Way2Go - North East 18

O T O L L E H Y SA K O O L W E N E TH WAY 2 GO! ISSUE 18 JULY 2008

LIVE/LEARN/ ASPIRE/ACHIEVE thewaytogoonline.co.uk

CHARTERED SURVEYING

HEATHY EATING ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EATING HEALTHY AND MORE!±

at what age can I...?

playtime REVIEWS

WITH THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS...

WWW.THEWAYTOGOONLINE.CO.UK

INTRODUCTION

WELCOME TO ISSUE 18: ‘They think it’s all over........it is now’.

40 PAGE 24

Well, almost. Only a few more weeks and the summer holidays are here.

Now it’s time to sit back, chill out and start to re-charge your batteries.

This issue of W2G is packed with help and advice, so here are just a few things that we take a look at in this issue: We cover the world of Chartered Surveying, careers in the Council, diplomas in I.T. and we also have a feature on eating healthy this summer!

In ‘Playtime’ we cast our eye over some of the latest games, DVD’S, CD’s and film reviews to hit the streets.

Remember, we want to hear from you, we would love your feedback and thoughts on the new look W2G or if you have any ideas about adding to the content within the magazine let us know at www.thewaytogoonline.co.uk.

Have a safe and fun summer! And we will see you in the new school year!

WHAT YOU CAN INFo EATING DO ATON WHAT HEALTHY AGE!

PAGE 32 THE WORLD OF CHARTERED SURVEYING

PAGE 40 Distinctive Publishing LTD, 7th floor, Aidan House, Sunderland Road, Gateshead NE8 3HU

T: 0191 4788300 Lorraine Hawthorne

Sales MANAGER

lorraine.hawthorne@distinctivepublishing.co.uk Ewan Waterhouse

Business Development Manager ewan.waterhouse@distinctivepublishing.co.uk

INFo ON EATING HEALTHY

LIVE/LEARN/ASPIRE/ACHIEVE

CONTENTS HAS ANYBODY SEEN USHER?

W2G NE|/ISSUE 18

HAS ANYBODY SEEN IRONMAN?

PLAYTIME PAGE02

NEW REVIEWS FROM THE oracle THAT IS THE ROLF

4. playtime - movie review 5. playtime - dvd review 6. playtime - music review 7. playtime - game review 8. WHAT NEXT? - MAERSK 10. WHAT IS IT ABOUT TYNEDALE? - ONE NORTH EAST 16. OUT AND ABOUT THIS SUMMER - NEXUS 18. DIPLOMA IN I.T. - NEBP 20. THE IMPORTANCE OF PROCESS INDUSTRY - NEPIC 23. YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY - NORTHUMBRIA POLICE 24. AT WHAT AGE CAN I...?

26. LEARN AND LIVE - CLEVELAND FIRE BRIGADE 28. CAREERS IN NE COUNCILS - ASSOCIATED COUNCILS 32. THE WORLD OF CHARTERED SURVEYING - RICS 34. NORTH DURHAM YOUTH FORUM - CONNEXIONS 36. STUDY SCIENCE - SCIENCE CITY 38. TWINS EMBARK ON ARMY LIFE TOGETHER - ARMY 40. HEALTHY EATING 42. KEEPING THE SHOW ON THE ROAD - COUNTY DURHAM 14-19 PARTNERSHIP 46. OUR PLACE 2020 SUB REGIONAL FINAL - TWEBLO 48. W2G ONLINE!

playtime

by michael rolf

MOVIES...

IRONMAN

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! Not only was Iron Man the greatest comic book adaptation I have ever seen, this was quite possibly the greatest film I’ve ever seen!! Absolutely loved it!

Director John Favreau (Made, Elf) brings us this classic tale of Tony Stark, played by the fantastic Robert Downy Jr (Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang). Tony is a weapons designer for the US military until one day he’s captured by a group of terrorists, to escape he needs to build a metal action suit to protect himself. After doing so, he escapes back to the world he knows best, however he returns a different man. His experiences force him to perfect the suit he built to escape, therefore taking on the responsibility of becoming the Iron Man. With a star studded cast including; Terrence Howard (Crash, Awake), Gwyneth Paltrow (Shallow Hal) and Jeff Bridges (K-Pax) and a soundtrack that will blow your socks off, Iron Man is one terrific film I would recommend to anyone to go and see. It even has a few laughs along the way. I am already holding my breath in anticipation for Iron Man 2 and 3 and 4 and...

FAVORITE QUOTES: RDJ - Well, you actually have excellent bone structure there, I’m having a hard time not looking at you now. Is that weird?

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5

RATING hhhhh

IF YOU LIKED THIS I RECOMMEND YOU SEE: n Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang n X-Men ( 1, 2 &3) n Mission Impossible ( 1, 2 &3) n The Incredible Hulk (New Edward Norton Feature)

“this was quite possibly the greatest film I’ve ever seen!”...

PLAytime

“it isn’t in the same league as most modern Sci-Fi and super hero movies”

DVD’S...

JUMPER WELL LET ME START by saying that Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, Snakes On A Plane) will literally take any role offered to him, good or bad. And this is definitely not one of his best performances.

In this average film, Director Doug Liman (The Bourne Ultimatum) deserves some credit for the great use of some spectacular special effects and an astonishing use of locations. Jumper is a film about a young man called David Rice, played by Hayden Christensen (Awake), who finds out that he has a special power which allows him to ‘jump’ anywhere at any time. After taking full advantage of these powers, Rice finds out that there is a secret society lead by Roland (Jackson).

I did enjoy this film whilst I was watching it, however when i think back, it isn’t in the same league as most modern Sci-Fi and super hero movies that seem to be flooding our cinemas at the moment.

Jumper is worth watching once but definitely not worth buying.

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RATING hhhhh

FAVORITE QUOTES: Roland - Only God Should have this power.

Griffin - I’m different, Boo!

IF YOU LIKED THIS I RECOMMEND YOU SEE: n Daredevil n Spiderman ( 1, 2 &3)

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PLAytime

“Usher has spawned another masterpiece!”

mUSIC...

USHER: HERE I STAND THE WAIT IS OVER!! Finally, after the hugely successful ‘Confessions’, Usher has spawned another masterpiece! ‘Here I Stand’ is an incredible album, with some exciting vocal performances from; Will I. Am, Jay-Z, Beyonce and of course the extremely talented Usher Raymond.

The album went straight to number 1 in the US and it is not surprising after listening to this amazing soulful/ funk album. I am a huge fan of Usher’s two previous albums, ‘8701’ and ‘Confessions’, and I can tell you that when listening to all three albums it is easy to see how much the ‘The King Of R & B’ has matured and evolved over the years.

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RATING hhhhh

IF YOU LIKED THIS I RECOMMEND YOU SEE: n Mario - Go n Justin Timberlake - Future Sex/ Love Sounds

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I strongly recommend that any R&B fan, or anyone who has enjoyed the sound of Usher’s music go out and buy Here I Stand....right now!!

It is simply amazing!

FAVORITE TRACKS: - Love In This Club (Parts 1& 2) - Something Special - Moving mountains - This Ain’t sex

PLAytime

GAMES...

