Yes, no, still don’t know? Then maybe some live theatre can help you make up your mind with The Great Yes No Don’t Know Five Minute Theatre Show!
Craigroyston Community High School will be streaming a series of live five minute theatre plays made by everyone for an audience of everyone on Monday (23 June) from 5 – 7pm.
There’s tea, coffee, juice, bacon rolls – and if your not on the Electoral Register yet there’s an opportunity to register too!
Everyone welcome!
Education Working For All report
The final report by the group tasked with helping Scotland develop a world class system of vocational education and training has been welcomed by the Scottish Government and education leaders.
Cabinet Secretary for Training, Youth and Women’s Employment Angela Constance joined Sir Ian Wood, fellow members of the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce and representatives from COSLA, at Craigroyston Community High School to mark the publication yesterday.
Its recommendations include:
Sir Ian believes that Scottish businesses have ‘got out of the habit’ of employing young people and said schools must prepare young people better for the workplace and ensure vocational training was offered as well as academic qualifications.
He explained: “It’s all about building a bridge between school and college into business and industry.
“We’re suggesting that we set up 15 to 20 employer-led groups across Scotland. They’ll have a three-year life and will facilitate every secondary school in Scotland having a long-term partnership with local employers, to include work experience.
“We’re suggesting a really worthwhile work experience and also better advice and career information.
“Frankly, business says ‘we would like to employ more young people, but we’re not sure how to, we don’t have the resource’. We’ve tried to do something quite concrete to change that.”
The Scottish Government will respond formally to the report in the coming weeks, with £12 million budget consequentials already set aside for youth employment.
Speaking at Craigroyston, Ms Constance said: “Today’s report sets out recommendations to deliver a 40 per cent reduction in youth unemployment by 2020 and a challenging programme to transform the way we work with young people, employers, schools and colleges to ensure that all our young women and men have the choices and opportunities they need to fulfil their potential.
“Our young people are an enormous asset in helping us to achieve our aspiration to strengthen Scotland’s economy. Our ambitions to see significant improvements in our youth employment numbers go beyond a return to pre-recession levels when, during a period of growth, youth unemployment stood 7.7 percentage points above that of the general population.
“A substantial amount of activity to help young women and men towards employment is already in place, including our very successful Modern Apprenticeship programme, which has seen over 77,000 new opportunities in the last three years. Opportunities for All also guarantees every 16 to 19 year old the offer of a place in education or training.
“The £12 million we announced earlier this year will help accelerate progress, and we will discuss with our partners in local government how best that is deployed.
“I would like to thank Sir Ian, members of the Commission and all those who have contributed to this landmark report which both matches the scale of our ambition and clearly sets out the challenges we face in delivering it.
“There is now much to consider and we will work closely with the public, private and third sectors on how the recommendations could be taken forward. Our partners in local government have a pivotal role to play in tackling youth unemployment and will be very much part of this work going forward.”
Minister for Learning Alasdair Allan added: “Curriculum for Excellence has been designed to equip our young people with the skills they need to succeed both in Scotland and in the global workplace, with local authorities having the freedom to shape education to meet the needs of our pupils, whatever their background.
“In order to truly give every young person the best possible chance of finding a sustainable career we need world class vocational education and training, allowing schools and colleges to join up with employers so that learning can be even more aligned to student needs.
“Today’s report builds on the steps we have already taken and I look forward to considering with our key stakeholders how it could make the difference we seek.”
Mandy Exley, Principal of Edinburgh College, has also warmly welcomed the findings in the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce report. She said:
“The Wood Commission report’s emphasis on ensuring young people at college study courses that will lead to employment in the prevailing labour market echoes our commitment to delivering opportunities that are relevant to the economic needs of Edinburgh and Scotland.
“The report’s objectives of establishing of a world class vocational training system that puts employers at the heart of this process is positive and something we have already embraced at Edinburgh College.
“Greater involvement between employers and colleges fits well with our activity at Edinburgh College. One of our aims is to ensure most full time students have a practical work experience embedded in their course. This is already well established in some areas such as catering and hair and beauty through the college’s restaurants and salons as well as our close links with industry in areas such as creative industries, health and social care, engineering and construction. We are seeking to extend this across all the full time courses we offer, where practical and beneficial to our students.
