Family Learning Week at local learning centres - 15th to 21st October 2011

Family Learning Week provides a chance for family members to discuss what they learn and why. This raises the awareness of all the learning opportunities for families, available in the area provided by John Wheatley College and its partners.

Youth Access Programme @ The Bridge

During the Bridge Monday session twenty young people streamed music and video from YouTube, checked their facebook pages and used graphic design programs like ‘piZap’.

On the Friday eighteen young people played online games, used ‘Photobooth’ using the Mac computers to take their photos and edited these online using Picnik.com; accessed and updated their Facebook accounts and created animated images which they transferred to their phone using Bluetooth.  

Aaron Black from Springhill said;

It distracts people from drinking and smoking on the streets. It facilitates opportunity to get extra qualifications and do something productive. It is good because people can keep up to date with computers and being online. Most young people don't want their parents to know what they are doing on the computers but it is important that parents know about computers.

The Connie

At the Connie learning centre 8 children and 3 adults accessed information on the internet, updated their facebook pages and played online games. Lesley Niven from Provanhall said, “It is definitely a good thing my wee one couldn’t go without the computers at the Connie. We both understand it is important to learn about computers, it is good to sit down at the computer on my own and find out what he is learning on it.”

Surfing at Sandyhills

 

6 adults attended the volunteer supported IT session where they read their emails, accessed Google maps and used price comparison websites. David Greenhorn, the Sandyhills Tenants’ Association drop-in organiser said, "It is important to the community today that families have somewhere they can access computing facilities locally. The computers are free, which helps because people don't have any money."

FUSE Drop in youth sessions P5-P7

Two young people took time out from playing internet games to discuss with staff how they were not only going to tell their parents about their learning, they were also going to encourage them to learn more about computers.

FUSE manager, Gerry Baldwin said,

Fuse Youth Cafe supports lifelong learning. We are keen for all generations young and old to enhance their lives through education leading to an increase in confidence to use all technologies available to them. We support family education through the use of the learning centre for adults as well as children and ideally family working and learning together.

Summing up

Brian McQuillan, Network Learning Support Officer said,

John Wheatley College and its partners understand the importance of collaborative approach to family learning, which can help bring family members together. Critical to the aims and objectives of the college is providing opportunities for local people of all ages to participate in lifelong learning.

 

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