Local area news
St Albans & Dacorum News Bulletin
March 2021
We are collating the updates we receive for the services into district bulletins. If you would like to include your service update/news for this area please email familiesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov.uk and please put "Newsletter update" in the subject box, thank you.
YCH Services for Young People
View the projects and programmes for young people in Dacorum
View the projects and programmes for young people in St Albans
Delivering Special Provision Locally - Dacorum (DSPL8) Parent/Carer Communication & Herts Parent Carer Involvement (HPCI) Leaflet
Please click on the following links to review the parent/carers communication from DSPL8 and leaflet from HPCI.
Creative Learning - Basic Computing Course
Creative Learning are running their next Basic Computing course, starting on 12th March. Please review this flyer for more information and please share information about this course with your contacts. The course will be online, and is free to Hertfordshire residents.
Colourful Minds: next online Colourful Minds Course starts on Friday 9th April 2021.
Colourful Minds is a free 12 week Creative Therapy Course for adults in Dacorum (aged 18+) with mild to moderate mental health conditions, such as stress, anxiety and depression. The course is run by a qualified Art Therapist from Herts Inclusive Theatre and funded by Dacorum Borough Council. Application to the course is by referral only from a GP, health professional/agency or support agency/worker.
We are pleased to be able to offer this opportunity free of charge to anyone who may need support. Sessions are run weekly on Zoom and no previous art or creative experience is needed. Materials are also provided.
If you know anyone who may benefit from attending the course, please complete a booking form with the client/patient via the website. No creative or art experience is needed, just an openness to engage creatively in a supportive, confidential group setting.
If you know anyone who may benefit from attending the course, please complete the online booking form with the client/patient. Alternatively, you can forward the link for your client/patient to complete at home.
To apply visit: www.dacorum.gov.uk/colourfulminds
When a booking form has been submitted, you/the referrer will receive a link to a short online form to complete. Once both forms have been submitted, the Art Therapist will contact the client/patient.
Please review the ‘Notes and Information for Referrers’ for more details. A hard copy or Word version of the booking form is also available if required. To be sent a booking form via email or in the post, please contact kerry@hit-theatre.org.uk.
If you have any questions, or would like to discuss anything about the course, please get in touch.
Please use this link for a leaflet about the course and please share information about Colourful Minds with your networks.
Wake Up and Dance! (All ages)
From 1st- 26th March, BEEE Creative CIO will be hosting 10 minutes of music to dance along to everyday at home but with others online – a fun way to get the body and mind active and ready to start the day! There is no dance instruction, you just click on the Zoom link, be greeted by your Wake Up and Dance daily host and then all dance along, in any way you like, to the day’s music playlist. There is no commitment to attend every session, you can drop in whenever you can. To find out more and register for the Zoom link, please visit: Wake Up and Dance! – BEEE Creative CIO (beee-creative.co.uk)
Wake Up and Dance is run by Active Dacorum, BEEE Creative and Dacorum Community Dance.
Seated Dance (adults living in Dacorum)
Louise from Dacorum Community is running seated dance sessions at 11am each Tuesday during term time. The sessions are delivered on Zoom and are a fun way to improve flexibility and enjoy moving to music from your chair, as well as connecting with others. The sessions are particularly suitable for older adults or those with limited mobility. To book a place, please email dacorumdance@gmail.com.
The Seated dance sessions are run by Dacorum Community Dance in partnership with Dacorum Borough Council Supported Housing and Active Dacorum.
Further details about the above dance sessions can also be found on the Active Dacorum webpage, Facebook and Twitter accounts. Please feel free to share this information with your networks, on your socials, and with anyone you know how may be interested in joining any of the sessions.
Hi all, this is just to let you know that South Hill Centre (SHC) will be acting as a Census Support Centre for Dacorum from 1 March until May 4 2021
It would be appreciated if you would circulate this help sheet to your staff/volunteers/clients so that we can reach as many of the ‘hard to reach’ or digitally excluded individuals as possible.
The Centre will have PCs available (by appointment) for those who do not have appropriate IT equipment at home to complete the survey. We also have pop up support locations in Berkhamsted and Tring where similar help (by appointment) can be provided.
