This is the last posting I'll be making on this blog for this year - back again in January.
Meanwhile, have a great break - and here's a
Christmas Card for you!
Enclosed with this posting you'll find a survival guide to Christmas parties from Ellen Kynnear - recommended reading!
On January 24th two events are taking place. In the morning the School will be running its Staff Student Forums - events in which students and staff are able to discuss issues relating to their courses, the feedback they've given and plans for the future.
In the afternoon the University is running an event called "Making Newport (even) Better" in which staff and students from the entire institution will be meeting to help shape developments in learning, teaching and assessment - the whole experience. This will start with lunch at 12.30 and will continue throughout the afternoon and all students and staff are invited. How could the University be better? What could we do that would make a difference? What could you do? If you're interested in sharing your thoughts and opinions it would be very good to hear from you. There'll be more information about this at the start of the term but, in the meantime, if this is something that might interest you please put the date in your diary.
You'll find a copy of the latest SQAEC minutes with this posting. Not sure what a SQAEC is? Just type it into the "search" box at the top of this blog, hit return, and you'll find every posting that mentions it - including one that gives an explanation.
Regionalisation and Youth Work
Over the coming years there will be an increasing requirement for the youth service to respond to the need for greater efficiency, more partnership based responses and combined investment in service delivery. This is linked to the recent Beecham Review, and the Welsh Assembly Government’s response to Beecham: Delivering Beyond Boundaries and the Government of Wales Act 2006.
In order to assist youth work practitioners in understanding the regionalisation agenda a new organisation has been established, the ‘South East Wales Practitioners’ Network’ with support from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Department of Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills –Youth and Adult Learning Opportunities Branch and this is your chance to shape its development.
This new network is intended to link youth workers from the statutory and voluntary sectors in the areas of Blaenau-Gwent, Cardiff, Newport, Monmouthshire and Torfaen and is focussed upon the activities of face to face workers. If you are a professionally graded worker, a youth support worker, a paid worker for a voluntary organisation or a worker in training, this is a conference is for you.
The practitioners conference has been arranged for Saturday, 19th January, 2008 at the UWN Allt-yr-yn Campus, Alllt-yr-yn Road, Newport NP20 5XR
There is no charge for the conference and lunch and refreshments will be provided. A target of 70 participants has been set so early application is advised (although applications will be weighted to ensure appropriate levels of representation are achieved). You’ll find further information and contact details in the attachment accompanying this posting.