DON KING’S PRIZE FIGHTER

DON KING, A BOXING PROMOTER LEGEND, lends his name to 2K Games’ Prizefighter, the company’s attempt to create a boxing game from the ground up. What hops in the ring is decent, with a solid control scheme and a selection of classic and new boxers. However, despite these few attempts to innovate, it just never delivers the knockout blow to win us over.

Don King’s Prizefighter goes the same route as some of the promoter’s bigger fights – it’s too over-hyped for its own good. It’s a capable boxing game, with a decent control system that utilizes a combination of analog stick blocking and button-pressing punches.

With acceptable-looking boxers that swell up with damage and a documentary-style presentation that can go a number of ways in Career Mode, it’s a worthy effort. However, Prizefighter doesn’t do anything over the long term to knock us out.

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RATING hhhhh

IF YOU LIKED THIS I RECOMMEND YOU SEE: n Fight Night Round 3 n George Foreman’s Ko Boxing n EA Knockout Kings n Wii Boxing

“it just never delivers the knockout blow to win us over”

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? t x e n What MAERSK...

3 years have passed since George Koklanakis, Rebecca Farrell and Natalie Stephens started their journey with Maersk.

Studying at Warsash Marine Academy, they attended their passing out ceremony on Saturday the 21st of June to celebrate their 3 years of dedication, hard work and the end of their cadetship.

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They now begin a new stage in their career;

What next? What vessel?

Where in the World will they go?

What does the future hold?

ThisisnottheendoftheirtrainingwithMaersk,itisjustthebeginning,everyvesselisanew experience, every country a new adventure.

If you are looking for a career that offers a world of experience and gain a recognised qualification in the process please visit it us at

www.seacareers.co.uk

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? e l a d e n y T t u o b a t i s i t Wha t The Northumberland district has just been named the mos enterprising place in North East England and is now in the running for the national title. Young people are a big g part of its bid – so we’ve been to meet some of the youn movers and shakers putting the area on the map.

DRIVING AMBITION Matthew Kirkby always knew he wanted to start his own business. His first attempt came when he was only 12! When he couldn’t find a bike magazine which listed local stores stocking the parts he needed, he decided to start one himself.

Today, he runs the successful company Ecocabs in Hexham – a taxi firm whose vehicles run on biodiesel fuel, helping to cut carbon emissions which harm the environment.

“It sounds crazy, but my idea for Ecocabs originally stemmed from a phone number,” says Matthew, who’s from Hallgate in Hexham.

“In 2006, when I was 21, I acquired the memorable phone number 01434 600600.

Never one to miss an opportunity, I drew up a list of things that I could use it for and a taxi company was top of the list.

“At first it was a struggle because of the competition, but eventually local and national media started picking up on what we were offering and from there, everything took off.

“Where we’d started with just one vehicle, we quickly expanded to offer seven cars and two mini buses. My latest new vehicle is a top of the range Mercedes Benz, which allows me to focus on corporate contracts and weddings.

“Over the next year or so I want to focus on the corporate market, and on expanding Ecocabs in Newcastle. Hopefully in the not so distant future we could look at franchising Ecocabs, so we can get it on a national scale. There are one or two companies with interest at present, but this will need a lot of development.”

In the early days of Ecocabs, Matthew says he had a lot of support to develop his ideas.

“I knew I’d have to make my company stand out, because Hexham and the surrounding areas were already well served by taxis.

Eventually I came up with the idea of using biodiesel.

“Business Link gave me a lot of help with market research and finance. They also put me in touch with the Prince’s Trust which has given me continuous support – without it, Ecocabs wouldn’t be where it is today.

“Climate change is an issue I’m very interested in, and I think we all need to look at where we can adjust and change to help tackle its causes. Adapting cars to run on biodiesel isn’t as difficult as people imagine, and I found a local supplier who could provide the fuel.

“Running your own business does come with many challenges and certainly isn’t easy. But even just a year down the line I’d say it’s all been well worth it.”

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“It sounds crazy, but my idea for Ecocabs originally stemmed from a phone number”...

“Business link gave me a lot of help with market research and finance�.

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CATCHING THE ENTERPRISE SPIRIT Chris O’Brien’s business idea literally ‘threw’ him into being his own boss. His Kirkwhelpington company, ‘Catch the Spirit,’ sells a huge range of Frisbee® and other flying discs from all over the world, and coaches young people on different ways to play with them – from team games to disc golf.

“My idea came to me on a sunny afternoon in London back in 2004,” says Chris. “I was visiting a friend from home and we met in Hyde Park. We caught up on each other’s news and reminisced about the ‘old days’ – but all that talk of the games we used to play in the street got us in the mood for a game of Frisbee®.

“During the summer months I always carry a Frisbee® around with me in my bag. But this was early May and I wasn’t yet back in the habit.

“I remember thinking ‘if we see anyone playing Frisbee® I’ll ask if we can join in’. So we went on a mission, hoping that somewhere in the park would be a few friendly folk playing some disc. We walked and walked, but found no one.

“So I made two big decisions that day: 1. Always carry a disc with me!

2. To get more people – ultimately the whole world! – playing Frisbee®.

“That second point was really the start of Catch the Spirit. I decided I wanted make discs more

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appealing and available, and to teach people about all the different ways to play with them.

They’re a great way to relax your mind and get some exercise, and we use them in school sport to help young people learn.”

But Chris says you have to be realistic about the work you’ll need to put in as your own boss. “Running a business isn’t for everyone - it requires a lot of focus and dedication.

Getting the business started was very hard, and family life was put second at times, which made it tough. But Frisbee® has become a way of life, and I’ve become a player, coach and trainer. Of course, there are also all the usual structures of a business, so I have to wear several different ‘hats’!

“Sometimes things work out easily, and other times many things go against you at once – as they say, it’s not what happens to you but how you respond to it that makes the difference!

“For any young person thinking about starting a business I would say: dare to dream. Identify what it is you are passionate about and come up with as many ways as you can to make a living out of it - then you will be successful in your chosen career.”

So, could Tynedale be Britain’s most enterprising place?

Matthew and Chris are great examples of enterprising young people in Tynedale. The option of starting a business is really important for young people in that area, who in the past often had to move away to do further qualifications or training, or took low-paying jobs so that they could stay local. But now there’s more support available in Tynedale for young people who want to have a go at being their own boss. Here are just a few examples….

Tynedale Virtual College has made it possible for young people in the area to take part in education and training in vocational career areas like construction, engineering, hospitality, social care, and tourism. It involves Tynedale’s four high schools in Haydon Bridge, Hexham, Prudhoe and Ponteland, and its two further education colleges at Northumberland and Dilston.

“For any young person thinking about starting a business I would say: dare to dream’.

ID8 is a special fund which supports young people’s ideas. Since it started in 2006, it’s invested £55,000 to help ten new enterprises and six existing businesses to grow. Decisions about where the money goes are only made after a panel of young business people from Tynedale have been consulted. Young people can get in touch with ID8 by text or email, and panel members or teachers can help develop their ideas.

One of its first awards went to students Gary Carse and Michael Bailey. They wanted to use their animation hobby to set up Batt & Ball, a moving image media and design firm. And it looks like business is good - last year Batt & Ball won national recognition at the MTV awards and from the Royal Television Society!