Empower Programme - Hemel Hempstead
Empower is a 48 week project that aims to improve young people’s mental health through the use of physical activity. Each session is 90 minutes in length and consists of 60 minutes of physical activity, typically in the form of a sport session such as dodgeball, football, basketball, badminton or dance. Following the physical activity, we complete a 30-minute wellbeing workshop, which is a facilitated conversation between participants, Watford FC Community Sports and Education Trust Coaches and a NESSie psychotherapist. If session is a mix of genders and the age range is 9-12 years old.
The project is split into three phases (Detailed below). Each phases scales down in contact time with participants, coinciding with psychotherapeutic approaches and NICE guidelines.
- Phase one (Developmental) consists of 12 weekly sessions
- Phase two (Maintenance) consists of 6 sessions occurring fortnightly
- Phase three (Reflection) consists of 6 sessions occurring once a month
In the upcoming phase, Empower session dates are:
- Hemel Hempstead (Held at JFK school) – Starting from May 2021 (For 48 weeks) - 5- 6:30pm or 6:30pm – 8pm
Please use this link to download the editable referral form and please review this poster for more information about the project.
Watford & Three Rivers News Bulletin
March 2021
We are collating the updates we receive for the services into district bulletins. If you would like to include your service update/news for this area please email familiesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov.uk and please put "Newsletter update" in the subject box, thank you.
Empower
Empower is a 48 week project that aims to improve young people’s mental health through the use of physical activity. Each session is 90 minutes in length and consists of 60 minutes of physical activity, typically in the form of a sport session such as dodgeball, football, basketball, badminton or dance. Following the physical activity, we complete a 30-minute wellbeing workshop, which is a facilitated conversation between participants, Watford FC Community Sports and Education Trust Coaches and a NESSie psychotherapist. Find out more info here
Watford & Three Rivers Trust Neighbours Together - “What’s On” Guide
Watford & Three Rivers Trust Neighbours Together have launched the NEW “What’s On” Guide. The new guide has been broadened to include activities, clubs, courses, events and support services that are available to help people aged 21+ stay connected and more active in the Watford and Three Rivers area. This could be from a new hobby, a course to learn a skill you have always been interested in, or something you used to do years ago and wanted to pick up again. It could even be something you just love doing and want to share your skills with others. The clubs listed give people a chance to connect with people that have similar interest and provide a chance to chat. The guide also has a list of support services, so people know where they can get support from as well as online fitness classes for all abilities to help keep us active at home. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Neighbours Together (Watford & Three Rivers).
Watford & Three Rivers Trust | The new Neighbours Together What’s On guide is now live! (w3rt.org)
East Herts & Broxbourne News Bulletin
March 2021
We are collating the updates we receive for the services into district bulletins. If you would like to include your service update/news for this area please email familiesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov.uk and please put "Newsletter update" in the subject box, thank you.
JobSmart
JobSmart is an employability programme supporting adults in Broxbourne and East Herts who have lost their jobs. Delivered by the CVS for Broxbourne and East Herts, the programme is a combination of online training and face-to-face support. The latter will take place in Waltham Cross, Wormley, Stanstead Abbotts, Hertford and Bishops Stortford once lockdown restrictions permit. JobSmart is funded by Broxbourne Council, East Herts Council, B3Living, Network Homes and the Department for Work and Pensions. Further information can be found at http://cvsbeh.org.uk/jobsmart/ “
Kidz Klub
Kidz Klub offers a safe, fun and stimulating environment for children aged five to 12 years. To ensure children enjoy their time with us, every day is fun filled at our Ofsted registered Kidz Klub with a wide variety of sport, creative activities and dance. Kidz Klub works with parents/carers and other professionals for additional support and to ensure that needs are fulfilled so that all children in our care have the best possible time
Date: Monday 29 March to Wednesday 31 March; Thursday 1 April; and Tuesday 6 April to Friday 9 April
Times: 8.30/9.30am-4.30/5.30pm
Venue: The John Warner Sports Centre, Stanstead Road, Hoddesdon
Age: 4*-12 years
Cost: Day rate (booked in advance) £22.50
To book: Please email kidzklub@broxbourne.co.uk to check availability.
