News

This summer, QPNMC will host two-day Play Space workshops for children of primary school age. The workshops will encourage children to learn about healthy eating through art and digital technology.

The workshops will teach children about the food they eat, where it comes from and the kinds of nutrition their bodies need, whilst also giving them access to our industry-standard IT suites in order to develop their computer skills and creativity.

For more information, or to enrol for a workshop, please contact:

Hana Osman
Learning Administrator
Vital Regeneration
020 7245 2865

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Queens Park New Media Centre will be running new courses starting from 21st April – 4th July 2008 (5th May Bank Holiday).
This term we are delivering an exciting range of courses for adults and children. We are once again offering “Get That Job! Preparation for Work” course which covers CV writing, writing applications for jobs and interview techniques.

How Do I Enrol?
Queens Park New Media Centre Enrolment Day.
Enrol in person at our enrolment day. Monday 7th April, 10am until 4pm at The Beethoven Centre, Third Avenue, London, W10 4JL

If you are unable to enrol in person on this date please contact The Learning Administrator T: 020 7245 2865

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Vital Regeneration’s Annual Awards event was held on Thursday 29th November at The Greenside Community Centre. Learners who have been studying at Firststep.com and Queens Park New Media Centre during 2006/2007 came together to celebrate their hard work and dedication for the year. The event was opened by Lyndon Sly (Vital Regeneration Trustee) and presentations were made by the Lord Mayor of Westminster.

Special awards were given to individuals on the Local Labour Initiative Apprenticeships programme and HELP (Homelessness Employment & Learning Project). These were presented by Brian Johnson (Chief Executive CityWest Homes), Grahame Hindes (Chief Executive Octavia Housing), Marie Snelling and Tom Harding (City of Westminster Council).

The event was a huge success and it was good to see so many learners, volunteers and tutors receiving awards.

Photographs courtesy of Georgie Scott

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Since January 2007 we have been able to offer our learners a brand new Apple Mac Suite in our newly refurbished learning centre. All our workstations have the latest Creative Suite installed, which includes InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver and much more creative software.

Our Get Framed project is one of the first to benefit from this investment in our learning centre - we are working with a group of dedicated young people using the latest Final Cut Pro 5 suite to edit their films, making industry standard work to be showcased at film festivals across the UK. Our latest course Studio Plus Music Production will offer young people the chance to work with Logic software to learn how to use midi sequences and apple loops.

Our aim is to offer learners a greater variety of new media courses in the future in areas such as Web Design, Graphic Design, Film-making, Music Production and more. Courses will help widen their industry knowledge and enable them to find work within the creative industries.

For learners who are more comfortable using PC’s we still have four stations, which are fully equipped for Open Access or project use.

The final part of our redesign is imminent - the QPNMC Administrator will be moving into Office 5 at The Beethoven Centre, together with ‘Vital Advice’, a team of dedicated advisors providing learning and employment advice for people in Westminster. Learners will benefit from a more spacious and enhanced environment following the move, yet the administration and advice team will be on hand in a nearby office for guidance and support.

We want to thank all learners for their patience and support during the centre’s refurbishment. We hope that you will agree that the refurbishment has been a great success and we look forward to seeing you in future terms!

Photograph taken by Sandeep Mall.

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First Light Movies funds and inspires film projects for 5 to 18-year-olds throughout the UK. Vital Regeneration has secured funding from First Light to produce two film projects that will run from January to May this year. Two groups of young people will be making documentary films on the topics of ‘Indoor Homelessness’ and ‘Text Bullying’.

‘Indoor Homelessness’, Tuesdays 5-8pm

Six young people based at The Cardinal Hume Centre, Victoria, will work under guidance of First Light tutor Tanya Harris.

The Cardinal Hume Centre houses young people who have been previously homeless. They are provided with accommodation and support for a year and then further support to be re-housed after that period. The theme of 'Indoor Homelessness' centres around the current UK approach to homelessness where many temporary beds are provided, but where there is a culture that offers little long term support. This situation perpetuates powerlessness.

‘Text Bullying’, Wednesdays 5-8pm

Six young people aged 14 to 16 from the Churchill Gardens Youth Club are working on a film project lead by the First Light tutor Lucy Williams.