You can check out their work on YouTube… and keep an eye out for future projects.

To find out more about young enterprise in Tynedale, visit www.reaction-online.org

For more information about a career in enterprise, check out www.makeyourmark.org.uk

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u s s i h t t u o b Get out and a

Nexus can help you get out and about this summer – from giving you ideas for things to do that you can get to by public transport to providing you with information on how to get there, and how to save money on fares.

How2get2.co.uk is the place to go to for timetable, route and ticket information – it’s a special site for secondary school pupils and sixth form and college students. And if you’re looking for ideas of places to go – look for Great Days Out on nexus.org.uk (or pick up a copy of our guide from a Nexus TravelShop) – it gives you details of loads of places in Tyne and Wear you can get to easily by public transport – from beaches and castles to cinemas and shopping.

Here’s some information that’ll help you save some money on bus and Metro fares – and the right one for you will depend on how old you are.

If you’ve just finished Year 8, 9 or 10 Your Under 16 Card is valid until you go back to school in September – so you’ll still be able to travel at concessionary child fares before 7pm on weekdays, and at commercial child fares at all other times - when you show your Under 16 Card.

If you haven’t got an Under 16 Card, now’s the perfect time to get one – they’re free of charge, and could save you loads of money this summer.

If you’ve just finished Year 11 Your Under 16 Card expires at the end of July. Until then you can travel at concessionary child fares before 7pm on weekdays, and at commercial child fares at all other times - when you show your Under 16 Card.

Then in August you’ll have to pay adult fares – check out nexus.org. uk for the best ticket to buy for the journeys you make. If you just use Stagecoach or Go North East buses though – you could continue to buy a Stagecoach Under 19 VIP ticket or Get Around ticket. n

If you’re going back to school/college in September – you’ll be able to save money as soon as you go back to school or college.

Buy a Network Ticketing Teen Travelticket, to use on Metro and bus in the zones you choose. Or if you only travel on one operator’s buses – just buy a pass valid on their services – there’s a Go North East Get Around ticket, a Stagecoach Under 19 VIP ticket or an Arriva Student Ticket. Or, if you just travel by Metro, buy a 16-18 Metro Student Card. See how2get2.co.uk for full details of these tickets

n If you’re not going back to school/college – you’ll have to pay adult fares from now on – but there are lots of season tickets to help reduce the cost – see nexus.org.uk for details

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ummer!

If you’ve just finished Year 12 Go North East Get Around tickets, Stagecoach Under 19 VIP Cards and 16-18 Metro Student Cards are valid over the summer holidays, and you can continue to buy them when you start Year 13, along with Network Ticketing’s Teen Traveltickets and Arriva Student Tickets.

If you’ve just finished Year 13 You can continue to buy Go North East Get Around tickets, Stagecoach Under 19 VIP tickets and 16-18 Metro Student Cards until the end of the summer holidays, and then if you’re staying in Tyne & Wear to go to university, you can start saving with tickets for university students – see nexus. org.uk for full details.

If you’re not going on to university, check out nexus.org.uk for details of adult season tickets. And of course if you’re going away to university – Nexus can’t help you save money on public transport outside Tyne & Wear, but your new university should be able to provide you with information.

For more information about the right ticket for you – and for how to get to where you want to go – go to how2get2.co.uk

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The Diploma in IT has been design ed to give pupils a more ‘h ands on’ and re al-world view of how tec hnology is used in business settings. As a r esult of this, th e diploma in North Tyneside h as been tailore d to meet these demands by for ming strong par tnerships to promote experti se in this field .

In the North East, we are very fortunate to have some cutting-edge companies in the region who are fully behind the IT Diploma. Our pupils will be attending an exciting induction day in June at the Centre for Life in Newcastle, where they will be introduced to some of the latest technology systems and investigate how the systems actually work. This is a rare opportunity to actually get behind the scenes of one of the North East’s most popular tourist attractions.

September sees the launch of the IT Diploma and there are plenty of other exciting opportunities lined-up. Pupils will be visiting IBM to see what exactly it is the world’s largest computer manufacturing company does and meet some of the people who work there.

North Tyneside Council’s IT department, who are one of the largest employers of IT workers in the region, are committed to providing pupils with the opportunity to see how their technology systems are used across the region and also to providing some IT based work experience. The University of Northumbria will also be working in partnership with our host schools and they have very kindly agreed to host the IT Diploma pupils for a day. The excursion to the university will give pupils an insight to university life, careers in the IT sector, computer forensics and most excitingly, the opportunity to create their very own computer game!

If you are interested in pursuing a career in Information Technology, then the IT Diploma is an ideal starting point. The diploma will provide the technical know-how and business skills required to make the first steps in this industry.

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I n i a m o l p Di

ton , Longben n Hardie h o J t: c Conta y College g.com Communit in @lblearn d email: jh

Sarah’s Stor

y...

Nomination process Lucy Roderick, our Sports College Director, asked me if I would mind if she nominated me for Teaching Assistant of the year, I said I did not mind and Lucy nominated me through the Teaching Awards website.

Interview and Observation A few weeks later Lucy received a letter informing her I had been short listed and 3 judges were going to visit the school interview me, staff and students and observe me working with children.

The interview was a Tuesday morning in March, three lovely ladies turned up, including Tina Bradshaw from the TDA. Firstly I had my interview which lasted around 20 minutes, I went through what my job entailed and how my job affected teaching and learning. Period two, I was observed teaching a Year 8 PE class. It was a freezing cold morning, but the girls were super and all engaged in what they were meant to be doing. I was observed for around 20 minutes.

The judges then went off to talk to staff and students about me!!! I believe they said nice things about me.

then I was announced as winner. I could not believe it. I had to say a few words after I received my award but I can’t remember what I said it was all just a blur.

I was so pleased I won the award. It is not an award for myself it is an award for the College because if it was not for the staff and students at Churchill Community College, then I would not have won such a prestigious award.

Sarah Buckham P.E Technician Churchill Community College

Finalist Two weeks later I was informed I was a finalist in the Teaching assistant category. Myself and 10 guests were invited to attend the awards ceremony on Wednesday 18th June 2008 at The Sage, Gateshead.

I was totally thrilled. I did not expect to get this far.

The Big Day I had to attend The Sage at 10 o’clock for team building activities, it was rather interesting seeing 15 or so women jumping over hoops and ropes in high heels. Our guests met us at noon for lunch and drinks, there was a nice, friendly atmosphere.

The awards ceremony started at 1 o’clock and guests and finalists took their seats. The teaching assistant award category was 6th.

Wendy Gibson from the BBC was the guest speaker.

She announced the awards in reverse order. Two ladies were awarded a distinction in my category, and

“It is not an award for myself it is an award for the College because if it was not for the staff and students at Churchill COMMUNITY COLLEGE then I would not of won such a prestigious award”

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In previous issues of Way2Go we have told you about the importance of process industry and how in modern day life we rely very heavily on the products it produces, often without giving it second thought.

