introduction tovolunteering, working with childrenand families in a befriending role, andis also enjoyable and thoughtprovoking.

Home-Start staff will be on hand atthe Every Child Matters Careers Fairto talk about how volunteering fitsinto career plans.They will also haveleaflets and information availableabout the training it offers.

Many of its volunteers go on to paidwork with families and children andthey find that the experience they gainwith Home-Start is very helpful.

Anyone interested in becoming avolunteerdoesnt have to be planningto progress their career.

Mrs Holden said: We need peoplefrom every walk of life, in all age

groups and with a range of differentskills and experiences, so contactHome-Start now to find out how youcan help.

Weve had an excellent responsefrom previous Every Child Mattersfairs and volunteers who came forward

at last years event are now busyvisiting families and really making adifference.

Home-Start is also about to launch afast-track course with two sessions aweek over four weeks.

One session each week is held duringthe daytime and one in the evening.This makes it easier for those with busylives to juggle their commitments overa shorter period in order to make timefor the training course.

It will run in the early summer, sothat volunteers are ready for the nextpeak in demand from families which, inpast years, has come in the autumn.

For information, call at the Home-Start stand at the fair, telephone 0190529377 and ask for Jess Holden or [email protected].

HELP AND ADVICE: Home-Start is ableto offer parents informal, friendly andconfidential support in the family home.

BE AVOLUNTEER:If you haveparentingexperienceand two tothree hours aweek to offer,then Home-Start wouldlove to hearfrom you.

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mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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ARE you thinkingabout what careeryou want or are youlooking for a changeof direction in your

working life?If so, then when you visit the

Every Child Matters CareersFair at Worcester Racecourseon Wednesday, March 16, visitthe Workforce & PracticeDevelopment stand and seewhat you can find out to takeyou on the path to your newprofession.

Working with children andyoung people can be bothrewarding and challenging,particularly if you choose towork as a childrens social

worker. But what skills andqualifications will you need towork in childrens social care?

Being a social worker meansthat every day is different andyou will need a wide range ofskills to deal with a variety ofsituations.

You will need to be a goodlistener and be interested inpeople.

You will also have to dealwith families who may notwant to change habits andbehaviour that has been goingon for years.

But it can be the mostrewarding job in the world andyou will make a difference tothe lives of children, young

people and their faTo qualify as a soyou will need a degsocial work.

This can be donethree-year undergdegree or a two-yegraduate degree.

You may also be qualifications whiand there may be sfunding available for it all.

Talk to WorkforcDevelopment staffcareers fair and thable to tell you in mabout the qualificaneed to set you on path.

Your reward is in having forever challenging caree

REWARDING: Workforce & Practice Development help put youpn the path to your desired career of working with youngsters.

KIDDERMINSTER College aims togive students the best possible chanceof success within a range of early yearscourses.

If you are thinking of going intoemployment or onto higher education either straight from school or as acareer change staff can help you toachieve your aims and reach your fullpotential.

Kidderminster College offers a rangeof vocational courses to enablestudents to work in a variety ofchildcare fields.

With more people looking for goodquality childcare to help withbalancing careers and family life thereis a growing need for early yearspractitioners. StricterTURN TO PAGE 21

Students able reach potenti

ACHEIVE SUCCESS: Enroyears course at Kiddermin



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Wednesday, March 9, 2011 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

Get yourself on coursefor a future in childcare

THE Academy of Care at SouthWorcestershire Collegeconsists of an array of full-time and substantive part-time courses to develop the

children and young peoples workforcein the 21st century.

This includes people working in thenursery and pre-school environments,home-based childcare and as teachingassistants in a school setting.

The academy delivers courses at thecolleges two campuses in Eveshamand Malvern and as an outreachprovision for Worcester, Bromsgrove,Kidderminster and Hereford.

In addition to college basedqualifications the academy offerscompetence based qualifications forworkplace learners.

These have been extremelysuccessful enabling the learner to earnwhile they work.

The academy is about to launch anexciting new apprenticeshipprogramme to meet the needs ofemployers and learners.

All its qualifications give studentsthe opportunity to develop skills notonly in caring for children but their

own personal learning and thinkingskills, team working and developingthose all important skills for life inEnglish and maths.

One student said: I enjoyedeverything about the course, especiallythe practical activities.

We learnt how to run practicalsessions for children and how to helpthem be creative by making thingssuch as wall displays.

Progression is provided through theacademy in some aspects of theprovision from level one through tolevel four and five foundation degrees.

If you are visiting the Every ChildMatters Careers Fair at WorcesterRacecourse then make sure you visitthe South Worcestershire Collegestand.

Staff will be able to offer prospectivestudents advice and guidance on thequalifications to best suit their needs.

Experienced lecturers will also be onhand to offer advice and provide ideasabout how to shape your future careerworking with young people.

Visitors will also be able to read someof the case studies from past studentsand see how far they have progressed.

LEARNINGCURVE: Enrolas a student atthe Academy ofCare at SouthWorcestershireCollege inEvesham orMalvern.

Proper training givenFROM PAGE 20

regulations in the care sector meansthat most employers requireappropriately trained staff.

The college aims to meet the needs ofemployers with the courses it offerswhile a wide variety of work experienceopportunities combined with learningfacilities in it well resourced early year

classrooms provide an excellenttraining environment.

Kidderminster College provides levelone, two and three programmes usingboth BTEC and CACHE as itsawarding bodies. There are a wide

range of progression routes toemployment including working asearly years practitioners in nurseries,working abroad as childrens holidayrepresentatives, as independentnannies or working alongside teachersin a year one or two reception class.

Higher education opportunitiesinclude access to primary teaching,

nursing, social work and other relatedareas.

For further advice and guidance,contact the college and it can arrangean interview to discuss requirementsand hopefully meet a students needs.

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THE main purpose of theEvery Child Matters CareersFair is to provide informationand advice to anyone whowants to work with children,

young people and families.The recruitment team at

Worcestershire County Councilsearly years and childcare service willat this years event on March 16 toprovide free and impartial informationabout training, qualifications andcareer opportunities. Visitors may alsofind that signing up for the freeChoices introductory programme is anideal starting point.

The programme is a fantasticopportunity for anyone consideringworking with children, young peopleand families to gain practicalinformation and advice about

voluntary opportunities,qualifications, short courses, careerprogression and much more.

Those who go along to the fair willgain valuable information andsuggestions about working in earlyyears education, childcare, playwork,youth work, working in schools andfamily support work.

A huge benefit is that local speakersattend and talk about where they

work, their job role and hocareers have progressed. Tvery inspiring.

Careers in this field are crewarding, important and enjoyable and are highlyrecommended.

Over the last five years tChild Matters Careers Faiwide range of exhibitors, mwhom have attended beforthe vent has been expandeexhibitors include the NatApprenticeship Service, TAssistants and Workforce Development.

Rachael Oakley, worforcdevelopment officer at theand childcare servic, saidhoping this years event wmore successful than in pr

years.With a wide variety available throughout the danswer questions, we are epeopleto come along andfin

Those that cant make it can request information byFamily Information Servic790560, e-mailingfamilyinfo@worcestershirlogging on to worcestershifamilyinfo.

Well start you on the roato a truly inspirational joRRaacchhaaeell OOaakklleeyy says that next weeks Every Child Matters Careers Fair is the place to start looking for a rewa

LOTS OFWorkingchildrenpeople ivery rew

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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worcesterneWednesday, March 9, 2011

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Every Child Matters Careers Fair