College News: Bedford College Offer Unique Training for Care Home Management

Foundation Degree helps training need in care industry - Bedford College is offering a unique 3 for 1 deal to those in care home management.

This fast growing industry is struggling to keep up with the changing training demands made upon aspiring and existing managers – now there is a solution which provides the relevant professional training in care and management as well as the very latest degree level learning.

The package covers NVQ Level 4 in Care, the Registered Manager’s Award and the Foundation Degree in Care Management which separately would cost over £4,000 but is offered over two years at £1,225 per annum.

It is a fast and furious course because that is the way customers want it. They attend college one afternoon a week and the rest is home or work-based evidenced study. It takes two years to complete all three qualifications.

None of the quality is lost because much of the learning overlaps – and students have the benefit of sharing experiences at their weekly college sessions – from which they gain a great deal.

“It’s a tough job being a care home manager and we want to provide all the help we can,” explained Assistant Director of Care at Bedford College, Margaret Bond.

The benefit of the courses, in particular the Foundation Degree, run in conjunction with the University of Bedfordshire, is that it empowers managers to deal more effectively with professional challenges such as inspections by the Commission for Social Care Inspectorate (CSCI) which monitors care homes against the Care Standards 2000 legislation.

One graduate of all three courses is Remi Wamala who is Manager of the Crescent Nursing Home in Bedford. This home for clients with mental health needs is part of the Apex Care Home Group, a family owned business, which has three homes in total in the county.

Said Remi: “Completing these courses meant we at the Crescent Nursing Home could provide improved care plans, improved supervision and improvements to our services in general.

It enabled me to get better CSCI reports because I was able to provide inspectors with the information in the right way to demonstrate the professionalism of care which is actually provided here.

Now two fellow staff members are taking the course as we can see the practical benefits. It has really helped to motivate people.”

Apex Care Homes General Manager Andrea Thasan said: “It is very helpful to have access locally via Bedford College to professional training for our staff. This is an ever-changing industry where we have to balance our time between providing the best possible care for our clients whilst having to evidence we are doing just and complying with all the current legislation. Apex Care Homes prides itself on its record of providing a caring and supportive environment from well trained staff for all our 100+ residents in our homes in Bedford and Luton.”

Bedford College provides all levels of NVQ training relevant to the care industry from Level 2 and 3 and including Level 4. In some cases funding can be found to help cover the costs. >From September 2007 the College will be mapping the Foundation Degree in Child & Adolescent Studies to two NVQs to provide the same value for time and money!

Photo shows Remi at the Crescent Care Home with Bedford College’s Margaret Bond and Karen Snowdon, left

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University of Gloucestershire Signs Agreement with Gloucestershire College

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire, Professor Patricia Broadfoot and Greg Smith, Principal of Gloucestershire College have signed an official agreement that will build stronger links between the two education providers.

Managers from both organisations met at the Hester’s Way campus of Gloucestershire College this week to about ways of working together in the future for mutual benefit of their students. The collaboration will include opportunities of progression for students from further education courses to University level study, working on a joint international student recruitment strategy and developing joint courses.

Vice-Chancellor, Patricia Broadfoot said, “This partnership will strengthen, expand and formalise the existing links that exist between our two institutions and provide opportunities in the future that will enhance educational and training opportunities within the county and beyond.”

Greg Smith added, "It is vital to the future development of the Gloucestershire economy and the economic well-being of the county that the two institutions creatively combine their collective resources to jointly develop a first class further and higher education system, in order to develop the skills base of our county. I therefore welcome this step change in our relationship with the University of Gloucestershire."

Staff from the institutions will meet on a regular basis to develop joint policies and strategies.

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BBC New Music Shorts 2007 Winners Announced

Five aspiring filmmakers have won the opportunity to make a £5000 music-based short film that will be premiered at the BBC Electric Proms and online on BBC Film Network, before commencing a UK festival tour.

The winning ideas for BBC New Music Shorts 2007 were chosen from 456 entries and films will be made under the guidance of experienced producers from Warp Films. Each ‘short’ is inspired by music from four leading independent record labels - Domino Records, 679 Recordings, Warp Records and Ninja Tune.

The commissions are as follows

Track: 'Slippin' by Wiley (Ninja Tune/Big Dada)
Filmmaker: Jason Nwansi
Synopsis: Kids on a school trip to a museum have a strange encounter with some mummies. Thriller meets Night at the Museum in this funny, original take on a grime video.

Track: 'Dry Lips' by Lightspeed Champion (Domino)
Filmmaker: Stephen Irwin
Synopsis: Champ faces his self doubts about his ability to fly after his lady love leaves him. A story with a heart told in eloquent black and white animation.


Track: 'Twin Tub Twin' by King Creosote (679 Recordings)
Filmmakers: Anastasia Kirillova / Matteo Manzini
Synopsis: The stories of couples who've been together over 50 years come together in this charming and unsentimental film on how relationships last. A unique and ambitious short that blends animation and documentary.