We talked about your personal care products from hair gels and toothpaste, to face creams and perfumes. At home, your environment is made comfortable with carpets, colours and fabrics, home entertainment systems and personal gadgets such as mobiles and I pods.

The process industry in the Northeast England is supported by NEPIC, the North East Process Industry Cluster. We are here to help the industry grow and sustain its future. We have lots of interesting information on our website about careers and training routes, which includes media-videos created by young adults. Why not take a look at our website?

We travel around with the assurance that the industry has produced safe, modern and comfortable vehicles and if we ever happen to be in an unsafe situation or are unwell that the industry has produced medicines and drugs to make us better.

We have all seen how quickly the products and gadgets around are changing and the amazing new things that are on offer to us that make our lives easier, more enjoyable and most importantly longer. Why not be part of these changes and technologies of the future? Why not join us and start a career in the process industries?

So now that we understand its importance and that our perception of an old fashioned industry has changed, shall we look as a couple of young people who have entered the industry through two very different routes.

NEPIC (North East Process Industry Cluster) Limited Tel: +44(0)1642 442560 E-mail: enquiries@nepic.co.uk Website: www.nepic.co.uk

Here we look at two young ladies whom have both reached managerial level by the age of 30 – one with chemical engineering qualifications gained at university and one who continues to study as she works and is now progressing through the organisation at a great rate.

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www.nepic.co.uk

character , n o i t ambi w of ho example g continued shinin er H a . is n o “Shar huge successes o t lead support can n full o he t h t passi i w and rked, coupled o w she r people not t o f n hils o i w t g studyin t combina perfec he t school” is m o yer fr o t h g empl rai of her time st full udy t s o t wanting Case Study 2 Case Study 1 Name: Kirsty Winter (age 30) Position Held: Technical & Development Manager – Lucite International UK Limited, Billingham Studied: Chemical Engineering at Loughborough University Kirsty’s interest in Chemical Engineering came during her A Levels when she undertook a short ‘Women into Chemical Engineering’ Course. She attended Loughborough University and graduated in 1999 with 1st Class B.Eng (Hons) in Chemical Engineering.

Since graduating, Kirsty under took various Process Engineering roles throughout the region to gain vital work experience. Kirsty worked on projects varying from designing new pharmaceutical plants, uprating of existing chemical plants, general design and technical support, and undertaking risk and environmental studies.

In 2003, Kirsty joined the Lucite International Technical Team, developing and delivering technical improvements through project work at Lucite’s facility in Billingham, as well as aiding the company in manufacturing its products in the most environmental and safe manner. The role is varied including troubleshooting and writing operating instructions through to technical support for planning and execution of shutdowns, commissioning, and production loss accounting.

One of Kirsty’s more recent roles included management of a Manufacturing Improvement Team. The technical improvements delivered by Kirsty and this team have saved the company hundreds of thousands of pounds in production costs, maintenance and resource efficiency, as well as improving customer supply chain confidence.

In 2008, Kirsty was offered promotion within Lucite to increase her level of Technical Management. This role will broaden her technical expertise and involves safety and line management responsibilities.

Kirsty won the NEPIC 2008 Young Achiever of the Year Award for the Base Chemical Sector.

Name: Sharon Griffiths (age 31) Position Held: General Manager – The Specials Laboratory Studied: Accountancy at the Open University Sharon joined The Specials Laboratory in October 2002 as a parttime credit controller after having taken a career break to start her family in 2000. Sharon had already embarked on her accounting studies with the Open University before joining Specials and has developed her role considerably in past five years since.

Sharon quickly progressed to a full time role within the organisation and was promoted to Finance Manager in July 2004, over seeing the company’s entire financial control and accounts systems as the head of a ten-strong finance team.

Building upon her success, commitment and passion she had demonstrated, Sharon was appointed to the role of General Manager of Specials in September 2006, with the responsibility of the day-to-day running of a very complex and agile pharmaceutical manufacturing business. Currently the company dispatches 80,000 individual products each year and has an annual turnover of £11million.

Having used her sound business sense and financial acumen to manage, develop and motivate a dedicated operational team of over 80 staff, working to strict industry regulation, within 10 months Sharon has led Specials to achieve and sustain a 24 hour delivery lead-time on 80% of it orders, dispatched to its 5000 pharmacy customers nationwide.

Sharon is a shining example of how ambition, character and passion can lead to huge successes. Her continued studying whilst she worked, coupled with the full support of her employer is the perfect combination for people not wanting to study full time straight from school. Sharon continues to study now and is soon due to complete her professional examinations to gain full chartered status in accountancy later this year. She is also set to study the Pharmaceutical Industrial Advanced Training (PIAT) programme to improve her knowledge in key areas of the business and industry.

Sharon won the NEPIC 2007 Young Achiever of the Year Award for the Pharmaceutical Sector.

www.nepic.co.uk

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. . . y a d o t e l p o e p g n you We know you’re not all alcopop swigging, weapon carrying, graffiti vandals, but convincing everybody else of this isn’t always easy.

Despite every good deed done, all your hard work in school, and every hour spent doing voluntary work, it just takes one story in the newspapers about teen gangs, knife culture or underage drinking to make people tut-tut over their cornflakes and have a go at “young people today”.

This summer Northumbria Police is carrying out a campaign to address community concerns about young people and anti-social behaviour.

We’re going to try to paint a true picture of the extent and nature of youth crime, just as we would want to do with any type of crime by any age group.

We know it’s only a very small minority of young people who actually get into any kind of trouble – let alone anything involving the police - and this summer we’re going to tell people this.

We’ll also be highlighting the times when people have come to us with worries about anti-social youth behaviour in their areas and how we’ve handled it.

Through our summer campaign we will be reaching out to these people and reassuring them by explaining what we have done to combat youth anti-social behaviour.

This includes things like graffiti, underage drinking, intimidating behaviour and shoplifting.

We want to make sure that people know we are listening to their concerns and acting on them, whilst also making sure that not all young people are labelled as trouble makers.

As part of the campaign, we’ll be flagging up our Pub Watch Scheme and the new Offlicence Watch Scheme, both targeting people who sell alcohol to underage drinkers.

If you are being affected by anti-social behaviour, call Northumbria Police, on 03456 043 043, or visit our website at www.northumbria.police.uk

We’ll also be looking at the partnership work we do with local councils, youth groups, schools and local communities and highlighting how these partnerships have reduced both actual crimes and the fear of crime.

The fear of crime is very real for some vulnerable residents in our communities, greatly reducing their quality of life.

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“Would you believe you can pilot a plane at the age of 17”...

e g a t a h w t a can I...?

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You might not be seen as an adult in the eyes of the law until the age of 18, but as you get older you are legally allowed to do certain things. That can also mean you are legally responsible for your actions, so it’s important to know what’s what.

WHAT YOU CAN DO!?

At 14 YOU can enter a pub, but you can’t buy or drink alcohol there.

A boy can be convicted of rape, assault with the intent to commit rape and unlawful sex with a girl if she is under 16.

YOU can be convicted of a crime.

YOU can work part-time with your school’s consent.

At 16 YOU can have a full time job if you have officially left school. You need to remember that you can’t work full time until the last Friday in June - even if you have turned 16 before this.

