CTDU has moved premises!

Our new address is: Unit Q, 54-58 Cow Wynd Falkirk FK1 1PU.
Telephone number 01324 629404 Fax number 01324 622051 (NEW!)

You'll find us on the corner of Cow Wynd and St Crispin's Place
(above Elizabeth's Alterations and Nieto Electronics!)
You'll find a map on the contact page from from 16 May 2001.

THANK YOU TO LOCAL PARTNERS:

CTDU is very grateful for the help, support and enthusiasm that many local authority and college workers have given us, particularly over the last 6 months, in establishing new, challenging work and negotiating difficult funding paths.

A big thank you to: Keir Bloomer, Jim Rooney, Shamime Mansoori, Catharine McKinlay, Shahnaz Kauser, Claire Watt, Soon Yi Ablett, Elaine Petrie, Andy Lawson, Billy McChord and John Allan

Stay with us!

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Venture Fund

CTDU has received a grant from the Venture Fund (Stirling and Alloa) to do some more work with the Lets Make It Better group at 17-19 Irvine Place, Stirling. The banner makers will work on using the banner as a visual aid to help them make presentations to raise awareness of and reduce stigma about mental illness.

CTDU Directory of projects & CTDU Resources Catalogue

CTDU's directory of projects is now available. The directory will be updated during the year via updates sent out with our newsletter. If you haven't returned your entry yet, please email us or fax 01324 662051.Do it soon!! Telephone 01324 629404 for your copy.

CTDU's Resources catalogue. The catalogue lists: Books in our lending library. . Books in our resource library . . Information bank topics Training . . Resource packs If you would like to receive a copy of the catalogue call 01324 629404

Falkirk College Students Equal People

Falkirk College Students Equal People This group of students with learning difficulties took the parliament by storm when they presented their magnificent banner to a group of MSPs on 29th March. Their banner questions if we do have 'a Scotland where everyone matters', as the Social Justice document claims. These students argue that they are not always treated with respect, that other adults tend to treat them like children and place them in centres where there aren't enough stimulating and useful jobs to do. In contrast, they benefit greatly, both socially and educationally from the time they spend in Falkirk College and at the Tamfourhill Centre. In his Sunday Mail column, Andrew Wilson MSP wrote about the group's visit: "They want nothing more than to be treated with equality and respect. And after the going over they gave me and my pals Michael Matheson and Linda Fabiani they’ll certainly get plenty of that." (Sunday Mail: 1.4.01)

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Denny Asian Women's Sewing Group

Members of the Denny Asian Women's Sewing group made a banner about Traditional Asian Culture with CTDU, met with Dennis Canavan MSP, and visited the Scottish Parliament to present their banner. The group was nominated for an Adult Learners' Group Award by Catharine McKinley, a community education worker with Falkirk Council. They were one of five finalists for the STV area and received a commemorative plaque, a cheque for £100 and beautiful paperweights for each member at a fabulous dinner at Prestonfield House Hotel. Dennis Canavan MSP wrote: "I am absolutely delighted but not surprised because I was very impressed by the high quality of work produced by the group and their contributions to the discussion we had when they visited the Scottish Parliament."

At a recent CTDU gathering members of the group spoke about their experience making their banner with CTDU:

Shanaz - the sewing class teacher at the Denny Community Centre - said that Iyaah had approached her and asked if she and her students would like to make a banner.

Aby told how the ideas for the banner were discussed as a class. They discussed the importance of traditional culture and how it is important not to lose roots and skills. “We discussed it with our families and friends and brought back our ideas to Iyaah. We then transferred our ideas from paper to the banner and decided to break up the different aspects of our culture and tradition into sections. We live in the Falkirk area, but Pakistani customs and religion continue to be important for us. We use the banner to tell other people about our culture and our beliefs.”

Naheed spoke of the hard work put in by the group and Iyaah, which brought about a meeting with Dennis Canavan, the participants’ MSP. “We went to the Scottish Parliament, and found it an educating and interesting experience. We did not know anything about the parliament before making the banner. We had the opportunity to make our views known to our MSPs. Iyaah then organised a Mehfil evening where the banner was unveiled and all the participants received an Active Citizens award presented by Dennis Canavan. And then there was the International Women’s Day at Falkirk College, where our banner was displayed. We participated in a workshop doing henna painting.”

Sakina said the banner was helpful and she took it to show her teachers and classmates. They were impressed by the work of the group and asked many questions.