The Churchill Gardens Youth Club is a CityWest Homes run centre for young people on the Churchill Gardens Estate in Pimlico. It runs regular evening programmes of activities such as snooker, DJing skills, craft, IT, debate and discussion on current news topics or issues affecting young people. Their latest documentary film will focus on the modern phenomenon of bullying via text messages and estate based gang culture. The project began shortly after the issue hit the headlines of allegations of racism and bullying in the 2007 Big Brother House.

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The Learning and Employment Advice Service provides advice and guidance for residents across Westminster, assisting people to access employment, education, training and volunteer opportunities. We also offer help with brokerage and support services as part of the Westminster Apprenticeship Scheme, supporting young people to get in and stay in apprenticeships of their choice.

Our Learning and Employment Advisors are on hand to help with:

o Careers Advice
o CV writing
o Providing information on jobs in the local area.

Our Advisors help people find and apply for employment and training opportunities they are interested in. Please contact Michael Chandler for more information on venues and times.

We provide surgeries, as part of the HELP project, targeted to help people in temporary accommodation, every Thursday from 9am - 4pm at the Beethoven Centre.

Contact:
Vital Advice on 020 7641 5814
vitaladvice@cwh.org.uk

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This year’s Awards Ceremony for Queens Park New Media Centre took place on 18th October 2006 at The Beethoven Centre. Over 30 learners attended with their family and friends to receive their well-earned certificates of achievement.

The evening kicked off with a presentation by the Queens Park Neighbourhood Manager and Trustee of Vital Regeneration, Fabian Sharpe who congratulated the learners on their many successes during the last year. He talked about the history and achievement of QPNMC which is now in it’s seventh year. Partners such as, Jugg Foods Plc and Wilberforce Primary School were thanked and the array of support from funders and sponsors acknowledged. Vital Regeneration tutors and staff were thanked with warm applause for their dedication and the hard work they put in to make the projects a success.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg went on to present the learners with their certificates with support from Emma Winter, the Community Learning Manager.

Throughout the evening music was provided by two Queens Park learners - Laurie Asprey and Emrys Baird on guitar and vocals. Both Laurie and Emrys have taken a Final Cut Pro film course at QPNMC which made it all the more special for them to play for their fellow learners. What a convivial and lively atmosphere their musical contribution made to the evening.

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Learner focus groups were held during the summer term at QPNMC and going forward in 06/07 we are looking to achieve the following:

Improved communications and marketing of our services to inform learners of our charity Vital Regeneration and the diverse community projects we are working on, including more information about our Learning and Employment Advice Service – Vital Advice!

It was felt that the computers and equipment needed updating. QPNMC has been undergoing a major refurbishment and will be back up and running for the new term - January ’07.

We will endeavour to continue to provide a variety of courses where funding and tutor availability permits, Music Technology and more creative subjects will be implemented in 06/07.

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Due to refurbishment Queens Park New Media Centre will be closed for the Autumn term from September. Classes and open access are planned to resume in January ‘07 and you will be notified of this in December. We apologise for any inconvenience caused but hope that you will bear with us during this period.

We will continue to run the IT Drop-in facility at The Maida Centre and there will be the introduction of a new homework club for Queens Park children aged 8 – 12yrs based at the Queens Park Court Community Hall.

Can I take this opportunity to inform you that Adult ICT courses and children’s after school Creative Clubs will be running at Firststep.com from 25th September. Enrolment will be held on the 11th and 12th September from 10am – 4pm at The Greenside Community Centre, Lisson Green Estate.

We will also be holding the annual QPNMC Awards Ceremony on Wednesday 18th October 5 – 7.30pm so if you have participated in a course in 05/06 then you are invited to attend.

For Firststep.com course information please visit the website: www.learnatfirststep.com or telephone: 020 7641 4157.

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Play Space is a creative after school club for children aged 8 –12yrs offered by Queens Park New Media Centre based on the theme of healthy eating.

On Thursday 22nd June Westminster Primary Care Trust visited the centre and gave an informative healthy eating talk to the young people on Play Space. As part of the activity, children discussed a healthy balanced diet and used the ‘Food Map’ to place different types of food into categories. The children now have an understanding what ‘5 a day’ really means.

The highlight of the session was receiving the goody bags, which included a small box of raisins, bookmark and stickers. These went down a storm.