Track: 'Bad Is As Bad Does' by The Earlies (679 Recordings)
Filmmaker: Jonny Madderson
Synopsis: A satire on what happens behind closed doors at a G8 summit on world poverty. A live action black comedy that is more about the humour than the politics.

Track: 'Farewell Farewell' by Gravenhurst (Warp Records)
Filmmaker: John Thole
Synopsis: A man in a costume makes his way to a party in a field, where he finds himself turned into a human pinata. Surreal, absurd and yet completely satisfying, the idea also combines a very different and unique experimental filming technique.

BBC Electric Proms, Film Network and New Talent invited budding filmmakers to submit ideas for ‘shorts’ in April. The selection panel included producers and commissioners from Warp Films, the record labels and the BBC, who were all highly impressed by the level of the applicants this year. The submissions were of a high standard, with many of the applications including extensive visuals and personalised submission packs.

BBC Electric Proms Festival Director Lorna Clarke said: “Film and new talent are an integral part of the Electric Proms, and the New Music Shorts are a great example of the kind of creativity we are wanting to celebrate.”

BBC Electric Proms Film Programme Producer Pamela Casey said: “The high quality of entries made the selection process a difficult one this year. The range of styles and stories in the commissioned projects will blow everyone away when they're finally premiered at the Electric Proms.”

BBC New Talent Campaign Producer Shirley Rush said: “These winners represent the diverse mix of highly talented filmmakers emerging in the UK and we hope this experience will develop their skills further and provide an opportunity to establish new contacts and networks in this competitive industry”.

Following the successful inaugural festival, BBC Electric Proms 2007 will take place from 24 to 28 October 2007. The event will be broadcast across BBC television, radio, online and via the red button for digital viewers. The five winning films will also be available to view exclusively on the Film Network website www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork


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Drama for Young People Tackling Gun & Knife Culture opens in London

Drama for young people, by young people tackling gun and knife culture opens in London 28 July

A thought-provoking drama going on a national tour this summer will tackle the spate of knife and gun killings that has plagued youth culture and community at large. The two hour long drama Life on the Stairs put together by London-based FAITH Drama Productions, headed up 25-year-old Gbemisola Ikumelo, uses drama with hip hop, grime and dance to try to keep young people away from a life of crime.

The organisers hope the play will highlight the importance of positive living and speak to young people about the negative effect of gang war, gun/knife crimes and revenge killings.

Last year, the play written by Gbemisola Ikumelo, a 2003 Carlton Hobbs Award winner, debuted at the Stratford Rex in London to rave reviews. Around 1,000 people turned up over five days to watch the gritty, uncompromising and often hilarious drama. Among the guests were celebrities Antonia Okonma of ITV’s Bad Girls, Josephine Melville of Casualty fame and Chandra Ruegg from the ex-Channel 5 drama Family Affairs.

This year, the play has been revised and will go on its first national tour focusing on the cities of London and Birmingham. More than 35 young people will form the cast and crew of the play. In London, Life on the Stairs will show on July 28 at People Show Studios, Pollard Road, London E2 6NB at 2pm and 7pm. The afternoon show is followed by a post-show discussion. And in Birmingham, Life on the Stairs will show for eight days from 3 to 11 August at the Crescent Theatre, Sheepcote Street, Birmingham B16 8AE.

Many of the young actors appearing in the play come from disadvantaged backgrounds – some have faced poverty, homelessness and even had a first hand experience of criminal gang culture. For these young adults, being involved in the play has given them the opportunity to turn a new leaf.

“I used to be involved with a gang,” states 18-year-old Michelle*, “but joining this (FAITH Drama Productions) has given me the chance to hang out with different peeps and gain self-confidence and better acting skills.”

19-year-old Chantelle from Birmingham adds, “Our roads today are getting worse. You never know when another life may go. Young men are being killed like it's a joke. When I found out someone I knew, Meshack Tesfa Bernard- Brown had been shot last year and Odwayne Anthony Barnes just been stabbed a few months ago, I was upset as these are our talented young men, which is why FAITH Drama Productions is such an important organisation as they are allowing teens to realise that they have been blessed with talents to go out and help other people."

Throughout the year FAITH trains volunteers through weekly drama workshops resulting in a showcase of their newly learned abilities on Life on the Stairs. Gbemisola Ikumelo explains, “We believe the story and issues raised in this play is very relevant to young people. We hope to rally the youngsters to speak out against gun crime and gang violence."

FAITH has also launched a three minute online video campaign to generate support for Life on the Stairs. The campaign aims to get a minimum of 1,000 people pledging a pound to support the drama. More info about FAITH Drama Productions at www.faithdrama.org.uk or by phoning +44 (0)7958 172 398

Tickets to the show costs just £5. For the Birmingham show, call the Crescent Theatre box office on 0121 643 5858 or visit www.crescent-theatre.co.uk/Y2007/life_on_the_stairs.html

To book tickets for the London show, contact 07958 172 398