Salma announced that the group had recently learned that they are 1 of 5 finalists from the Scottish Television area for Adult Learners week and that they had been invited to a dinner in Edinburgh. “The whole group enjoyed working together and discussing the work for the banner. The end result has been that we received real opportunities that would not have been possible without the banner.”

Open Your Heart

I was given the name of an Indian singer and dancer who now lives in Glasgow, Mamta Yadav, and met with her to get her advice about how we might engage more black and minority ethnic communities. CTDU has a practice of organising social/cultural events to gather people together about issues that are important to them, and we decided that we needed to do the same for black and minority ethnic communities. We agreed a three part programme for March called 'Open Your Heart' all led by Mamta: 2nd March - An East meets West Mehfil in the Albert Halls, Stirling. A family musical evening with predominantly Asian music, song and dance but also including some traditional Scots music, song and dance supplied by Stirling Council's cultural services. Mamta led a wonderful programme for the 60 people who attended, mainly from Asian communities in Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire Council areas. While most of the adults were too shy to get up and do a turn, eight young people recited poetry and sang in both Urdu and Scots and one young lady from the Rainbow group in Camelon danced for us.

10th March - For Falkirk's International Women's Week event at Falkirk College
Mamta led a challenging and lively debate on the interesting and misunderstood topic of arranged marriages. This informal debate informed participants about this custom in both Pakistani and Indian cultures and led us to consider the difficult choices and pressures facing people who are part of both Western and Asian cultures.

28th March This session was for our Active Citizens 5 group programme,
but the previous groups were also invited because this topic had not been included in their programme. The purpose was to encourage CTDU members of Western origin to recognise and be sensitive to cultures and experiences of citizenship which are different from their own. Shamime Mansoori and Mamta Yadav led discussions and activities which allowed participants to think about cultural biases and racist language in their own communities.

Iyaah Warren (CTDU)

ecitizens

The Active Citizens (5) group recently had a day ‘working electronically’. CTDU booked the CLiCK centre in Alloa. Rosemary and Active Citizen John Ferrier led a day on ‘getting connected’ to the internet. Participants learned how to surf the world wide web, and each active citizen set up a ‘get me anywhere’ email address so that they could send and receive email wherever they are. The Active Citizens exchanged email addresses to practice sending email to each other, and everyone sent an email to their MSP. The participants visited the websites of local and national voluntary organisations as well as the local authority web sites and the Scottish Parliament web site.

My life after participating in a CTDU Active Citizen course

By Margaret McKerracher Prior to my attending CTDU’s Active Citizens course, my knowledge in the work of sub committees and management committees was zero, as was my knowledge in facilitating groups. CTDU taught me so much in a way that was geared towards people who had never had any previous training in this field of expertise.The "ACTIVE CITIZENS" course helped me to develop my skills that had lain dormant for several years. The training is centred around the needs of the individual, and is set at a pace that allows one to absorb what is being taught. There is never any pressure exerted to attempt anything which may be uncomfortable for the trainee. The handouts are invaluable and are carefully planned to assist in easy learning. They take the students through the work step by step making it a stress free process. This is essential for those who have to cope with a mental health problem in their daily lives - AS I DO. My life was so changed I felt able to take an active part in the Clackmannanshire Association of Mental Health (C.A.M.H.) as a Volunteer. I also felt that with all this new found knowledge I could become an active member in both sub committees and management committees. My role as a Volunteer began to change, I became more involved in working with other members within C.A.M.H. After almost a year of proving that I was capable to work with people I am now employed as a paid sessional worker. My life is once again on track, doing what my lifetimes work has been - working, supporting and whenever possible, helping vulnerable people. All this has been made possible by my involvement with the CTDU. The knowledge I have gained has been put to good use, both in CA.M.H. and in my life. Without the CTDU and ACTIVE CITIZENS courses the future of many people will be sadly bereft of opportunity. ('Voices' Menu)

Events and news just in . . .

hot off the press . . .

The Community Training & Development Unit (Forth Valley) Limited

Our Annual General Meeting will take place in the CLiCK Learning Centre, Burgh Mews, Alloa on Friday, 30th November 2001. We are kicking off with lunch at 12 noon, followed by an exhibition of our banner work over the last year at 12.30 p.m. We'll also be showing the Forum Theatre video made during our 'Year of the Artist' funding. From 1.30 p.m to 2.00 p.m the formal business of the Annual General Meeting will take place. Be there or be talked about!
If you intend to come - please phone us on 01324 629404 - or email us so that we know the numbers for food. We can provide childcare costs, but you must let us know by Monday, 19th November.