YOU can live independently, subject to certain conditions being met.

YOU can get married with your parents’ or guardians’ consent.

YOU can ride a moped of up to 50ccs.

YOU can pilot a glider.

A girl must be 16 before she can legally have sex with a boy.

IT is illegal for a boy or man to have sex with a girl under 16, even if she has agreed.

A male may consent to a homosexual act if he and his partner are both over 16.

YOU can have an abortion without your parents consent.

A boy can join the armed forces with his parents’ or carers’ consent.

YOU can apply for your own passport.

YOU can have beer or cider whilst eating a meal in a restaurant or an eating area of a pub, but not in the bar.

YOU can buy a lottery ticket.

At 17 YOU can hold a license to drive most vehicles.

YOU can pilot a plane.

YOU can emigrate.

A care order can no longer be made on you.

YOU can be tried before an adult court and sent to prison or fined up to £2,000.

YOU can go into a betting shop (but not bet).

At 18 YOU are legally seen as an adult in the eyes of the law.

YOU can vote in general and local elections.

YOU can get married.

YOU can open a bank account in your name without a parent or carer’s signature.

YOU can buy and drink alcohol in a bar.

YOU can ask to see your birth certificate if you are adopted.

YOU can change your name.

YOU can be called to serve on a jury.

YOU can sue or be sued.

YOU can make a will.

YOU can place a bet.

YOU can have a tattoo.

YOU can buy cigarettes and tobacco.

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t risk a t s e h g i h e h s are t ee deaths r h t Young driver n i e n o d roads an e h t of 20! n o e g p a u o e r h t g r e d g male un n u o y a s e v l invo likely to s a e c i w t o are als ers of the Young people h t o h t i w g n velli die when tra up! same age gro

LEAR

N AND LIVE

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PLEASE SLOW DOWN THIS SUMMER!

To receive a FREE Learn and Live road safety presentation for your group in the Cleveland area please contact Steve Brodie, 01642 599503 or sbrodie@clevelandfire.gov.uk

DID YOU KNOW? If you live in the Cleveland area you are eligible for a FREE Home Fire Safety Visit from your local Firefighters?

Simply phone 01429 874063, textphone: 01429 874125, or email via the website www. clevelandfire.gov.uk and please quote ZZ1035.

Resident groups of the Cleveland area can also receive a free Fire Safety talk, and we also have a new SMS Emergency Text Messaging service which is available for deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired people. To arrange a talk or for more details on any of the services, please phone: 01429 874051, fax: 01429 874057, email: advocates@clevelandfire.gov.uk

PLEASE SLOW DOWN THIS SUMMER!

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careers in north east councils Many young people are considering their career options at this time of year, having just finished school, college or university. As the biggest employer in the North East, councils can offer many different career and training opportunities. www.careersincouncils.co.uk will give you information on some of the huge range of career, training and job opportunities within the region’s councils. It also provides real life examples of young people who are now working in councils, possibly yours. They include young people working as apprentice civil engineers and horticulturists, social workers, tree surgeons, countryside rangers, librarians and personnel assistants. There are also examples of young people working in human resources, housing, and as part of a highly prestigious national graduate development scheme.

Three examples of young people working for councils in the North East of England are shown on these pages.

For jobs directly from school, after university or apprenticeships, councils really do offer an exciting choice for young people. Local councils will give you the chance to do a job you enjoy, and make a positive difference to the lives of the people and communities of the North East.

Best of luck Councillor Mick Henry Chair of the Association of North East Councils

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Victoria Taylor, 23, is a Senior Library Assistant for North Tyneside Council Throughout my career in libraries there have always been plenty of new skills to discover and opportunities to take. It’s a constant learning curve.

The day to day running of a branch library is quite demanding, mentally and physically, especially with all of the new services we offer. The work involves much more than just shelving books, which is the usual assumption.

“It is an exciting time for the staff as we are able to broaden our knowledge and services” Libraries are busy and lively environments now, and they are currently adapting to the modern needs of their customers. It is an exciting time for the staff as we are able to broaden our knowledge and services.

At the moment I’m involved in a number of projects ranging from after school clubs, parent and baby sessions, to reading groups, promotions and in-house training for qualifications.

No two days are ever the same.

Mark Prendergast, 22, is a Tree Surgeon for Newcastle City Council I work as part of Newcastle City Council’s Arboricultural Team, nicknamed “the tree squad”.

My job involves climbing and pruning trees to prevent them from causing a problem or becoming a hazard.

We respond to phone calls from the public and from the city council’s two tree inspectors.

I found tree climbing with ropes pretty daunting at first, but I knew I wasn’t scared of heights. Now I prefer being up in the branches rather than on the ground.

“I love working outside, particularly on a sunny day when you can see for mileS” I love working outside, particularly on a sunny day when you can see for miles. I pruned a tree in Gosforth, Newcastle, recently and could see right across the racecourse.

But in the middle of winter when it’s really windy and the sawdust from the chainsaw is blowing in your face and the tree is swaying all over, it isn’t so good.

I enjoy working closely with local universities to help identify tree diseases and fungus.

We can then advise residents on what the problem is and hopefully, help allay any fears.

Toni Brocklesby, 20, is a Cadet Social Worker for Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council I like visiting families in need, particularly when I know I can make a difference by helping to alter their current living situation or with any difficulties they might be experiencing.

My job involves completing placements within social services. The placements help me to build up a wide range of experience and knowledge from different professionals.

They have also helped me to complete an NVQ and contributed to my degree in social work.

I like visiting families in need, although I sometimes have to deal with difficult and uncomfortable situations on cases.

I want to complete my degree in social work and become a full-time children and families social worker.

“The placements help me to build up a wide range of experience and knowledge from different professionals”

For more information on the careers and opportunities within councils in the North East of England, and for links to many of their current job vacancies, please visit: www.careersincouncils.CO.uk

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Surveying is one of the most diverse and exciting professions in the world There’s a lot more to surveying as a profession than most people realise. Contrary to popular belief, surveyors don’t spend all of their time valuing people’s homes and checking for damp, subsidence and rot. Although some undoubtedly do.

Surveyors are involved in preserving coral reefs around the world, creating computer games, ensuring that music festivals and sports events run smoothly, valuing antiques, creating sustainable environments, farm property management and creating the vision behind major construction projects – such as the new Wembley Stadium, the 2012 Olympic bid and Terminal 5 at Heathrow This diversity ensures that no two days are the same for a surveyor, making it one of the most interesting professions around. Many surveyors travel extensively all around the world, meeting people and marking their mark on the earth. Some surveyors even end up multi-millionaires! One thing for certain is that surveying is never boring.

RICS – which stands for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors – is the pre-eminent organisation of its kind in the world - representing everything that’s good in the world of surveying. We already have a membership of around 140 000 members who play a leading role in shaping our world. We create most of the world’s degree and diploma courses for those students interested in becoming professionally qualified surveyors. We are also here to help you be able to tell your students all about surveying and what an interesting, varied and dynamic profession it really is.

At RICS we’re totally committed to communicating the scope of the profession to careers advisors and their students. To this end we produce a wide range of brochures and other communication materials to help demonstrate how chartered surveyors are often the driving force in a diverse range of important and exciting developments around the world.

