Cardiff council worker wins national award

Posted by Now Cardiff on Jan 29, 2013

A Cardiff Council employee who helped to establish a scheme in Cardiff to keep vulnerable children and young people safe has won a national award for her efforts.

Sarah-Jane Bailey, a team manager in the Council’s Youth Offending Team, has won a Butler Trust Award for her work on StaySafe.

StaySafe is a joint initiative run between South Wales Police and Cardiff Council and is aimed at engaging with vulnerable children and young people who may be at risk of becoming a victim of crime or involved in criminal or anti-social behaviour.

Councillor Richard Cook, Cardiff Council’s Cardiff’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “To have your efforts recognised at a national level is a great achievement and I am delighted for Sarah-Jane.

“We take the health and wellbeing of young people in Cardiff very seriously and Staysafe is a great example of how we are working with our partners to help keep vulnerable children safe.

“I’d like to thank Sarah-Jane for all her efforts in helping to make the scheme such a success.”

The Awards, which were established in 1985 in memory of the former Home Secretary RAB Butler, are the most prestigious of their kind in the country.

They were set up to formerly recognise and celebrate outstanding dedication, skill and creativity by people working in prisons, probation and youth justice settings across the UK.

There were 250 entrants into this year’s competition and the winners were selected by a panel of judges.

Sarah-Jane will be officially presented with her award by the Trust’s Royal Patron, The Princess Royal, at a special ceremony being held at Buckingham Palace on 11 March.

Overnight road closures on the A48 Eastern Avenue

Posted by Now Cardiff on Jan 25, 2013

Essential road resurfacing works are set to take place on the A48 Eastern Avenue, which will need overnight road closures.

The resurfacing, which is vital to maintain safety for high speed traffic, will start on Monday (January 28) and will last for five days, subject to extreme weather conditions.

The work will be carried out in stages

from 7.30pm to 6am each night, working eastwards from the Gabalfa Interchange to Junction 29A .
The schedule is as follows:

• Monday, January 28 from 7.30pm to 6am closing the A48 eastbound carriageway
• from Gabalfa to Llanedeyrn Interchanges, and from 10pm from Llanedeyrn to Gabalfa westbound.
• Tuesday, January 29 from 7.30pm to 6am from Llanedeyrn to Gabalfa, closure westbound.
• Wednesday, January 30 from 7.30pm to 6am from Llanedeyrn to Pentwyn, closure north eastbound
• Thursday, January 31 from 7.30pm to 6am from Pentwyn to Pontprennau, closure north eastbound
• Friday, February 1 from 7.30pm to 6am from the eastbound A48 turnoff at junction 29A to the Cypress Drive/Newport Road roundabout which will be closed for resurfacing;

 

Additional closures will also take place on Thursday, January 31 from 7.30 pm to 6am of the A48 south westbound off slip road at Llanedeyrn/Southern Way and on Friday, February 1 from

7.30pm to 6am of the A48 south westbound off slip road at Pentwyn.

Councillor Ralph Cook, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Highways, Traffic and Transportation, said: "This resurfacing work is vitally important to maintain one of the busiest roads in the city.  By carrying out this work at night we have taken great care to minimise disruption and ensure that this work can be completed as quickly as possible.”

Cardiff Council’s electronic signage will provide diversion information and advance warning of all the overnight closures.

Cardiff’s horticultural apprentices showcase gardening skills learnt in France

Posted by Now Cardiff on Dec 18, 2012

Three young horticultural apprentices, who travelled to Cardiff’s twin city of Nantes in France to gain new skills and experiences, have presented their findings to project partners.

Anthony Davies, Joshua Thatcher and Magdalena Szczerbinska spent three weeks with the Nantes Parks Department Beaujoire as part of the Cardiff Council Parks and Gardens Horticultural Apprenticeship Scheme, funded by the European Leonardo da Vinci Programme.

Cabinet Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Huw Thomas said: “We are extremely proud of the Council’s horticultural apprenticeship scheme which continues to provide young people with opportunity to learn valuable skills in an outdoor environment, utilising the city’s excellent parks and green spaces.

“This event will showcase what they have learnt and how the scheme has benefitted their studies as well as demonstrating how positive and credible the scheme is, having been awarded European funding.”

