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Ewen’s Room
MeeT THe TeAM
Mental wellbeing with ewen’s Room
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Ewen’s Room mental health charity is piloting an initiative to improve health and wellbeing within Lochaber by training and supporting young volunteers who, in turn, will help people of a similar age in their immediate communities. This innovative programme is being developed and delivered by a newly-recruited team of fi ve part-time education offi cers, who will work directly with ‘Wellbeing Champions’ aged between 14-25 years old, with additional part time input from local HighLife Highland Youth Development Offi cers. Once recruited and trained these Wellbeing Champions will be based within their ‘communities’ of school, college and workplace, where they will support each other as well as their peers. The aim is to improve levels of emotional and mental health of individuals and the wellbeing in these groups as a whole. Grants from the Highland Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund and from The Highland Council will support the team and ensure that it will continue and to develop the progress made through the pilot programme. Its success will ensure that the programme will be further rolled out, with WellBeing Champions being placed in schools, colleges and workplaces across Lochaber by the end of 2022. Thereafter, it is expected that the learning and knowledge gained, and processes tested, will be used to introduce, support and expand the model to other areas of Highland. The Highland Council grant will also help Ewen’s Room to continue its online and face to face community support existing services. These include EwenMe – befriending for those aff ected by loneliness or social isolation, with weekly Zoom meetings to encourage wellbeing and mental fi tness, alongside craft and themed workshops which invite involvement in shared group activity to improve individual mental fi tness and mood. There will also be a trial of a new employability service, for people who are currently unemployed, and who have experienced diffi culties with their mental health. This will run in partnership with local businesses, colleges, and training providers. The aim is to provide a mentorship scheme, giving support from the start of a job search, all the way through to the early stages of new employment. For more information visit the website: www.ewensroom. com/education/wellbeingchampions-project/
Low Carbon Lo
As Lochaber Environmental Group’s (LEG) ‘Low Carbon Lochaber’ project draws to an end this March, we’d like to take a look back over these past two years and say a huge thanks to everyone involved. The funding for this two-year long piece of work came from the Scottish Government’s ‘Climate Challenge Fund’, an initiative which aimed to encourage carbon reductions in our everyday lives. LEG’s project focussed on three principle areas, that of local food production and consumption, domestic and commercial energy consumption, and active travel (cycling and walking), building upon the success of previous projects. Our local food initiative, Food Lochaber, which sought to provide a platform for crofters and producers to sell their goods online and combine efforts to collectively market themselves, has seen 53 cycles since April 2020. The first days of the project coincided with the first national ‘lock-down’, and a period of uncertainty for many of us. Early panic buying and the subsequent consumer demand shock resulted in empty shelves and shortages in basic provisions. It was with this background that the members of the collective attempted to begin the season early in 2020 to assist. As movement became restricted Food Lochaber began to make deliveries of food right across the region, without the work done by everyone involved with LEG and the incredible support shown by Food Lochaber’s customers, this service simply wouldn’t have been possible. With weekly cycles throughout the growing season and monthly cycles from November to April, Food Lochaber has gone on to bring an incredible array of produce all grown and made right here in Lochaber. Building a loyal customer base, the collective has managed to build upon the local food landscape, showing other rural regions how collective sales and marketing can be used to maximise the reach of micro producers whilst maintaining high standards of provenance, as we work towards a low carbon future and rediscover our local resilience. The domestic energy side of the project involved working with households on how to make energy savings around the home and to enable long term behaviour change. The development officers made lots of visits to peoples’ houses (when we weren’t in COVID
Low Carbon LoChaber
lockdowns), shared equipment and advice. The active travel project focussed on supporting people to choose to replace short car journeys. This is one of the easiest ways of reducing carbon emissions. With just one month remaining you can still borrow an E Bike from the bike library and start having a try at changing your travel habits. The Low Carbon Lochaber project was also instrumental in setting up the Bike Kitchen - the tool library and maintenance classes will be able to continue but with just one staff member running them, so please bear this in mind if you are trying to make contact or to book a session. If you are one of the community groups that we have worked with in the past please bear in mind that we will have less capacity, so may not be able to deliver as much or at such short notice. The support of community based groups across Lochaber has helped to make this work rewarding and successful. We appreciate the input of individuals and communities across the area. It is with real sadness that we see the end of this project and hope that a lot of the good work that has been started by individuals and groups will be able to carry on. We have greatly appreciated the community and network provided by Circular Communities, the CCF network, Home Energy Scotland, SCCAN, Future Communities Highlands and Islands who are all helping to create a comprehensive and inclusive climate action network across communities all over Scotland. It’s hoped that the work undertaken during the project will continue and that Food Lochaber will continue to develop and grow. So too the legacy of the active travel component will live on via ‘The Bike Kitchen’. As we attempt to play our small part in tackling the challenges of the climate and ecological emergency, Emma and Stephen would like to say thank you to everyone who made this work possible and we look forward to you continued support.
foodlochaber.org
DYW West Highland – helping you to decide your next step
There are so many career options available to young people these days. And with so many choices it can be a struggle for you to identify your career goals.