These support materials are designed for use by students aged between 15-18 years of age. We can also arrange presentations by RICS members at your school or college and have a number of work placement and work experience schemes in place in the UK and in other parts of the world.

To find out more about how you could benefit by becoming an RICS member, or to discuss the most appropriate way for you to qualify please contact us on +44 (0) 870 333 1600. Email us at contactrics@rics.org or visit the website www.rics.org/careers Write to us at: RICS Contact Centre, Surveyor Court, Westwood Way, Coventry CV4 8JE

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WWW.RICS.ORG

dy u t s f o n o i t a me bin m d e o l c b e “Th ena s a h my rk o d n w a d , y an kl c i u q ng n i r y a e v e l r su to f o nd e a c n d e e i i r var n expe e e b has r a f so g� n i t a l stimu

Jack Talbot MSc Quantity Surveying, London South Bank University Graduate QS EC Harris LLP How did you get into surveying?

Having obtained a first degree in French and subsequently worked in the energy industry, I decided that I would prefer a more challenging and varied career in construction. I have just finished my first year of a two year part-time Masters conversion course in Quantity Surveying at London South Bank University. The combination of study and work has enabled me to learn quickly, and my experience of surveying so far has been varied and stimulating.

WWW.RICS.ORG

What does your current job involve?

I joined EC Harris in September 2006 and my first placement was with the Commercial team where I was able to gain experience working on a variety of projects, including office, hotel and mixed-use developments. I have just joined the Residential team for my second placement, which will help me to broaden my experience.

What are your future ambitions?

Although I have not yet worked on any overseas projects, I hope to travel at some point in my career, both within Europe and beyond. My ambition is to climb the career ladder, gaining a variety of experience within the surveying profession, and possibly try another discipline within the construction industry later in my career.

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North Durham Youth Forum Since the development of Consett Connexions local youth forum commenced, work has been non stop! The young people who are currently involved have worked on many projects and consultation exercises to help develop and improve the service Connexions can offer to young people.

An Inspiration

Over the last year the forum members have helped to develop open day’s to encourage other young people engage with the local Connexions Centre and to help them look at opportunities relating to further education and training.

The forum members met on a regular basis to plan activities for the open days which consisted of art and crafts, nail art, D-J workshops and graffiti amongst other things.

Forum members have been consulted on the lay out of Connexions interactive website, Help4teens and their feedback has been used to update the content and lay out.

Earlier this year forum members decided they would apply to the Youth Opportunities Fund to try and secure money for an educational trip to London.

The group agreed they would like to meet a local MP to discuss current youth issues. The group were successful with their bid and are looking to meet with Hilary Armstrong in October. In the run up to this event local forum members will have the opportunity to take part with local democracy workshops and discuss youth issues at a local level with a County Councillor.

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Best Youth Enterprise Website Award for Help4teens!

Help4teens, the Connexions County Durham website for young people, has won the ‘Best Youth Enterprise Website’ category at this year’s North East Digital Awards.

The North East Digital Awards, funded by One North East, aim to celebrate the achievements of organisations that have used digital technology to best effect during 2007.

Help4teens is an interactive site enabling young people to access up to date, impartial and authoritative information on careers, education, employment, training, health, relationships, travel and transport, money matters and much more.

Significant features of the site include a Virtual Library in which users can search an e-version of the Connexions Library and the ‘County Durham 14-19 Area Wide Prospectus’ where users can search for courses and learning opportunities available throughout the area.

Future developments for the website will include a Virtual Vacancy Centre, where users can search for the latest jobs and opportunities available in County Durham.

A brand new Parents and Carers site is also currently in development. The site will provide impartial and up to date information for parents and carers, in order for them to support young people with their future decisions.

To check out the great features and information available on Help4teens, please visit www.help4teens.co.uk.

If you want to take part in the summer activities contact your local Connexions Centre

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Newcastle Science City is encouraging more young people to study science and to realise all of the interesting careers it can lead to, right here in the North East. Here are some students who enjoy the subject and a scientist who has a great job helping others enjoy science.

LAURA IS ONE Science IN A MILLION Student Loves Twelve year old Laura Million of Walker Technology College is a star science pupil and her ability and enthusiasm make her stand out from the crowd.

She loves the science part of her school work because it is one of her best subjects and also because of all of the interesting things she has learnt in science clubs.

Laura said: “One of my favourite tasks was making a papier mache solar system to understand how the galaxy works, it really made it easy to understand.

“This year my best project so far has been using science in a pretend crime investigation where we were all police detectives. We had to use chromatography to find out who had written a ransome note and find the culprit. I did so well in it my teacher now calls me Detective Million!

“When I leave school I would love to study science at college and then work in lab, doing tests on different substances just like my favourite TV programme CSI.”

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Space and Time

Fifteen year old Rebecca Watson, a pupil at Sacred Heart Catholic High School in Newcastle upon Tyne is studying Chemistry, Physics and Biology.

Her great love is studying space and time in Physics and finding out about light and radio-waves. While in chemistry she enjoys the scary sounding ‘fractional distillation’ – which means studying experiments like boiling crude oil to see the various effects such as petrol coming off it.

After school Rebecca wants to study medicine and maybe become a surgeon. She has been interested in science since primary school and really enjoys doing all of the science subjects in depth at senior school. “It is so rewarding as you find out new and useful things all the time and it effects everything you look at. I decided I want to study medicine as I would be able help people get better from their illnesses.”

www.NEWCASTLESCIENCECITY.coM

GIVING SCIE NCE s T H l E e ‘ W e OW’ F y m A e c F A r C o TOR F e th

Sacred Heart Catholic High School pupil Amy Cleaver, 13, used to be a keen swimmer and through her physics lesson she now understands how the different forces affected her performance. For example she learnt when she dived in the water resistance pushed her back and at the same time it was pushing up her as well.

“I like finding out how things work and why they work through science experiments. My favourite ones are chemical reactions where you get to see a result such as chemicals reacting with acids, they are great fun whether they make a loud noise, dissolve or change colour.”

Wondering what to do when you leave school? How about doing the kind of job where 30 kids are jumping up and down in a field screaming with delight because they have launched a rocket into the sky - all thanks to you?

Dr Sarah McLusky of Sparks Education is a science teacher with a difference. She works for herself and takes great pleasure in going in to schools to give students lessons with a real ‘wow’ factor.

For the last two years Sarah’s business has helped hundreds of pupils do experiments which make them love all the sciences. Her box of scientific tricks includes workshops where everyone makes and launches a firework-fuelled rocket which lands with a parachute.

“It is so interesting to look at how the body’s own defences use their natural antibodies to combat illnesses, for example, the way skin protects bacteria from getting in to us.

Her career history started in a traditional lab with a Biology degree from Edinburgh University and a PhD from Imperial College at Wye. After graduating she began work at the Edinburgh Science Festival where her love of bold and exciting experiments started. She then moved to Newcastle to become an Education Officer at the newly opened Centre for Life, and then on to SETPOINT North East where, during 5 years as Education Operations Manager, she helped over 200,000 children enjoy science. Sarah decided to go freelance in 2006.

