After following a long and slow corporate recruitment process (note to self: different approach next time!) the project is up and running.

 

We decided that Colin, who is in post, would benefit from the existing links that have been developed by the Council's Equalities team so from the outset he has been accompanying members of the team on site and home visits. This approach has succeeded as learner referrals have quickly surpassed our original forecasts with 41 clients across Herefordshire requesting multiple courses. We expect this to increase over the next few weeks too.

 

We have run, or are planning to run, various courses devoted to Health and Sfaety topics such as First Aid and Food Hygiene. Accredited Chainsaw and Welding provision is in the immediate future. Also, various contruction skills, bookkeeping and animal care courses have been requested. Where appropriate learners have been signposted to training providers already delivering the requested opportunities, such as those delivering Care related provision.

 

Literacy is high on the agenda. Several methods have beem implemented to ensure all learners are able to receive tutition. In some areas extising provison will be utilised while in Ledbury a bespoke course will be providied. For learners who are low in confidence we have partnered with HVOSS in Hereford who will supply volunteer tutors to deliver 1-to-1 tuition. Hopefully some of these learners will increase their confidence to the point they feel able to attend group sessions, and further learning opportunities that are currently closed to them because of their level of literacy.

 

We are slowly getting everything together.

The Yammer-based online steering group is proving invaluable for generating ideas.  The researcher is putting together some robust tools and I'm getting on with planning the training days, the first of which is fully subscribed.  The coaches meet on Friday and we're discussing jelly babies.  The only part of the complex weave I've not given thought to yet are the online materials, which I had in mind as being prompts for thinking, but a timely LinkedIn link from a colleague is giving me some great food for thought...

Hope everyone else is enjoying their project as much as we are!

 

 

After what seems an eternity the recruitment of the post to support the Gypsy, Romany and Traveller project in Herefordshire is finally moving forward.

 

After the request to fill the post successfully passed through the latest Management Board we have been given the go ahead to recruit internally after identifying several members of staff who would be suitable for the roll. The advert will go live shortly across the Council intranet site with a short turnaround. We hope to notify the successful aplicant on November 26th ready to begin immediately.

 

After the recruitment was ratified we issued a press release (attached) which has already generated interested from the local BBC radio station. We hope that the project will be represented as a positive attempt to engage with the local Gypsy, Romany and Traveller community in Herefordshire.

 

Initial interest from our current learning providers has been sought, and we will now move forward to create links between them and other organisations who already work successfully with the community. Once the successful applicant to the post is in place we will set up an initial provider network meeting to discuss how we will move forward with the project, and what we hope to achieve.

 

Hopefully,the next Blog entry itroduce our successful candidate and detail our initial approach to engaging with the Gypsy, Romany and Traveller community.

Our recruitment process has begun, so I guess we are officially up and running. Thursday's briefing was very useful, and I intend to start making contact with other organisations and local authorities who have run similar Gypsy, Romany and Traveller projects in the past. Why turn down good advice when it's available?! All very exciting... Now I just need to find my way around this website!!!