Help to Learn

Childcare

Special Needs Childcare
Real Issues website for Sunderland. This site is designed for children and young people living in Sunderland who are disabled, have special educational needs, or a long term health condition, and their families. It will also be a useful resource for the professionals working with them. It offers advice and help with special needs childcare.
www.sncwd.org.uk

Search for Childcare in the region http://www.childcarelink.gov.uk/index.asp

BRIDGE PROJECT
Grasmere Terrace, Columbia, Washington and at Sulgrave, Centre, Manor Road, Sulgrave, Washington, NE38 7LP , Tel: 0191 417 2445/0218.
Free childcare for under fives.

The work of the Early Years and Childcare team includes;

• Creating and Sustaining Childcare

Careers & Jobs in Childcare
Search for registered childcare on-line

• Supporting Learning and Development for children under 5  

• Integrating services for children under 5

Sure Start Local Programmes

Sure Start Sunderland - Thorney Close, Sure Start North Washington, Sure Start Ford, Sure Start Monument, Sure Start Hetton and Houghton, Sure Start Greater Southwick, Sure Start North West Sunderland, List of all 7 Sure Start Local Programmes

Publications
Early Years and Childcare / Sure Start Publications

Children's Information Service Sunderland Tel: 0191 553 5678

Sunderland Skills Support Project

A way to earn a City and Guild 9295 Certificate.

· Sunderland Adult & Community Learning, on behalf of the Basic Skills Strategy Sub-group of the Sunderland Learning Partnership, administers this project.
· The project will engage with a wide range of partner organisations, their employees and volunteers, who have front-line contact with adults who may have basic skills needs.
· A free and flexible learning programme which offers the City & Guilds 9295 level 2 Certificate (Adult Learner Support) in a wide range of venues across the City until December 2006 is available.
· Learners will be supported to achieve a minimum of Unit 1 of the Adult Learner Support certificate.

Aims of the project:

· To upgrade the skills of paid and unpaid staff from public, private, statutory, voluntary and community organisations.
· Identify people with potential basic skills needs and encourage them to tackle these needs.
· Offer referral to appropriate basic skills learning opportunities.
· Contribute to increased adult leaner take-up of basic skills learning opportunities and to increase learner achievements in accordance with city-wide agreed targets.

Objectives of the project:
To offer the City & Guilds 9295, Level 2 Certificate (Adult Learner Support) on a free and flexible basis, negotiated to meet the operational needs of organisations and their candidates.

Q What do I need to do in order to be awarded the qualification?

A In order to gain the qualification (C&G 9295 Adult Learner Support), the following programme must be followed. It can be delivered in a venue of your choice, at a time that is suitable to your operational needs. The course is best suited to groups of approx. 10 –12 candidates.

Unit 1 "Working in the Sector" is a stand-alone qualification.
Unit 2 "Supporting Learners"
Unit 3 "Literacy, Numeracy, ESOL" (Choose any one from the three options)

Guided Learning Hours Qualifications Role
Unit 1+ assignment.(Working in the Sector) 20 hours City and Guilds certificate of Unit Recognition SignposterFrontline worker Mentor
Units 1,2 & 3+ relevant assignments 60 hours Level 2 Certificate Adult Learner Support Adult Learner Supporter

Unit 1 is an awareness-raising module.
Participants will:
· Have an awareness of the range of roles they can play in supporting adult learners;
· Acquire skills to formally and informally identify potential adult learners;
· Become familiar with local learning provision and be able to guide potential learners to appropriate courses;
· Be awarded the C&G Certificate of Unit Recognition awarded on successful completion of a classroom-based assignment.

To move onto Units 2&3 you must show competency at Level 2 in Literacy and Numeracy.
Completing the National Tests is a convenient way of doing this. (Information available if required)

Unit 2 is an introduction to team working and support within the learning environment.
Participants will:
· Develop better communication skills;
· Build up strategies for introducing new learners to local provision;
· Understand how learners with learning difficulties or disabilities can be supported;
· Gain an awareness of resources used by specialist teachers;
· Complete 8hrs of practical Adult Learner Support.

Unit 3 is an introduction to the core curricula documents and strategies used in the specialist teaching of Literacy, Numeracy or ESOL.
Participants will:
· Practice the skills that learners will be developing;
· Familiarise themselves with examples of specialist teaching resources and skills;
· Reflect on and develop their own literacy, language and numeracy skills;
· Complete a portfolio and personal journal of learning.

For more information contact

Carol Reid
Project Co-ordinator
Sunderland Skills Support
City Library and Arts Centre
1st Floor
Fawcett Street
Sunderland
SR1 1RE

Tel: 0191 553 2500
Fax: 0191 553 2506

Click here to view more basic skills information

Funding

Career Development Loans
If you want help paying for your training, a Career Development Loan (CDL) could be the answer.

