Build2Impact Case Studies

I should have started the course earlier but due to other commitments couldn’t. Never the less, I have gained from the course. I particularly benefitted from the affirmation work and from the poetry. I had forgotten I liked words; I had forgotten a lot in fact that the course reminded me of which was a great part of its beneficial effect. The course helped me to return to myself.

Leslie George is the 900th trainee to have registered with the BME Learning Network’s Skills2Work project through Beaumont Street Studios in Huddersfield.

We met with Kirsten Hunter, of the Workforce project for BSS, at the nearby Media Centre which provides a public meeting space & café, as well as studios, offices and training suites so she could introduce us to Leslie and their part of the Skills2Work project. The venue is important to mention because when we were shown the Digital Media/IT suite used by BSS, Leslie’s eyes lit up!!

“Technology is a beautiful thing!” he remarked and gives an indication of his passion for all things electronic. 

Leslie is a skilled, part-qualified electrician and has had a range of different jobs over the years, including a period of self-employment.  He returned to his home-town of Huddersfield after living in London with the aim of pursuing his main interest and hobby in electronic music production. Through friends and old contacts he heard about BSS and immediately signed-up for their Music Technology course.  After attending other short/taster courses he was keen to learn all he could about computing and digital music and has completed Levels 1 and 2 in Music Technology.

“The courses opened up new doors and interests. All I want to do now is learn as much as I can about computers and technology….and to share what I’ve learned with others”. Leslie hopes to run his own business again, making music, using computers and linking this with other digital media. By the time we left Kirsten had a growing list of other courses Leslie was keen to do, including Digital Media and Music Technology (Level 3). We wish him good luck & every success in the future!

Nari Ekta are a voluntary sector organisation based in the centre of Leeds, which helps South Asian women train to be ready for employment and a more active role in the community.  They offer courses like ESOL to help them gain a better understanding of the English Language and NVQs is Administration and Word Processing to help them in their search for jobs.  All this is along side language support, Information, Advice and Guidance sessions and support for the learners to help them reach their goals.  Over the last 25 years, they have helped 354 women, and this is set to continue well into the future.  Nari Ekta, like other small and medium sixed VCS organisations is struggling to find funding, and it is getting ever more important to prove the quality of their work.  One quality assurance mark that funder are increasingly asking for in the area that Nari Ekta work in is the Matrix accreditation for organisations that deliver Information, Advice and Guidance.  To help them gain this, the BME Learning Network, through the Build2Impact project, provided them with one to one help in getting their organisation ready for assessment and build their portfolio of evidence.  The Network will also be paying for the assessment and supporting them in achieving the standard.

“Very well organized support especially putting brother Ibrahim in the supporting role.  After our initial meeting with her re matrix support we have had 2 half day sessions with him and our portfolio is already looking good.  He has really helped us with putting certain documents in place.  Our target assessment date is before September 09 and we are very much sure of achieving it with the support provided by Build2Impact Project.  Even though we came to know that we do not have to have NVQ level 3 qualification in IAG to be able to get matrix, but personally I feel it is very good practice of the project to put this qualification in place for us.   It has made our job easier to work towards achieving matrix with the enhanced skills and knowledge of IAG through this course of study.”

Nari Ekta will be the second member organisation helped through the Matrix process, and a further eight organisations will be supported over the next few years.  It is our aim to create a healthy third sector for the BME community of West Yorkshire.  Watch this space for more news on the Nari Ekta journey through the Matrix process.

Many organisations are finding it difficult to gain funding in the current climate, competing not only against other VCS organisations but also colleges and private sector providers.  One way of diversifying the servicers that the third sector organisations provide, while still being aligned with the learning and skills field, is to offer Information, Advice and Guidance sessions for their clients.   Traditionally these sessions are to help clients achieve their goals by advising them on course available and how to reach the career they want.  It is an important part of the holistic approach to learning and skills that most organisations want to provide for their clients, helping them not only gain qualifications, but the confidence and skills to use them.  Many funders also see this as an important part of the quality learner journey.  To help our members achieve this, the BME Learning Network, through the Build2Impact project, contracted C&K Training of Huddersfield to provide qualifications in Information, Advice and Guidance. 

First they provided the NOCN Level 2 award, a basic introductory course in IAG and ten students from the BME Learning Network attended, and all ten passed.  Here’s what some of those students said about the course:

“I have learnt so much, within the delivery of IAG which I never thought I would.

What I enjoyed most about the course was the ability to apply my learning to my work practices, and that’s because I was able to see the benefits each week, as it impacted on the work that I do.”

“Doing the course made me think about the students I mentor on our training courses, even though we have set questions doing the course made me think about other questions I could ask.”

“I found the IAG course really useful and I definitely feel that it will influence how I deliver IAG from now on.  Jillian the trainer was very good and the whole group seemed to interact together really well which helped with the role play session and group work.”

A further nine students went on to take the NVQ Level 3 in IAG, a more advanced course and what a lot of funders require to fund IAG in organisations.  Although this course hasn’t finished yet, and we have a further cohort starting later in the year, here is what the students thought of the course:

 “We found it that it is a very good course for us.  Providing IAG has always been one of our responsibility, but we are we can definitely improve our performance of providing IAG with the learning we have gained from this course.  We have worked in groups to play different roles and providing feedback to each other.  The course contents are covering important information such as interviewing techniques.  Having done this course is going to help us instantly to achieve matrix for our organization and I am sure in long term monitoring of our IAG services.”

“The course has helped me to consolidate what I have known about giving advice and guidance, which boosts my confidence on this area.  I learn more useful techniques and skills which help me to improve my practice on Advice and Guidance.”