Website www.broxbourne.gov.uk/Kidzklub
Update from YCH Services for Young People:-
I am pleased to provide you with details of our summer term projects, services and opportunities for young people, which will commence in April and which we are planning to deliver in person through our Covid-19 Secure Young People’s Centres. Our Access Points remain open for in-person and virtual booked appointments as required. I have highlighted some services and projects below which may be of particular interest to you, and full details of all our projects can be found on the attached infographic.
Looking ahead and planning for the future
YCH SfYP can support any young person under 19 who is looking for work, training or education. Although some young people may be feeling overwhelmed by making decisions about their future at this time, our qualified and experienced Careers Guidance Practitioners are on hand to support young people to their next destination. In addition to our usual Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance, delivered in schools and through our Access Points, we are providing more intensive support for young people who are currently not in education, employment or training, or those who are in Year 11 and are at risk of becoming so.
Our Pathways to Success programme delivers individual tailored support alongside a range of interactive workshops, which equips young people with the skills to develop their CVs and hone their interview skills. In doing so, the programme supports young people with identifying their future options, raising their aspirations and enhancing their employability.
National Careers Week 2021
National Careers Week takes place 1st-6th March. This annual event brings together young people, teachers, careers advisers and employers to share information about the world of work and future opportunities for young people. This year, the event will be taking place virtually under the theme ‘Believe’ and aims to empower young people to think positively about their future opportunities. I have attached a pdf with information on resources and sessions which you may find useful.
Supporting young people with fulfilling their potential
We will continue to deliver our youth work projects virtually for the remainder of this term, but we are pleased to be planning to return to in-person delivery in April. We will retain some online delivery where young people have found this particularly beneficial. I am delighted to share the details of our Summer Offer (details of which can be found in the attached pdf), and have highlighted below some upcoming projects which may be of interest:
Holiday Programme for young people on free school meals
Hertfordshire County Council and our partners are working with Hertfordshire Community Foundation to organise a new programme during this year’s Easter holiday. The programme will be delivered in-person and is aimed at countering the triple inequalities facing Hertfordshire’s most disadvantaged young people - holiday hunger, physical inactivity and social isolation. I would welcome you referring any young people who you feel would benefit from a week of activities, interactive workshops exploring health and wellbeing, and a free midday meal.
Supporting young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing
2021 continues to bring uncertainty and increased anxieties for many young people. Young people who are experiencing low mood may benefit from our Emotional Wellbeing Project, which focuses on the Five Ways to Wellbeing, a framework for young people to explore how simple lifestyle changes can improve their emotional wellbeing. Similarly, the Supporting You Project is aimed at young people who are struggling with feelings of worry or anxiety. Delivered within a supportive group work setting, young people learn how to apply a range of CBT techniques to their everyday lives, increasing confidence, self-esteem and developing their resilience to support their long-term wellbeing.
Keeping young people safe online
The YCH SfYP Healthy Relationships Project enables young people to be more confident and happier in their relationships. With young people spending more time online throughout lockdown, this project equips young people with the knowledge and skills to keep themselves safe. Through interactive and engaging activities, young people can develop their understanding of consent within relationships, boost their awareness of the risks around sharing personal information and images online, recognise the impact of Child Sexual Exploitation, and learn where and how to access support.
Supporting young people with learning difficulties
Our LD Projects enable young people with mild to moderate learning difficulties to access a safe space, participate in activities, workshops and interact with others, developing their communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills, as well as having a focus on developing skills to support independent living.
How to refer a young person to YCH Services for Young People
If you wish to refer a young person to a project or programme please click here. I would be grateful if you could circulate this information to colleagues who you think may find this information useful. I would also be grateful if you could circulate the attached infographics to students and parents.
Download the Supporting young people in Broxbourne flyer
Download the Supporting young people in East Herts flyer
North Herts & Stevenage News Bulletin
March 2021
We are collating the updates we receive for the services into district bulletins. If you would like to include your service update/news for this area please email familiesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov.uk and please put "Newsletter update" in the subject box, thank you.
The Share & Learn Event being organised by the Stevenage Families First Partnership Group will be held on Wednesday 7 July 2021 at 1.30pm – 4.15pm via Microsoft Teams. This event is for anyone working with children, young people, parents and families across Hertfordshire. You might work for a community group or charity or have a role in a public sector organisation like the NHS, council, police or school. Please come along to part or all of the event to learn and test new skills and knowledge in a range of bite-size workshops, which are described below. Click here to read more about this event and use this link to book your place and please share information about this event with your networks.