You may know what you would like to do once you leave school, but others don’t.
In either case, engagement with employers and better access to work experience while at school could really help you better understand your future in the workplace.
Gaining work experience to build skills, building a picture of options through attending work-related activities and fi nding contacts to get support and advice from can help when deciding on your future career goals.
At DYW West Highland we bridge the gap between employers and young people at school to enable that better understanding of the future workplace for both parties.
DYW School Coordinators can help you navigate these choices. We aim to introduce pupils to opportunities locally and nationally through a varied programme of work-related activities and visits.
We have an excellent track record and reputation as one of the top DYW regional teams. Our School Coordinators work with the school teams, employers and other partner organisations to enable a variety of employer-led events and visits to help students fi nd an opportunity that’s right for them.
This could be a job, an apprenticeship, further or higher education, training programme, or volunteering – providing a positive destination.
We’re here to help you fi nd what’s right for you. We’ll help you fi nd support if you need it and build the skills and confi dence you require to take you further. We welcome feedback from our school community and young people. If you’ve enjoyed an event please let us know. If you haven’t for any reason, it’s good to hear what we can improve on.
If there’s an employment opportunity or industry you would like to fi nd out more about, please email us or contact your school coordinator.
Here are some of the work-related experiences available to you: • Meaningful work experience opportunities, to get an idea of what a job or a workplace is like, so you can fi gure out if you’re interested in that kind of career • Job interview scenarios with a panel of local employers. • Visiting diff erent workplace environments for tours of various industries. • Employer visits to your school, giving you information about the skills required for their industries and the recruitment options.
Contact us All employers within the DYW West Highland region, including Lochaber, Skye and Wester Ross, are encouraged to contact us to discuss how we can work together.
T: 01397 705765
Mallaig High School
Mallaig High School is a 3-18 campus which takes pupils from a wide and rural catchment area, including the Small Isles. The campus now includes a hostel for pupils within the catchment area who would not be able to travel daily, and also houses a community swimming pool and NHS respite facility for the elderly in the community. Recently students enjoyed a trip to the new Advancing Manufacture Centre, part of West Highland College UHI, team building exercises and work related trips to Knoydart.
Meet Mallaig High School’s Coordinator
“My name is Emma Pearce and I’ve lived in Lochaber for 30 years. Before I worked for Lochaber Chamber of Commerce I was a teacher and worked at Outward Bound Loch Eil for 25 years.
“I enjoy the outdoors. I’m a member of the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team and the ABC local community group.
“One of the great benefi ts of this role is working with people, creating partnership working and ensuring young people have a wide range of opportunities.
“I’m always delighted to hear from employers, parents/carers, staff and students regarding new ideas and opportunities to increase positive destinations for our young people.”
Contact Email: emma.pearce@lochaberchamber.co.uk
Kinlochleven High School
This small school has big ideas. Working in collaboration with pupils, parents, community and partner organisations to ensure positive and sustainable success for each student, and continuing improvement for the school. Built in 2008, with a new sports fi elds on the site of the previous building, the modern Kinlochleven 3-18 campus provides a 21st century learning facility for all ages. The catchment area runs from Duror in the west, to North Ballachulish and south to Glencoe.
Meet Kinlochleven High School’s Coordinator:
“Hello, I’m Anne Rebecca Schwarz, I recently joined DYW West Highlands.
“I’m learning how I can support the school and employers by delivering ‘World of Work’ experiences and help students access positive destinations.
“As a qualifi ed Outdoor Instructor I have coached young people to achieve results they didn’t think they could – I’m looking forward to using these skills to encourage young people to obtain their future goals.
“Having lived and worked in the area for several years. My insight into working in the area having travelled here from Europe is what a friendly and fl ourishing area Lochaber is to live in – not to mention the awesome outdoors experiences you can enjoy here.”