“The South East Scotland Academies programme that we are involved in is an excellent example of education institutions working closely with schools and employers to equip young people with the skills, experience and attitude to make a difference in industry. We will continue to pursue such initiatives to ensure we provide young people with the experience and opportunities that will help them into employment.”
Cllr Douglas Chapman, COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People added: “This landmark report today by the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce comes at a time of great change for Scotland. Whatever happens in September we have already embarked upon a decade long journey of renewal in education as a result of Curriculum for Excellence. The report today by the Commission in many ways represents the next steps that we need to take if we are to have a first class system of vocational learning in schools alongside the more established route to academic success.
“The report recognises the crucial role that our schools and teachers in local authorities across the length and breadth of the country can play at expanding pupil’s knowledge about the world of work and the job opportunities that are out there.
“The report’s recommendations are ambitious and transformational but in no way unachievable. This is because a key strength is that the recommendations are based, in part, on existing good practice which has been developed by local authorities, colleges and partners”
“We look forward to considering the report in more depth with Government in order to work together to progress the recommendations, as it is essential not only to support but also inspire young people with new opportunities to develop long-term rewarding careers.”
Craigroyston Community High School’s new term kicks off on 22 April and with activities ranging from learning to play the pennywhistle to pottery or genealogy there’s something for everyone!
See below for further information – it’s never too late to learn new skills!
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Support MYDG’s swimathon!
Muirhouse Youth Development Group (MYDG) will be taking part in a 24 hour fundraising Swimathon on Thursday 3 April and they could use your support.
MYDG’s Operational Manager Dean Shanks explained: “Money raised will support field trips, outdoor activities and MYDG’s commonwealth summer sports programme.
“You can pick up a sponsor form from MYDG’s office in Craigroyston Community High School or the Community Shop on Pennywell Road. Alternatively, you can make a donation online at our justgiving site which will be up and running tomorrow and I will forward on a link to everyone then. You can also come along and swim or volunteer to help with the running of the event!”
MYDG is based at Craigroyston Community High School
Telephone: 0131 332 3356
Website: www.mydg.org.uk
There wasn’t a spare seat in the theatre for North Edinburgh’s Big Night Out, organised by local group Power to the People, at North Edinburgh Arts last week. Over a hundred people from North Edinburgh and beyond enjoyed an evening of song, poetry, dance and drama.
Power to the People evolved from North Edinburgh Social History Group, local people who trawled through a huge volume of archive material to produce ‘Never Give Up’, a history of community activism in North Edinburgh.
Power to the People took this a stage further, and last Friday’s event was not only a celebration of the succesful conclusion of the course but also an opportunity to encourage wider activism.
Guests and visitors had an opportunity to visit art and photography exhibitions and view a video slideshow in North Edinburgh Arts’ galleries and cafe area before taking their seats in the theatre
There was a raft of strong performances on a special evening. North Edinburgh’s very own Timebank Choir got the show off to a rousing start and this was followed by poetry from Ian Moore and Anna Hutchison, two founding members of both the Social History and Power to the People groups.
If the early part of the programme was dominated by North Edinburgh’s more mature activists, the stage belonged to the next generation when students from Craigroyston Community High School performed a medley of music, prose and drama which almost brought the house down. The future’s bright …
The Craigroyston kids were a near impossible act to follow, but North Edinburgh’s Womens International Group did just that with a moving interpretation of a work by Pastor Niemoller.
The evening was not limited to performers from North Edinburgh, of course, and Scots machair Liz Lochhead was a very welcome guest. Scotland’s national poet remains as popular as ever and national treasure Liz delighted an appreciative audience with some of her earliest poems as well as her latest epistle – written especially for a cinema opening the following evening and hot off the press. North Edinburgh heard it first!
The talented Penny Stone brought a memorable evening to a fitting finale by leading the audience – young and not quite so young – in a medley of popular protest songs.
CLD worker Lynn McCabe, who supports the Power to the People group, said: “The group wanted the Big Night Out to achieve a number of things: celebrate the end of the Power to the People course and share what we’ve learned with a wider audience. We also wanted people to have a good night out and to enjoy the entertainment.
“The Big Night Out also gave us an opportunity to promote the arts and to raise awareness about the Referendum – we hope the event will promote further discussion and debate.
