Starting Point Newsletter Winter 2013

Winter 2013

STARTING POINT Newsletter Number 19 Happy New Year!

As we look towards a New Year, we have been looking at improving Starting Point and working more closely with groups to help them deliver a more professional and effective service.

There has been some fantastic encouraging outcomes in 2012 and we are looking forward to a delightful 2013.

Our main priority for 2013 will be improving the services we already offer, groups highlighted ways in which we could improve our services in the Starting Point Survey last year and we are still working towards making those

all important changes, a few things that we will work on over the year will be: A ‘Refurbished Facility’ at Starting Point.

One of our aims is to always keep improving and maintaining the facilities at Starting Point. We feel this is our duty and help sustain a professional and proficient environment. We aim to have a deep clean of the centre, improve our printing and copying facilities along with faster internet connection and update our meeting rooms.

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For more information, visit our website: www.starting-point.org.uk

New and Improved training at Starting Point.

Following some feedback from groups, there shall be a variety of new training programs coming to Starting Point from January 2012. These will be made available for Starting Point Users to access via Eventbrite. Eventbrite is a fast and easy way to register yourself onto a training course. You can also communicate with the event organiser and leave feedback .There will be new training and event added regularly so watch this space for new opportunities!

More Networking Opportunities We have previously made provisions for groups to network with each other but we have recognised that it is equally important for groups to network with organisations and individuals outside of Starting Point. We will be working closely with neighbouring agencies to bring our networking events together to encourage our users to visit new places and meet new people.

Love your Neighbour On 27th October 2012 in conjunction with ‘Make a Difference day’ staff and groups at Starting Point volunteered their time to assist neighbouring residents for the day. Starting Point would like to send a warm thank you to Leon Peters (East Thames Group) Seun Oshinaike (Brighter Steppings), Arit Bassey (Training Development and Employment) Earnest Ekokobe (Deo-Gratias) and Danton Irakize (East London Youth Entrepreneurship Services LTD) for their fantastic

contribution and work they put in for the Love your Neighbour Day. Spirits were high and we worked hard through adverse weather conditions to clear excess waste on the Tanner Street Development and make improvements to the communal garden area in the Almshouses, accommodation for older people. We look forward to Organising new events in 2013 to help our local communities.

For more information, visit our website: www.starting-point.org.uk

January Sale Starting Point acknowledges the financial constraints on groups after the busy Christmas period. In order to help relieve the strain we will be offering free hot desking between 7th January to 10th January. Once groups have completed the Starting Point

Customer Satisfaction Survey they will automatically become eligible.

Permanent group will be obliged to sign a permanent contract for the rest of the month to access this offer. All groups will also be entitled to 10% off their January invoice.

Great news: Starting Point will celebrate its 5th year in February. It’s a fantastic achievement and we shall be celebrating our 5th birthday with a Speed Networking event. Invitations to the event will be sent out later in January.

Meet a Group at Starting Point

Hello I am the director of the Centre for African Languages Ltd (CfAL), a registered company in the England and Wales. I have for the past years studied at Newham College for Further Education, Barking College, University of East London, and The Open Unversity. At the moment I am studying at London School of Academics for Diploma in Teaching for Longlife Learning Sector (DTLLS).

All the studies taken in the UK had involved a great deal of written work from which I have developed analytical and evaluation skills. These skills combined with the ways in which I have been taught to convey my ideas have been helpful to my present position. I have high personal standards, always seeking to complete tasks to the best of my ability. Satisfaction for me comes in knowing that I have done my best and in my organisation that had been seen in progress.

My Organisation aims to provide opportunity for UK young people, and families to experience Africa first hand through learning African major languages. Languages such as Twi, Ewe, Yoruba, Swahilli, Igbo, and Ga are taught alongside catering and historical studies. At the moment we are having free Twi classes in Barking Library on Mondays & Thursdays (7 -9pm) with an average of twenty students a week.

The Twi language is also taught to offer opportunity for the young people to support their present or future business engagement in Ghana (Africa). Find attached copies of the posters and My First Twi Picture Book for Children.

Classes: Mondays and Thursdays 7pm to 9pm. Room 107.

To book call Barking Library on 0208 724 8722 or email: sarfaraz.khan@lbbd.gov.uk

For more information, visit our website: www.starting-point.org.uk

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 Gavin Charles Tel:020 3288 2111 Email: gavin@starting-point.org.uk

For more information, visit our website: www.starting-point.org.uk