Well, I will start with a bit of a celebration this week….our wonderful café ‘The Atrium’, only 1 year on from opening, has had the busiest and most profitable week to date. We have changed the way we work this year – our staff team have extended the menu, our young people now work shifts over lunch time and our customers couldn’t be happier and are returning to us on a daily basis. I am extremely proud of everyone involved and I used this good news as an excuse to make a visit over there earlier this week. It really was a hive of activity with four students hard at work in the kitchen, on the tills and front of house – the place was packed!

We also welcomed a second group of students from Bury College this week who are extremely impressed with our set-up and have come to see how we do what we do and why it works so well. They were really inspired by our successes and a number of visits have been set up in the coming weeks for other students from their college.

As you will know, some of our pre-interns are based over at The Atrium for their weekly work placements and this week we have been extremely impressed with Chloe. Chloe has improved her attendance, is working extremely hard and is using her initiative to find jobs in the quieter periods. Well done Chloe, you are this week’s ‘Worker of the Week’!

Now for our ‘Day in the life of……’ section. This week we are following Terry who some of you may remember from Bridging the Gap (BtG) last year. Terry worked for a long period of time in the Manchester Metropolitan University library last year where he really did find his passion in life and is now set on a career as a librarian. To follow on from his work at BtG, he is now on a full time placement at Oldham Library and continues to work hard and make a good impression with the staff…we wouldn’t be surprised if they snapped him up and offered him a job in the not too distant future. So, over to Terry…

A day in the of Terry

Library Assistant – Oldham Library

I arrive at Oldham Library after travelling independently, greet everyone with a ‘Good Morning’ and sign in the book so everyone knows I am in the building..

Once I have signed in I speak to the staff to find out what jobs I am to do that shift. Today I have been asked to complete the shelf checks which involves me walking around the library making sure that the books have been put back in the right places..

Whilst completing this task I have been asked by a member of the public to authorise some printing, so I have come to the computer to print this for them..

Now this task has been completed and I have done the shelf checks I am going to go and work on the returns. People have brought books back and used our returns machines, once they have done this they put the books back on the return shelf and we return them to the library shelves for others to borrow if they want..

Well, it’s been a busy day here so far…….I’m off for my break where I will sit with Anne-Marie, my Job Coach, and go through my diary for the week and set my weekly targets..

I am really enjoying my time here at the library as it is exactly what I want to do……
See you all back at Medtia!!

Now for some updates from Lumenus..

The group have been working hard on their dramatic improvisation..

..and their team working skills..

Colette and Megan have also been doing some work experience looking at the role of a teaching assistant and the qualities required. They have enjoyed learning how to prepare resources..

They will be starting at the Coliseum after half term, working with the front of house staff and they are really looking forward to working in the theatre!

Digit4ll have been very busy too..

On Wednesday the New Bridge Production team had their first consultations of the school year. New Charter were so impressed with the work we did last year for them that when they needed more videos making they got in touch straight away. The team had a meeting with Georgina from New Charter who wants some films producing that show how to fix appliances for the company’s series of online help videos. We are currently working out the quotes but we’re sure that the team and New Charter will be working with each other again very soon..

The second consultation of the day was with Sarah from Oldham Coliseum. The students led the meeting and it looks like we’ll be filming some of the shows coming out at the theatre! We are so excited and can’t wait to get filming..

If you would like further information about our video production enterprise, please get in touch via email to nbproductions@newbridgegroup.org

This afternoon I visited Rumworth School in Bolton. They recently set up as an independent college and have agreed to support us with the process of setting up our new post 19 Employability College which we plan to open in September 2018. This will become the new base for our Future Finders supported internship course and I will keep you up to date with our progress over this academic year. We are currently working with the local authority and the Department for Education to make this happen for our young people, and we have even started to look at premises as we will need a new campus for the college. It is all very exciting and, as always, will create many opportunities for the young people within our Group.

For your information, we will be holding an open evening for our young people looking to move on to Future Finders, our Key Stage 5 pathways and New Bridge Horizons on 14th November from 5pm to 7pm. We have also set a date for Christmas dinner at Medtia Square on Monday 11th December when all our Future Finders, Key Stage 5 Pathways and Bridging the Gap students will be going over to The Atrium for their annual Christmas meal and celebration.

I believe we are in for some good weather this weekend before more storms next week! I shall be down in London spending the weekend with friends where it will of course be warmer – it’s always hotter down south, right?! Have a lovely weekend and enjoy that last bit of sunshine,

Daniel
Director of Employment & Co Head of Site at Medtia Square

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