Welwyn Hatfield & Hertsmere News Bulletin
March 2021
We are collating the updates we receive for the services into district bulletins. If you would like to include your service update/news for this area please email familiesfirst.support@hertfordshire.gov.uk and please put "Newsletter update" in the subject box, thank you.
YCH Services for Young People (YCH SfYP): Support for Young People in Welwyn Hatfield
YCH SfYP are pleased to share the details of their summer term projects, services and opportunities for young people, which will commence in April and they are planning to deliver in person through their Covid-19 Secure Young People’s Centres. Their Access Points remain open for in-person and virtual booked appointments as required. Please see the details below of some key services and projects, and please review this leaflet for further details about the projects.
Looking ahead and planning for the future
YCH SfYP can support any young person under 19 who is looking for work, training or education. Although some young people may be feeling overwhelmed by making decisions about their future at this time, the qualified and experienced Careers Guidance Practitioners are on hand to support young people to their next destination. In addition to YCH SfYP's usual Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance, delivered in schools and through their Access Points, they are providing more intensive support for young people who are currently not in education, employment or training, or those who are in Year 11 and are at risk of becoming so.
The Pathways to Success programme delivers individual tailored support alongside a range of interactive workshops, which equips young people with the skills to develop their CVs and hone their interview skills. In doing so, the programme supports young people with identifying their future options, raising their aspirations and enhancing their employability.
National Careers Week 2021
National Careers Week takes place from 1st to 6th March. This annual event brings together young people, teachers, careers advisers and employers to share information about the world of work and future opportunities for young people. This year, the event will be taking place virtually under the theme ‘Believe’ and aims to empower young people to think positively about their future opportunities. Please review this leaflet which has information on useful resources and sessions.
Supporting young people with fulfilling their potential
YCH SfYP will continue to deliver their youth work projects virtually for the remainder of this term, but they are planning to return to in-person delivery in April. They will retain some online delivery where young people have found this particularly beneficial. Please review this leaflet for details of their Summer Offer and please see the information below about some upcoming projects.
Holiday Programme for young people on free school meals
Hertfordshire County Council and partners are working with Hertfordshire Community Foundation to organise a new programme during this year’s Easter holiday. The programme will be delivered in-person and is aimed at countering the triple inequalities facing Hertfordshire’s most disadvantaged young people - holiday hunger, physical inactivity and social isolation. Please refer any young people who you feel would benefit from a week of activities, interactive workshops exploring health and wellbeing, and a free midday meal.
Supporting young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing
2021 continues to bring uncertainty and increased anxieties for many young people. Young people who are experiencing low mood may benefit from the Emotional Wellbeing Project, which focuses on the Five Ways to Wellbeing, a framework for young people to explore how simple lifestyle changes can improve their emotional wellbeing. Similarly, the Supporting You Project is aimed at young people who are struggling with feelings of worry or anxiety. Delivered within a supportive group work setting, young people learn how to apply a range of CBT techniques to their everyday lives, increasing confidence, self-esteem and developing their resilience to support their long-term wellbeing.
Keeping young people safe online
The YCH SfYP Healthy Relationships Project enables young people to be more confident and happier in their relationships. With young people spending more time online throughout lockdown, this project equips young people with the knowledge and skills to keep themselves safe. Through interactive and engaging activities, young people can develop their understanding of consent within relationships, boost their awareness of the risks around sharing personal information and images online, recognise the impact of Child Sexual Exploitation, and learn where and how to access support.
Supporting young people with learning difficulties
The LD Projects enable young people with mild to moderate learning difficulties to access a safe space, participate in activities, workshops and interact with others, developing their communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills, as well as having a focus on developing skills to support independent living.
How to refer a young person to YCH Services for Young People?
If you wish to refer a young person to a project or programme, please click here. Please also share this information with people who you think may find it useful.
Healthy Hub Bulletin (March)
Please see this month’s Healthy Hub Bulletin featuring Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and Eating Disorders Week.
Monthly Healthy Hub Bulletin Issue NO19 March 2021 - Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council - Working better, together (welhat.gov.uk)
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