“It was great that the young people from Craigroyston played such an active part on the night and we would like to attract more young people as well as others of all ages who are not already involved.
Our hope was that the audience would leave feeling inspired, motivated to get involved and more committed to equality and defending what’s important. The Power to the People group wanted to get the message across that change is possible, that there is an alternative and that we can change the world!”
The group would like to thank:
The group will evaluate the Big Night Out when they next meet – changing the world may take a little longer!
Some Big Night Out pictures:
STOP PRESS: Joel Venet has prouced a short Big Night Out highlights video. You’ll find it on YouTube at North Edinburgh Fights Back – it’s called Celebrate2
NEYPF’s latest ‘Matters2Us’ newspaper focuses on anti-bullying
The second edition of the North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum Matters2Us (anti-Bullying issue) is being launched tonight in Craigroyston Community Hgh School at 5.30pm.
CLD worker Clare Gibson, who supports the group, said: “North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum have put a lot of work into this research, the publication and the launch itself and would really appreciate it if you could let them know if you intend to be there tonight for the launch of the second edition of their version of The Matter: Matters2Us; this issue will focus on Anti-Bullying.
In July 2013, the Young People’s Forum were successful in their application to the Respectme Anti-Bullying fund to produce a second edition of their newspaper, this time asking the question:
‘How would you like to be supported if you were being bullied or see someone else being bullied?’
The group then consulted with over 100 pupils across two primary schools in North Edinburgh, going into classrooms over two days, spending time with the young people and finding out their thoughts on bullying.
The Young People’s Forum would now like to share what the young people who they met with said and would like to invite you to attend the launch of this second edition tonight at Craigroyston Community High School at 5.30pm.
There will also be an opportunity to hear from a local parents group on how they have made a user friendly guide to their schools Anti-Bullying Policy to support parents, young people and the community to understand it.”
If you plan to attend, or require further information, contact Clare.Gibson@ea.edin.sch.uk
The Scottish Government is to introduce guidance to help give pupils better protection online and in the classrooms, it has been announced.
Schools will get advice on promoting the safe and responsible use of mobile devices to protect pupils and staff from the potentially harmful consequences of misuse.
Speaking at the Respectme conference during National Anti-Bullying Week 2013, Minister for Learning Alasdair Allan unveiled the guidance on responsible use of phones, tablets and other mobile devices and an e-safety website. He said:
“We want everyone in Scotland to grow up free from bullying and to have respect for each other. All bullying behaviour is unacceptable but no one reading the recent horrific accounts of cyber-bullying, blackmail and exploitation can help but be outraged.
“It is unrealistic to expect young people to turn away from technology. We need to look practically at what can be done to change attitudes and stop people using these resources for abuse.
“All schools must have anti-bullying policies that are regularly updated to ensure that pupils are safe and protected from potential harm, both within and outside school.
“That is why I am launching guidance to help schools develop and update policies to promote the safe and responsible use of mobile technology in schools along with an e-safety review tool – an interactive way for schools to review their e-safety provision and to develop an action plan for improvements.
“This guidance and tool will help schools find the right balance between the use of mobile devices in the classroom without them causing disruption or being misused.”
Dr Allan also confirmed that a summit of internet providers and anti-bullying partners such as Respectme would go ahead on December 4.
He added: “Technology moves on leaps and bounds very quickly and teachers and parents need support to help keep up with it. That is why my colleague, Minister for Children and Young People Aileen Campbell, and I are hosting a summit in December to see what more can be done to help everyone feel that they can go online without fear.”
David Wright, Director of the UK Safer Internet Centre at the South West Grid for Learning Trust, said: “It is fantastic that schools across Scotland will have access to a reflective, non-moralising and empowering tool to review and improve their own Internet safety policy and practice.”
National Anti-Bullying Week 2013 takes place from Monday 18 to Friday 22 November.
Advice for parents, young people and schools is available from the national anti-bullying service Respectme www.respectme.org.uk/ and CEOP’s thinkuknow
I work with a community project called Centipede Project. We work with the community of Muirhouse to organise fun events that they would like to see take place. Our upcoming event is Luminous Muirhouse, please find all the information below.
What: Luminous Muirhouse will take place over one evening on 22 November between 4 – 6pm. It is a Glow in the Dark to scale blueprint of an ideal home spray-painted on the ground of a disused car park in the heart of Muirhouse.