The deferred repayment loan covers a wide range of vocational courses lasting up to two years, plus, if relevant, a maximum of one year's practical experience where it is part of the course. Study can be full-time, part-time, open or distance learning. CDL's can support up to 24 months of a longer course (plus the one year's practical experience, if relevant).

You can apply for a loan of between £300 and £8,000 to cover:

up to 80% of your course fees (if you've been out of work for three months you may be able to borrow the full cost of your course fees)
other costs such as books and living expenses
You make no repayments while you're studying - the Department for Education and Skills pays the interest on your loan for up to one month after your training course (by this time you will have hopefully found a new job so that you can take over the repayments yourself). If one month after completing your training, you're registered unemployed and in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance, you may apply to the bank to defer repayment for up to a further five months.

CDL's are available through four major banks - Barclays, The Co-operative, Clydesdale and the Royal Bank of Scotland. Your study should be job-related and you should not be supported financially by any other organisation or be receiving a mandatory grant.

A free CDL information booklet, containing all the details you will need as well as an Application Form, is available by calling free on 0800 585 505 between 9am and 9pm Monday to Friday. Or ask at your local Jobcentre, SLC/LEC, college or training centre.

For more information click here.

City & Guilds
City & Guilds offers a small number of educational grants each year to people who would like to study for a City & Guilds qualification. The grants can be used for a wide range of purposes, including paying for course fees, covering the costs of a break from work while you re-train, or to cover childcare or travel expenses.

To apply for a City & Guilds grant you need to request an application form from City & Guilds. Phone them on 020 7294 2733, email them using the link below, or print a form from the City & Guilds website.

Email City & Guilds at: henrif@city-and-guilds.co.uk.

Funding for disabled people and carers,

Adult Learning Grants

Transport

Full Time Students Metro Student Card (MSC) See Metro Tickets for more information on Metro Student Card. Teen Travel Teen Travelticket is valid on Metro, Ferry, Buses and on ARRIVA Trains Northern services between Sunderland and Blaydon Students who are: aged 16 - 18 years on September 1st of the current academic year in full-time further education (not higher education) and a resident of Tyne and Wear can purchase a Teen Travelticket (around half the price of a Network Travelticket) on presentation on a Teen Travel Identity Card. How to purchase your Teen Travelticket: Before you can buy a Teen Travelticket you must have a Teen Travel Identity card - pick up an application form at your school/college or Local Education Authority. Follow the instructions on the form. Either send your completed application form to the address shown on the form or go to one of the special temporary issuing points which will be operational in early September. Details of the locations will be available from where you collected your application form. Teen Travel ID Cards are valid for 6 months only, so if you still qualify in February and at the end of the year you must re-apply for a new one. N.B. Applications for each academic year cannot be processed until after 1st September. Take your Teen Travel ID card to any of the Nexus Travelshops or wherever you see the Network Travelticket logo. A passport-sized photograph will be required for your first photocard. Several types of ticket are available from 2 zones to all zones, offering all day or off peak travel, and for 1 or 4 weeks (see Tyne and Wear Network Map to work out your zones). charges All-day tickets *Off-peak tickets   1 week 4 weeks 1 week 4 weeks 2 Zones £5.70 £19.40 £4.80 £15.70 3 Zones £6.50 £22.50 £5.30 £18.10 All Zones £8.00 £26.90 £6.20 £21.70 All day Teen Traveltickets are valid all day, everyday. *Off peak Teen Traveltickets are valid from 9:30am to 4:00pm and from 6:00pm to the end of service on weekdays and all day on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. BUY YOUR TICKET ON-LINE 4 weeks Teen Travelticket tickets can be RENEWED online - click here to renew On-Line Network Ticketing Student Travelticket Student Traveltickets are valid on Metro, Ferry, Buses and on ARRIVA Trains Northern services between Sunderland and Blaydon. Available to any full-time student in possession of a valid NUS/Student ID or Enrolment card. Traveltickets may be purchased from any Nexus Travelshop and are valid for all zones, all day travel. A Student Travelticket replacement scheme is also available at a cost of £5 per Term. Further details can be obtained from Traveline. N.B. Passport-sized photograph required for first photocard. Stagecoach UniRider The ticket for students! UniRider is available to students aged 18 or over and in possession of a valid NUS card or proof of student status. UniRiders are available for a term or for the entire academic year and entitles the holder to unlimited free travel on Stagecoach North East buses in Newcastle or Sunderland. Newcastle or Sunderland Term UniRider from around £66.00 Newcastle or Sunderland Annual UniRider from around £159.00

The Blue Badge Scheme
The Blue Badge Scheme provides a national arrangement of parking concessions for people with severe walking difficulties, and those registered blind who travel either as drivers or passengers. It allows badge holders to park near their destination. There are certain criteria around who can apply for a Blue Badge, and children must be over two years of age to qualify.

Visit the web site HERE for more information.