“The thing I really enjoy studying most of all is the human body, especially the brain. It is so complex and fascinating to learn how it does all of things it is able to do.

She said: “What I really enjoy about my job more than anything, is seeing children’s faces change after they do a great experiment, that moment when their jaws drop. I love that!”

Amy wants to be a GP when she is older as she loves learning about human diseases and the history of the treatment of illnesses like HIV and how vaccines have developed.

More information is on Sarah’s website www.sparkseducation.co.uk

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N O K R A B TWINS EM R E H T E TOG ARMY LIFE ly not on l il w t a h t r e e r a c a in If you’re interested nities u t r o p p o s s le d n e o ls a t provide excitement bu and ig a r C , s in w t l a ic t n e id why not take a look at her t o h c a e w o ll fo o t d e ecid Scott Beal who have d ineers. g n e l a ic t u a n o r e a s a into the Army to train

Craig and Scott, who are both 16, got their first taster of Army life when they joined the cadets at the age of 13. They enjoyed the Army cadets so much that they decided that this was what they wanted to do as a career.

They are now embarking on their phase one training at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate. This will be followed by their phase two training where they will spend 42 weeks studying at the School of Electronic and Aeronautical Engineering at Arborfield.

They will learn specialist techniques such as inspections and repair of electronic and aviation equipment.

Major Gary Wright Rivers, Army Recruiting Officer for Tyneside says; “Scott and Craig’s enthusiasm for their new careers is clearly evident, and they are in the fortunate position of having already had a taster of Army life which allows them to be fully prepared for what lies ahead.

“As well as studying aeronautical engineering, the twins will also be exposed to a wide range of opportunities such as travel and sports and I’m certain that they will have a very successful and exciting career ahead of them.”

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“I’m certain that they will have a very successful and exciting career”...

g n i t a e healthy Young adults’ bodies have very demanding nutritional requirements because of physical and mental development that you go through from about the age of 12. At this age you also have much more control over what you eat than you did as a child, so make sure you know what your body needs, it will affect the way your body and brain develop.

Think of food as fuel for your body. You need to put in the right sorts of fuel in the right amounts to get the optimum performance out of your body.

This together with regular exercise will give you more energy, control your weight and even make you concentrate better.

If you want to have a healthy diet try to: n Increase the amount of cereals and starchy foods such as wholemeal bread, rice, noodles, cereals, potatoes and pasta n

Increase the amount of Fruit and vegetables in your diet it helps set you up for a healthier lifestyle. Best of all, there is so much variety to choose from, all year long, there’s enough to keep even the fussiest eaters happy.

n Get the best health benefits, your 5 A DAY portions should include a combination of a variety of fruit and vegetables. That’s 5 portions altogether, not 5 portions of fruit and 5 portions of veg. n Eat more regular, smaller meals rather than snacking

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n Reduce the amount of foods containing fat n Reduce the amount of foods and drinks containing sugar n Reduce the amount of foods containing salt

Why bother with breakfast?

Breakfast being the most important meal of the day is not just an old wives’ tale, it’s absolutely true. By breakfast, often you will have gone without food for about 12 hours. You need to re-stock your body with nutrients and fuel to replace what it has used up over night ready for the day’s activity.

If you don’t eat until lunch, or even until break, your body will get in the habit of storing what food you put in it later in the day ready for the following morning without food, rather than using it up effectively.

It will leave you with less energy all day and you could be more likely to put on weight.

What if I want to eat healthily and lose weight?

As a teenager, remember that your body is still growing and your body shape is likely to change. If you feel you need to loose some weight, have a look at the lifebytes website from the link on this page. They have top ten really useful tips for young people who want to lose weight whilst making sure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to grow. Don’t try fad or crash diets and risk cutting out these essential nutrients.

Healthy diet for vegetarians It is perfectly healthy to eat a vegetarian, or even a vegan (no animal products whatsoever) diet, providing you make up for the nutrients from animal products that you miss out on through other foods.

“You should be aiming for one hour of moderate intensity activity each day” Red meat, fish and poultry are the main sources of protein. As a vegetarian, you need to eat more alternative sources of protein such as milk, cheese, eggs and pulses like lentils and beans.

You also need to make sure you are taking in enough iron. The main non-meat sources of iron are pulses, cereals and bread fortified with iron, and green leafy vegetables. You should also eat plenty of foods containing vitamin C, especially with a meal containing iron rich foods as it is thought to help us absorb the iron.

Healthy living A healthy diet is only part of the story, most people your age are physically active for about half an hour a day, most days of the week. This may sound good, but it’s not enough to get the full health benefit. You should be aiming for one hour of moderate intensity activity each day.

Moderate intensity activity makes you feel warm and breathe more heavily than usual. More vigorous activity is fine as long as you feel okay and are still able to talk. This is known as your comfort zone.

If you are unable to do this, you are probably working at too high an intensity.

You don’t have to do one hour of activity all in one go. You can build up over the day, for example: 10 mins walking to school 20 mins football at lunchtime 10 mins walking home from school 20 mins dancing around your room to your favourite tunes!

Every little bit counts, but try to include some activity that is nonstop for 10-15 minutes which will really help your heart health.

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Keeping the Show on the Road An alternative approach to the delivery of

MFL at Post 16

How does a Headteacher, committed to offering languages Post-16 cope with the dilemma posed by small numbers starting AS, often falling to tiny numbers at A2?

Surveys in the North-East have shown that numbers choosing to continue with a Language to AS and particularly to A2 have dropped below a critical level. In 2006, 41% of French AS and 71% of German AS groups were composed of fewer than 6 students. At A2, 44% of French groups and 64% of German groups had one two or three students in them. It is a problem in both the state and independent sectors.

So what to do? Does the school run it even though it is far from costeffective? Does the school drop the subject from the curriculum, thereby losing not only the students but also breadth from the Sixth Form curriculum?

The situation has deteriorated since the reform of the KS4 curriculum and is likely to deteriorate further.

Two schools, neither of which is a Language College, have decided to lead the fight back. Wolsingham and Teesdale schools, both rural schools in County Durham, have adopted a different curriculum model to not only preserve what is already there but also offer further opportunities for expansion. It is done in a highly cost effective way.

The method of delivery is very much set in e-learning. There is, however, a recognition that for language learning, e-learning alone is not enough. The model adopted also uses taught lessons, intensive language sessions and additional conversation lessons.

So how are languages delivered?

Germany last year which they will repeat this year.

This approach is very much more cost-effective than traditional timetabled lessons. Instead of the equivalent of a teacher day per subject in each school, only 90 minutes of timetabled time is required in total. The Language Colleges are using some of their community resources to support the project through the time for the Assistants and the intensive days.

So how is it going? AS results last summer were either in line with or above targets for all the students involved. This is because the method of delivery is firmly rooted in personalised learning. It also enables the students to continue to work at home or in their non-contact time. The restrictions of the timetable do not apply.

A concern had been that the students might see this as a less desirable offer than having a teacher in front of them all the time. This has not been the case; the students enjoy a different approach to their learning.

So what next? The next steps are to explore similar provision for other languages including French and then move into KS4, initially to support second language delivery.