This has been designed by Eileen Hall, Edinburgh-based architect in conjunction with pupils from Craigroyston High School. Glow in the dark flat wood furniture will be added to reflect some of the community’s creativity and desires for their area.
Kenny Bean, Scottish photographer has been taking portraits of locals in hands on workshops which will be projected on the church walls (outside).
A local Baton Twirling group will be performing with glow in the dark batons, group taught by Claire Chalmers.
Local musician, James Campbell, will be playing guitar.
Refreshments will be served.
Where: Opposite Muirhouse St. Andrew’s Parish Church on the brown field site, earmarked for development in 2014 Pennywell and the Church itself. Pennywell Medway as Pennywell Gardens is closed for roadworks.
When: Friday 22nd November 4 – 6pm.
Who: Centipede Project a locally based participative organisation, funded by Go For It fund. Artist Natalie Taylor, Project Co-ordinator Jo McArthur
With Thanks to: North Edinburgh Arts, Blacklight, Craigroyston Community High School, Edinburgh City Council, Zoo Arts, Tomorrow’s People, Muirhouse Youth Development Group, Muirhouse Millennium Centre, Don Bosco Club, Borja Prada, Muirhouse Library.
Joanne McArthur, Centipede Project
Scotland’s national poet Liz Lochhead will be among the participants at a major community event to be held in North Edinburgh later this month. ‘The Big Night Out’, an evening of songs, fun, poetry and protest, is being organised by the local Power to the People group.
The programme is yet to be finalised, but the event will also feature a photography and artwork exhibition.
CLD worker Lynn McCabe, who supports the group, explained: “There’s going to be a couple of exhibitions on the history of protest (one is a photographic exhibition, the other is being put together by arts students from Edinburgh (Telford) College. The main part of the night will be in the theatre and will include protest poems and protest poetry. We have just had word that Liz Lochhead will be doing a turn which is great, and it’s likely that some pupils from Craigroyston High School will also be participating in the event – I’m meeting with their teacher to discuss this further. There’s still a lot to organise and confirm but the Power to the People group are very excited about The Big Night Out.”
Power to the People’s Big Night Out will be held in
North Edinburgh Arts on Friday 29 November from 6.30 – 9.30pm.
Tickets £3. All welcome.
North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum would like to invite you to the launch of the second edition of their version of The Matter: Matters2Us, and this issue will focus on Anti-Bullying.
In July 2013, the Young People’s Forum were successful in their application to the Respectme Anti-Bullying fund to produce a second edition of their newspaper, this time asking the question:
How would you like to be supported if you were being bullied or see someone else being bullied?’
The group then consulted with over 100 pupils across two primary schools in North Edinburgh, going into classrooms over two days, spending time with the young people and finding out their thoughts on bullying.
The Young People’s Forum would now like to share what the young people who they met with said and would like to invite you to attend the launch of this second edition.
This will take place on Wednesday 20 November at Craigroyston Community High School at 5.30pm.
There will also be an opportunity to hear from a local parents group on how they have made a user friendly guide to their schools Anti-Bullying Policy to support parents, young people and the community to understand it.
We would be delighted if you could attend.
Clare Gibson (Youth Work Organiser, CEC Community Learning & Development) on behalf of North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum
F1 in Schools Scottish champions Craigroyston Community High School are currently competing at the World Championships in Austin, Texas. They flew out last Thursday and have spent the past few days settling in and preparing to do battle with teams from around the world.
The team comprises of Ciaran Harrison, Joe Dudgeon, Gavin Singleton, Stephen Ramsay and Thomas Paget (pictured below) supported by staff Ms Carrie Anderson and Mr George Thomson. The news is that the boys are doing the school, Edinburgh and Scotland proud!
See what happened on Day 1 Sunday 10th November – at the Opening Ceremony & Time Trial Racing <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6fwl8cnqqc>
Day 2 yesterday saw the Reaction Racing <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBZzqK4sIVs>
The team now competes in the Knockout Competition, and we will keep you posted as news wings its way from the USA.
If you would like to see more about the F1 in Schools Competition then follow this link: www.f1inschools.com<http://www.f1inschools.com>
Desmond Spiers
Craigroyston Community High School
