'Introduction to Global Schools Partnerships' workshop, 19 October

In partnership with the British Council, DFID and Global Link, LGEC is offering a free one-day 'Introduction to Global Schools Partnerships' workshop 19 October at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel and Spa near Blackburn.

This is an introductory workshop covering the principles, educational benefits, practicalities and viability of global school partnerships. The workshop is for school staff who are interested in establishing, or who have just initiated, a Global School Partnership.

For more information and to book your free place online, click here.

'Teaching For Tommorow: The Sustainability Challenge For Further Education'

LGEC is organising a conference for Further Education practitioners and managers that aims to provide practical approaches to embedding Education for Sustainable Development in to further education teaching. 

Looking particularly at vocational courses and the skills agenda, there will be workshops and a 'question time' style panel to give participants a chance to ask questions of some of the most knowlegeable and influential people in the field of Education for Sustainable Development.

Speakers:
Bryan Davies - Head of Sustainable Development OFSTED
Jimmy Brannigan - Director ESD Consulting Ltd
Jo Matthews - Coaching for Responsible Leadership
Conrad Benefield - Sustainability Programme Development Manager, Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS)
Nigel Rayment - Magnified Learning

The conference will be taking place on the 20th October 2010 at Preston Guild Hall (Lounge Bar) from 10:00 - 16:00.

Cost:
The cost of the conference, including workshops, lunch and refreshments, is £50. For further information and to book a place contact Vicky Hutchinson on 01772 252299 or email vicky.hutchinson@lgec.org.uk

LGEC has moved!

LGEC has moved to a new office premises at 18a Ribblesdale Place, Preston, PR1 3NA. Our telephone and fax numbers remain the same.

Our offices will provide LGEC staff with enhanced facilities to carry out our global dimension education and youth work in Lancashire, including an in-house training facility. LGEC will be hosting events in the autumn to introduce our friends and partners to our new home. Stay tuned!

Conference Announcement: 'Equality and Diversity in Action'

LGEC and Lancashire County Council are sponsoring a one-day conference, 'Equality and Diversity in Action: Community Cohesion and Beyond,' on 8th October at the Mercure Dunkenhalgh Hotel and Spa near Blackburn. The conference is ideal for primary and secondary headteachers, school leaders and subject leaders who are:

• looking for ideas to embed equality and diversity work across the curriculum;
• worried about current Ofsted requirements for community cohesion;
• wanting to evaluate the impact of equality and diversity work on student attitudes and actions.

LGEC is pleased to announce that Sir Keith Ajegbo, Lead Associate for Education at the Institute of Community Cohesion, will deliver the keynote address. Adrian Gray, Ofsted Divisional Manager, will also be a featured speaker and will provide up-to-date information on Ofsted requirements for Community Cohesion.

The cost of the full-day conference is £100. Click here for further information on the LGEC website. To register online, click here.

LGEC receives £5,000 grant from Fairtrade Foundation

Lancashire Global Education Centre has been awarded a grant from the Fairtrade Foundation to support schools in Preston in achieving a Fairtrade Schools Award. The aim of this funding stream is to work with schools to embed Fairtrade into their global citizenship work and develop an understanding of the need for Fairtrade and the role Fairtrade can play in alleviating poverty and promoting sustainable development.

The £5,000 grant from the Fairtrade Foundation will enable LGEC to promote the principles of Fairtrade and the Fairtrade Schools Award to the 60+ primary schools in Preston and enable eight primary schools to achieve a Fairtrade Schools Award. Two levels of support will be made available to Preston primary schools. 

The basic level of support will be made available to all Preston primary schools and will include free registrations to attend a Fairtrade training event; telephone support and consultation with LGEC staff; access to Fairtrade books in LGEC’s resource centre and online resources via LGEC’s website; and discounts on Fairtrade presentations and workshops for school classes and assemblies.

For the second level of support, LGEC will work intensively with eight primary schools in Preston over the grant’s six-month timeline to get them started on achieving the Fairtrade Schools Award. Specific support that will be provided to each of these eight schools will include:

• an initial daylong training and planning session for teachers and staff;
• assistance with an initial Fairtrade audit of each school and the development of a Fairtrade action plan;
• assistance with embedding Fairtrade principles in the primary curriculum;
• support with beginning the Fairtrade Schools Award process;
• a minimum of one school visit by the Project Co-ordinator to provide bespoke support (e.g. curriculum consults, planning meetings) based on an individual schools’ needs;
• an end-of-project reflection and future planning twilight session to assist schools in sustaining the work beyond the life of this project;
• significant discounts on Fairtrade presentations and workshops for school classes and assemblies.

LGEC will work to ensure that each school is well underway in the process by the end of 2010 with the goal of eight newly certified Fairtrade Schools in Preston by mid-2011. Preston became a Fairtrade city in 2004, but few of its primary schools have achieved a Fairtrade Schools Award. LGEC’s work through this grant will significantly increase the number of Fairtrade Schools in Preston.