The Dearing review identified a need to focus on more imaginative approaches to language delivery, including e-learning, partnerships, immersion and ‘open school learning’. The Wolsingham-Teesdale development is perhaps a first step in a more radical way that languages may be offered in the future.

Since September 2006, German and Spanish ‘AS’ courses and this year A2 lessons have been delivered in the following way.

Students have one extended taught lesson per week of 90 minutes.

This is delivered in one school and video-conferenced to the other.

The students then have a portfolio of e-learning work to complete each week which is assessed by their teacher. This is downloaded from the schools’ e-learning platform and takes the form of reading and writing exercises and downloadable podcasts for listening activities. Students then have one intensive language day per half-term run by one of the local Language Colleges or Durham University.

In addition, the students have a video-conferenced conversation lesson each week with a foreign language assistant based in local Language Colleges, both over 30 miles away, Lanchester St Bedes for Spanish and Parkview for German. The students concerned all had an immersion element through a work placement in either Spain or

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www.countydurham14-19.co.uk

Business Connection at The Oaks, Spennymoor

Hairdressing Young Apprentices enjoying the challenge.

Shotton Hall School, Peterlee an 11 to 16 school, is currently the only provider in the North East area which offer A YA in Hairdressing and only one of two schools nationally who “lead” the YA in Hairdressing programme.

The YA is a very intensive programme with students having to study for two days per week, of which some of the time has to be spent in a salon with an employer. Not an easy feat with all the other commitments the students have.

The cohort is made up of students from Shotton Hall School and other schools in the East Durham Federation including East Durham College.

The programme is delivered predominantly at Shotton Hall School with some sessions at East Durham College. Not only are the students working in harmony across schools, the staff also work in partnership both in school and in college.

Students at The Oaks School, Spennymoor were delighted to meet and work alongside volunteers from Cummins Engineering Ltd. Friday, May 16th was Business In The Community’s “Make A Difference Day”. Participating companies offered their staff a half-day or full day to do voluntary work which would really make a difference to a community.

Sedgefield Borough’s Enterprise in Education Co-ordinator, Lester Crawford, approached Cummins Ltd. to help The Oaks School to start up an Enterprise project. Cummins invited staff to volunteer and the response was tremendous. Teams of volunteers worked throughout the day – and many offered to return when needed.

The Oaks Enterprise project is a garden where flowers and vegetables will be grown to be sold at local markets. LEGI (Local Enterprise Growth Initiative) funding helped with start-up costs but the project will be selfsustaining. The work of the Cummins volunteers leaves a legacy for students to develop for years to come.

Head Teacher, Andrea English, was delighted form a link with Cummins Ltd. which is sure to flourish in many other ways.

At Shotton Hall School the salon boasts excellent facilities and resources that more than meet industry standards so much so that all Hairdressing programmes are oversubscribed for September.

Retention is excellent (100%) and Shotton Hall strive to provide the best opportunities for the students by providing them with enrichment activities such as the opportunity to work with a professional make up artist and competition work. The YAs swept the board at the recent KS4 competitions at Northumberland College in the “Party Make- up” Category and one of the YAs got through to the semi finals of the National YA of the Year competition organised by HABIA. The partner schools and college are delighted to have secured funding for a new cohort in September and hope to build upon the current successful provision.

www.countydurham14-19.co.uk

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0 2 0 2 e c a l P Our l a n i F l a n o i Sub-reg schools from unities Project in March 2008, mm Co ble ina sta Su 20 20 ce vision of their local community Since the launch of the Our Pla ir the ate cre to s sse ine bus h n working wit and across Tyne and Wear have bee East and English Partnerships rth No e On , ITE IGN by red nso is spo the region). in the year 2020. This project siness Link Organisation across Bu ion cat Edu ear &W e (Tyn LO project managed by TWEB Wear, Schools from across Tyne and ity School, mun Com n Gree tle Cas g udin incl se Hou Red on Castle View School, Hylt ool, Sch High RC e Mor School, St Thomas School, ow Jarr ege, Coll ity mun Com Churchill n Kepier Washington School and Houghto tors from Men lass with the help of Masterc specific on sing focu n bee the Sector, have sign the rede to el Whe n Ega the of elements 0.

202 year place in which we live in the l Final, The Tyne and Wear Sub Regiona s ines Bus on cati Edu by d organise 11 June Connections Ltd, took place on it out le batt ols 2008 and saw the scho represent to es plac two of competing for one l Final taking Tyne and Wear in the Regiona event each this place in July 2008. It was at tion to enta pres a d of the schools delivere te Wise Was es, Cain Sara es; a panel of judg hips ners Part lish Eng tler Hus Tom Project, who n Gree too and Dylan Hawick, from Gen . were listening intently ever the A tough decision was had, how School judges finally chose Castle View ernance Gov on sed whose presentation focu s was focu se who ool Sch ow along with Jarr and Tyne t esen repr to t men iron the Env ng place on Wear at the Regional Final taki Riverside the in 8 Wednesday 9th July 200 .

Club ket Cric nty Cou Suite of Durham to the These 2 schools will go forward 9th 2008, July on regional final being held nst ideas agai put be will s where their idea ham and Dur nty Cou , and berl thum from Nor Tees Valley Schools.

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“These 2 schools will go forward to the regional final being held on July 9th 2008�

The new “kid” on the block!

Increasingly both public and private sector busin esses are looking to tap into the yo uth market; be it schools wanting more effective student vo ice and leadership scheme s or private sector businesse s realising the importanc e of young people in their social re sponsibility.

Former member of the UK and Sunderland You th Parliament Grant Hollis has embarked upo n his latest challenge hel ping business with social change and their youth policy. For 5 years Gra nt volunteered to work with Youth Develo pment, spearheading the award winning “We’re all ears” campai gn to engage marginalis ed young people and launching the city’s firs t ant-bullying policy cha rter mark.

His latest venture, The Fat Penguin Company, came about through his consultative work wit h the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. He said “The DDDA were looking to cre ate a youth forum and a strong youth voice in Dublin. He worked wit h them and put in place a weekend leadership course for you ng people and mapped out an action pla n for the group. He believ es that “The key to creating a success is harnessing the energy tha t young people have and directing it into one single project with a defined aim that everyone is working tow ards.” As testament to his creative work the group in Dublin are now planning a visit to a thir d world country to assist in their developm ent.

Having taken part in pre vious events with Educat ion Business Connections he recognise s the great work the com pany is doing. “I took part with EBC when I was at school in a tou rism challenge and this has helped me along the way personally and with my vision and values for the Fat Pengui n Company. The sessions taught me greatly how to involve, inspire and develop young people.”

The Fat Penguin Compan y can assist in short or long term youth engagement by creating a strategy for your organi sation that is both creative and innovative.

Grant said “The vision for the company is to assist in youth engage ment and positive social change; this can be in a school setting del ivering school council trai ning or providing policy change for nation al companies.” Providing assistance in event management, fac ilitation, consultation and branding. Grant Hollis, emperor penguin at the Fat Penguin Co can be contacted via grant@live.co.uk or 0771 790360.

“TWEBLO congratulates Grant for his active citizenship and enterprise capability”

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