ebns Newsletter Archive 

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North Solihull Jobseekers See Wise Benefits

We are delighted to announce that Chemsley Wood Jobcentre is to become the focal point for North Solihull WorkWise following a funding pledge totalling £264,860. The contribution of £113,000 from ebns will go toward the expansion of the innovative WorkWise scheme, which gives free Travelcards for up to three months to people who are either starting new jobs or attending interviews, and allows the already vital project the guarantee of continuous support until 2010.

 

The remainder of the funding for the scheme will come from our partner organisations Centro-WMPTA and Jobcentre Plus, and represents a combined commitment toward addressing the financing difficulties people on benefits initially tend to face upon their return to full time employment.

Employment Development Manager John Turner said -
 
'ebns is pleased to be able to support the work of Centro and Jobcentre Plus for the next three years. We expect that our funding will make WorkWise more accessible and even more useful than it already is to those residents of North Solihull looking for work!' Since WorkWise began in 2003 it has helped over 1400 people back into work, and with the new funding the aim will be to target economic inactivity in the area, with part of the focus placed on getting hard to reach groups such as those on incapacity benefit their first step back into sustained employment, and thereby a positive future that offers a genuinely holistic plan for the North Solihull region's regeneration.

VIVID Continues To Cross Borders

Everyone at ebns is delighted with the news that the 'European Media Art Network' research scheme is to be significantly extended to incorporate four countries across the EU following a bid from our friends at VIVID

The Digbeth based arts project will link up with other projects in Holland, Bulgaria and Germany to create an exchange programme for sitting artists in residence. VIVID already offers a unique support and facilitation service to artists and the new scheme is an extension of their forward thinking ethos in finding new ways to expand the possibilities of nurturing talent and bringing exposure to new perspectives in art.

Yasmeen Baig-Clifford, Director of VIVID, and Peter Zorn, Director of the German participant gallery Werkleitz said -

"The programme will enable cultural collaboration between European artists on projects and the creation of closer connections among European media organizations. The current unification trends in Europe have created new cooperation and exchange opportunities and we are delighted that VIVID has now extended this network to Birmingham UK." VIVID were able to quadruple their available floor space following a grant of £78,000 from ebns and it is with a great sense of pride that we have seen them go from strength to strength. As the development of the 'Cultural Quarter' around Digbeth emerges it is clear that VIVID plans to set the standard for innovation and creative projects that, in every sense, go beyond borders, and demonstrates a vision and ambition that others will have to follow. 

Woodlands Campus - The First Year

Congratulations to the Woodlands Campus for the successful completion of their first full academic year! 


 

Last September saw the beginning of a new dawn for the educational landscape in the North Solihull region with the opening of the state-of-the-art facility. With the help of a financial contribution from ebns the college has transformed the prospects of people seeking greater inclusion in the drive to improve vocational skills in the area.

The North Solihull area is by far the most deprived of the borough, and has traditionally had a far higher rate of unemployment, combined with a skills deficit which in 2004 estimated that 46% of local residents were without any qualifications. This is in contrast with the remainder of Solihull where skill levels are higher than the national average and graduate retention levels are good. The College has a primarily vocational focus and aims to considerably raise the standard of skills in the North Solihull workforce, and in turn, raise peoples self esteem, confidence and chances of gaining employment.

The facility has already become a prominent aesthetic landmark in North Solihull due to the innovative architectural design of the building, and its academic and vocational success will surely soon become just as striking a part of the North Solihull landscape. 
 

Golden Hillock Academy Boost

Congratulations also to the Small Heath Academy which has recently reopened for business. The occasion was celebrated with a Family Fun Day Mela held on the Campus, and over four hundred people showed up to support the new look £3.6 million educational facility based on Golden Hillock Road, Small Heath.

ebns supported the facility with a contribution of £900,000, as part of our early commitment with the Learning and Skills Council to raise the quality of the local training infrastructure. The diverse range of learning facilities for young people and the incorporation of women only classes and childcare facilities are set to make a huge difference for local people looking to improve their education and training.

The Small Heath Academy is supported by Sure Start, The European Regional Development fund, Advantage West Midlands, The Learning and Skills Council, Birmingham City Council and the Dar-Ul-Uloom Islamia Trust - an indication of the strong partnership sprit in this part of the City.

Hello's and Goodbye's.

ebns would like to thank their Marketing Officer Kate Manion for all her help and hard work over the last year. Kate has recently moved on to a new role within a specialist marketing company and we wish her success and prosperity in the future.

 

We would also like to welcome our new Marketing Officer Gary Rogers. Gary is a graduate in Politics and Philosophy from the University of Wolverhampton, and had previously worked in a P.R. role within the charity sector. He would like, in the long term, to develop a career in Public Affairs.

Thank you for your time.

ebns
www.ebns.co.uk