Winter 2011
STARTING POINT Newsletter Number 16 Staff changes at Starting Point Corrine was recently successful in gaining a new role at East Thames Group and from Monday 10th October has taken up the role of Sustainable Neighbourhoods Manager based in our Head Office in Stratford. This means she will no longer be Starting Point Manager or based at Starting Point. Her new role will be to take a much more strategic look at Starting Point and ensure that more opportunities are available for Starting Point and the organisations based here. Corrine will still be working in partnership with a variety of organisations within the borough including infrastructure organisations and the Council and trying to raise the profile of East Thames and Starting Point in Barking and Dagenham and neighbouring borough's. In light of this development, Nicola, who previously delivered administration services at Starting Point, will be
stepping up into the role of Starting Point Coordinator. Work shadowing Corrine has given her the hands on experience, however as you may or may not be aware, Nicola has been at Starting Point since its inception nearly 4 years ago so she has a wealth of knowledge and experience to carry this role forward. What this now means is that Nicola will take over all management responsibilities with regards to Starting Point. She will be providing groups with a range of support services and holding inductions with new groups as well as managing the reviews with groups. With regards to Administration, Marie Phillip, an experienced Administrator from within East Thames Group, has joined the team at Starting Point. You can find out more about Marie below in her profile.
For more information, visit our website: www.starting-point.org.uk
Success for Little & Big Association Little & Big Association have recently been successful in gaining £25,000 from The Heritage Lottery Fund for their ‘Poetic Roots’ Project. The 12 month project is lead by a group of young people from little & Big Association living in the borough of Barking & Dagenham who are willing to explore their history and heritage and learn about their parents and
grandparents experiences and what brought them to East London and their experiences of settling here. The young people will receive training from Valence House in archive research skills, oral history interviewing and exhibition design. The young people will then use the skills gained and material they have researched to produce a poetry anthology which will be put to music and performed to the local community. An exhibition will tour local libraries and community centres to celebrate Black History Month.
Love where you live Love where you live is a new antilittering campaign launched by Keep Britain Tidy. They aim to get local authorities, community groups, schools and communities to take action to tackle the problem of litter, fly-tipping and graffiti in the places that we live and work. At noon on 17th October, the campaign encouraged everyone to take five minutes of action to show that they love where they live - whether that be
picking up some litter, pulling a few weeds out or sweeping the pavement outside their home or business. The groups and staff at Starting Point took part in the initiative and litter picked around the outside of the office; we were all amazed at the difference a few people could make in 5 minutes! To find out more or get involved visit the website: http://www.lovewhereyoulive.org/
For more information, visit our website: www.starting-point.org.uk
Getting to know- Marie Phillip, the new Starting Point Administrator Describe yourself in 3 words? Loyal, trustworthy, kind
Tell us about your professional background before coming to Starting Point
Directly before coming to Starting Point I was the administrator for the Social & Economic Regeneration (SER) team, based at East Thames’ Head Office. My main responsibilities would be to process invoices, archive documents and to organise the SER Team. I would also support the community centres and cover when staff were away.
What are you looking forward to most in your new role as Starting Point Administrator?
I am really looking forward to the change and meeting new people. I have met so many people at Starting point already and am really pleased to be working alongside the groups based here. I am also looking forward to the new challenges as this is the first time I have worked in a place like Starting Point.
All my previous roles, before working at East Thames, were admin based too ranging from working at Social Services to Springboard Housing Association so I have lots of experience!
What makes you happiest?
I love nothing more than big family gettogethers! We often have celebrations as there are lots of us, dancing the night away with my four sisters is my favourite past time! Professionally, I’m happiest working under pressure, then when everything is organised; I can sit back and relax!
For more information, visit our website: www.starting-point.org.uk
STARTING POINT 16 Pickering Road Barking, Essex IG11 8PG
For more information about Starting Point, contact:
in partnership with
Nicola Brown Tel: 020 3288 2100 Email: nicola@starting-point.org.uk Marie Phillip Tel:020 3288 2111 Email: marie@starting-point.org.uk
For more information, visit our website: www.starting-point.org.uk