In the weeks following this session, children attending Play Space have brought healthy snacks from home for their break times.

The project is sponsored by the Westminster Health & Care Network.

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Sammy Berhane one of the participants in the Urban Attitudes Youth Film Project at Queens Park New Media Centre received the 'Against All Odds' Award at the recent opening of The Stowe Centre on Harrow Road.

Sammy was nominated by the QPNMC team for his outstanding commitment to the film course where he produced a professional short drama documentary ‘LOOSE’ PEN. It was clear from the audience reaction at the opening screening at the MPC Screening Room that Sammy had successfully brought out the humour of this film. A programmer for BBC Blast has shown great interest in his film and Sammy won this particular category due to his overriding commitment to learning after facing many difficult challenges in his life. Sammy has now gone on to study a film production course at Kingston University.

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Responding to your feedback, we have set up a new e-mail address so you can contact our Learning & Employment Advisor directly. The address is vitaladvice@cwh.org.uk.

What is the Learning & Employment Service?

This service promotes opportunities for learning and work to all adults aged 20 and over. Whether you want to improve your career prospects, get a qualification, learn for leisure or just make the most of your job, our services are available to you through our advisor.

You can email or call on 020 7641 6750. Surgery times, Monday & Thursday, 9.30 - 12 noon at The Greenside Community Centre.

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Local employer, Jugg Foods Plc worked with Queens Park New Media Centre and Wilberforce Primary School to support local children from the Queens Park area to create a striking window display in Jugg Foods' window on Kilburn Lane, Queens Park.

As part of the Summer holiday club 'Play Space' Queens Park New Media Centre commissioned professional artist Sue Howieson to work with the children to develop art work around the theme of 'Healthy Living'. In the window hangs a number of 3-D sculpture self portraits of the children being active and healthy.

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After six months of hard work the young film makers from the Urban Attitudes project got the chance to see their work on the silver screen. The films were screened at the Moving Picture Company screening room in Soho, watched by family and friends as well as representatives from The BBC and the Halloween Film Festival. This is by no means the last time the films will be screened, Jack Reid and Joel Ramphal Toppin have already had their films screened as part of the ICA Jumpcut Festival and Tiatu McKenzie has had her film chosen to be screened at Halloween Festival and has been nominated for the Teenage Jury Award. BBC Blast has also shown interest in all four films.

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For one night FreqOUT! – a season of innovative wireless workshops for young people in Westminster were showcased at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Central London.

The theatrically staged exhibition allowed visitors to interact with artwork produced over the summer of 2005 by young Westminster residents aged 12-21 in collaboration with new media artists. The workshops were devised and delivered by Queens Park New Media Centre part of the new media learning charity Vital Regeneration, in partnership with the City of Westminster and their Wireless City initiative and supported by the Arts council, England.

The evening provided visitors with plenty to keep them interested. On show were films created by young people from Churchill Gardens Youth Club in collaboration with artist Melissa Bliss and shot using a wireless digital CCTV camera. To coincide with this showing a simultaneous live wireless digital CCTV public art event offered the audience the opportunity to become both cinematographers and actors in a documentary of the evening’s activities. Using a wireless palm top device to control the camera angle and zoom they were be able to film themselves and other visitors. Melissa and the young people simultaneously edited the live footage.

Another zone showed Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) enabled drawings and maps created by young people with artists Jeremy Wood and High Pryor. Animations showed how young people, carrying GPS receiving devices could act as ‘pencils’ – drawing images up to 400 meters wide on the surface of Battersea Park or the Pimlico Streets.

In addition, could take a pair of wireless headphones and continue to walk around the space while listening to an audio ‘tourist guide’ made by young people from the Cardinal Hume Centre, Melissa Bliss and filmmaker Jake Nowak. The soundscape documents personalities, building and activities around the Victoria area.

Across August and September 2005 the FreqOUT! workshops successfully engaged young people in a dialogue about the applications and creative possibilities of wireless technologies. The long-term objective of FreqOUT! is to be an annual Wireless Arts Festival encompassing an outdoor exhibition that delivers sound, video, and images to the viewer according to their location. This is the Festival’s first year with activities running across Westminster. We are currently in negotiations for further funding. Watch this space!

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