Contact Email: annerebecca.schwarz@lochaberchamber.co.uk
Ardnamurchan High School
Ardnamurchan High school is based on a rural peninsula at Strontian. The high school and Sunart Centre opened its doors in 2002, providing a creative arts and music venue for all the community. The S1 to S6 school is within travelling distance of most of its rural catchment area, however there is a weekly boarding facility for the small number of pupils who live in the catchment area but outside a reasonable distance. DYW activities this term have included Work Placements, ‘Back to My Routes’ guest speakers programme and mock interviews – all with local employers, including BSW Timber and Mowi. Ardnamurchan High School is grateful for all the active engagement local employers are providing for our young people.
Ardnamurchan High School’s Coordinatorr
This role has been vacant due to a team member moving on. Currently our Mallaig coordinator, Emma Pearce, is covering the post, helping to ensure the school, it’s students and the local employers continue to receive the service and support the DYW programme can provide. We are in the process of recruiting for this post and hope to be able to announce a new team member very soon.
Kilchuimen Academy
Situated in Fort Augustus, Kilchuimen Academy is our smallest high school in the West Highland region and receives the same DYW activities as our other schools. Pupils have recently enjoyed a tour of Wolfhouse Gym in Fort William learning about sport and leisure careers, a visit to Lochaber Hope to learn about mental health careers and an interactive interview hints and tips session with Robertson Construction.
Meet Kilchuimen Academy’s School Coordinator
Our School Coordinator for Kilchuimen Academy is Rebecca Masson who is also a PE teacher at the school.
“Through my role as a teacher I have been involved in DYW for a number of years and I have always enjoyed engaging with young people and businesses – in particular supporting young people finding positive destinations. Therefore, I felt I could bring lots of experience to the position and make a difference to the young people here.
“Creating opportunities to help expand their horizons. Being in a small school in a rural location it’s crucial to provide pupils with a variety of experiences to help find the positive destination that suits them.”
Contact Email: rebecca.masson@lochaberchamber.co.uk
T: 01397 705765
lochaber High School
With a school roll exceeding 850 pupils, Lochaber High School in Fort William is the largest high school in the DYW West Highland region. The school stands in spectacular surroundings at the foot of Ben Nevis, recently winning TES Magazine Twitter campaign to be lauded the most scenic school in Scotland. The school building is spacious and off ers a technology-rich environment. A multi-million pound refurbishment and rebuilding programme – ‘Lochaber 21’ – has brought considerable improvements to the campus. Recent DYW events include virtual construction sector talks by Robertson Construction, a series of subject-linked talks to illustrate the relevance of subjects to professions, and an animal career webinar talk featuring Shondie MacLean from TV show The Highland Vet and the Glasgow University Veterinary School.
Meet lochaber High School’s Coordinator
“Hello, I’m Gena MacLean, I grew up in Fort William and after my time at school here I left to study in Aberdeen, then I decided to change course and moved to Glasgow before returning to Lochaber.
“I thoroughly enjoy working with Lochaber High School and local businesses organising talks, work experience placements, mock interviews and anything that brings the employer and young person together. Giving the students the confi dence to follow their career path and achieve their future goals.”
Contact Email: gena.maclean@lochaberchamber.co.uk
The Young Person’s Guarantee is a commitment to bring together young people, employers, and partners. It aims to connect every 16 to 24-year-old in Scotland to the wide range of opportunities available such as jobs, apprenticeships, further or higher education, training or volunteering.
Additionally, the Young Person’s Guarantee has launched their ‘opportunity fi nder’ app, powered by My World of Work. This new feature brings work and learning opportunities together into one easy to use tool. The website also off ers young people details on employability support, opportunities and advice in their local areas, information on how to access career advice, money advice and wellbeing support.
For more information and to fi nd your future, visit www.youngpersonsguarantee.scot
Supporting local Businesses
Developing the Young Workforce is about highlighting options that are available to young people – ideally from local employers.
By providing opportunities for young people to meet local businesses, DYW creates the win-win scenario of young people being better equipped to make positive career choices that work for them, whilst giving employers a stronger, more able, talent pool to recruit from and facilitating the growth of our local economy.
Why should your company get involved?
We are grateful to the growing number of employers in the West Highlands currently off ering work-based learning opportunities.
But there’s always room for more organisations of every size and from all industries or sectors to provide opportunities, showcasing a wide selection of roles to our young people.
Off ering employer-led experiences to young people can be anything your company can deliver with the assistance of our School Coordinators. From helping to provide mock interviews, to giving a talk, or work experience or a placement, or something more creative.
Employers are key to making a diff erence in young people’s lives and choices. By off ering support employers are able to create a workforce with the right skills and experience, while placing young people at the heart of what they do.