Linked Work & Training Trust Central
In partnership with The University of Glasgow

TEMPORARY SECONDMENT OPPORTUNITY LINKED WORK AND TRAINING TRUST CENTRAL
ADMINISTRATOR £13,164

The Linked Work and Training Trust Central is an independent voluntary organisation and is funded by Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Social Inclusion Partnerships. In partnership with the University of Glasgow, we provide a programme of education and work-based learning towards the Degree of Bachelor of Community Education and Community Development.

The Administrator will provide quality administrative support to the Trust. You will require to undertake preparation of financial and salary statements, record Minutes of meetings, produce reports and maintain records.

Candidates should have a high level of organisation and administration skills with the ability to work on own initiative. Educated to HNC level you will possess sound ICT skills. Experience of Sage Payroll and Sageline 50 Accounts would be an advantage, although training will be provided.

The post is offered on a temporary basis, part or full time. The post is funded to March 2002 with the possibility of a further extension subject to the continuation of funding.

For further information or an application pack, please contact: Fiona Craig Linked Work and Training Trust Central 9 Callendar Road Falkirk FK1 1XF Tel: 01324 622320 Fax: 01324 632779 e-mail: fcraig@udcf.gla.ac.uk
Closing Date: Thursday 6th December 2001

The Adult Carers Education project
The ACE project is a community based organisation providing a range of educational opportunities for adults in the Cornton and surrounding areas. The new term beginning 10th September 2001 will provide a wide range of classes, e.g.‘Computing for Beginners’, ‘European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL)’, ‘Arts & Crafts’,’Sewing’, ‘Communication’ and ‘Local History’. We are hoping to provide a course in the learning of sign language that will offer recognised certification from the Council for Advancement for Communication with Deaf People. Confirmation that this class will proceed in the autumn 2001 can be acquired from
Jim King or Margaret Scott Ace Project Cornton Community Centre 37 Johnston Avenue Stirling FK9 5DD Tel & Fax 01786 445619 email: The ACE Project for details of all courses


Stirling & Alloa Lets Trade Fair
Dates 2001 Fairs - 15 December.
Contact the Lets office on 01786 475459 or Stirling & Alloa Lets


The Dawson Estate Management Initiative is one of 15 Pathfinder Projects across Scotland funded by the Scottish Executive as part of the ‘Working for Communities’ programme.

A steering group has been set up to manage the DEMI Pathfinder Project. D.E.M.I. have secured a sixty thousand pounds grant from the Scottish Executive to support community representatives and organisations participate in their pathfinder project. Some ideas coming through are accredited training for community activists, a community development fund for community initiatives, community resource room with ICT and printing equipment and child and dependency care, travel and training budgets. The project office is based in a portacabin by the side of the Dawson Centre. Contact Allan Stewart, D.E.M.I.Pathfinder Project, Dawson Centre, David’s Loan, Falkirk Fk2 7RG
Tel 01324 501464 Fax 01324 501465

Safer Langlees and Bainsford (S.L.A.B.)
SLAB,the local community safety group operating in the Dawson Ward, marked Children's Safety Week by organising a whole week of events. Their ambitious programme was a great success. The events included parents safety talks, introduction to the dentist and health visitors, healthy eating, safety marking of bikes, Stranger Danger, role play and games with the police and fire service, football training and warm up exercises. The week culminated in a fun day that had the community football team adopting a Bay City Rollers guise and an agency team masquerading as the Sex Pistols. The game was refereed by our own councillor and Provost im Johnston who produced enough red cards to make a deck. There were bouncy castles, a ball pool, clowns, paper making, arboratics which involved wood carving and model making, willow weaving and a falconry display. The attendance averaged about seventy a day with the Saturday event recording about four hundred people.
SLAB will be making a CD presentation of the week and are willing to share the contacts and evaluation of the events with other groups wishing to organise similar initiatives.
SLAB were very grateful for the support received from other agencies, community groups
and the parents and children.
Helen Muirhead, Secretary, S.L.A.B.
c/o The Dawson Centre, David’s Load, Bainsford, Falkirk FK2 7RG Tel: 01324 501470

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