The event which took place on Wednesday 12, December at the Bute Park Education Centre also gave family members of the apprentices and the Heritage Lottery Fund, the major funder of heritage skills in Wales, the opportunity to discover what the group learnt during the work experience placement, including looking at the various differences and similarities between the two cities Councils and parks departments, vehicles and mechanisation, organisation and horticultural methods. They will also demonstrate some ideas that Cardiff could possibly implement here.

The apprentices undertook several French language tutorials in preparation for the placement improving language skills in addition to horticulture.

They worked with gardeners in the Jardin des Plantes, the Grand Blottereau park and the Beaujoire flower gardens.

Cardiff Council was successful in securing over 12,500 Euros from the Leonardo da Vinci Programme to develop the exchange programme for the Parks Services horticultural apprentices.

The Nantes exchange scheme has been a highly valuable part of the horticultural apprenticeship training programme which has the benefits of improving their horticultural skills and assisting in contributing to the apprentice’s curriculum for their studies in horticulture.

Jennifer Stewart, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund Wales which is supporting a range of heritage skills work based placements, said: “This scheme has provided invaluable experiences and opportunities for the apprentices. It’s great to see Anthony, Joshua and Magdalena so passionate about developing the skills they need to take Wales’ heritage forward.

“In a tough job market it’s more important than ever that we invest in training placements to provide job-seekers or career changers with the practical skills and confidence they need to get jobs within the heritage sector. Such is the demand for these opportunities we have invested further in our Skills for the Future programme which is now open to new applicants until 31 January 2013.”

The Leonardo da Vinci Programme is part of the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme which supports education and training across Europe. It also provides opportunities for UK vocational education and training.

Cardiff Council’s horticultural apprenticeship scheme aims to develop skills through an in-house programme of practical training, combined with day release study. The scheme addresses the current skills gap in the industry and contributes to promoting career development and retaining a highly skilled workforce in the Parks Service.

As part of the programme, the apprentices benefit from a diverse range of activities and operations associated with horticulture including plant production and propagation, plant identification, conservation and tree management and fine turf.

Butetown regeneration scheme provides training opportunities

Posted by Now Cardiff on Dec 13, 2012

A major revamp of the Christina Street area in Butetown is providing local employment opportunities as well as helping to transform the local area.

The project is part of the Butetown regeneration programme funded by the European Regional Development Fund, the Welsh Government and Cardiff Council.

The improvements at Christina Street include new pedestrian and parking layouts, better lighting, new garden walls and boundaries, tree planting and landscaping.

The principal contractor appointed by the Council to undertake the scheme is civil engineering company, Alun Griffiths Ltd.  As part of their winning tender bid, Alun Griffiths proposed a community benefits package which included training and employment opportunities.

Working in partnership with Cardiff and Vale College, who run a range of construction skills training courses from their Cardiff Construction Training Centre, Alun Griffiths has implemented a work experience programme for students studying Bricklaying Level 3. Six students have been provided with two weeks work experience in bricklaying on the Christina Street project.

Kevin Robinson, Campus Manager, thinks it has been a great opportunity for students to get practical experience on a ‘live’ construction site just across the road from the College’s Dumballs Road training centre.

He said: “The students have found that the on-site experience complements the training in the classroom.  It has improved their confidence but also helped them to develop the speed of their bricklaying.  It has been a positive experience, with the students being more focussed and more motivated on returning from the placement.”

For one student, Kieron Ellis, his placement at Christina Street has led to a longer-term role with Alun Griffiths on a construction site in Bridgend.  Kieron will work three days a week whilst he completes the final year of his studies.

Gail Jones, Community Liaison Officer for Alun Griffiths Ltd, said: “As a company, we are committed to provide community benefits on all our major contracts. Having the opportunity to link up with local training provider, Cardiff and Vale College, has allowed us to offer practical work placements which will help deliver a skilled workforce for the future.”

As well as the work experience placements, they have also employed Butetown resident, Kahader Suleman as a labourer.  Gail highlighted the benefits for the company as well as the community.   In the case of Kahader, he was able to assist Gail with translation when she was consulting local residents on the plans.

Cabinet Member for Communities, Housing and Social Justice, Councillor Lynda Thorne said: “Our Administration is committed to maximising training and employment opportunities for the people of Cardiff. Christina Street is a practical example of how our regeneration programmes are delivering on this commitment. I am pleased that Alun Griffiths has provided these work experience placements. Such opportunities can be an essential first step for young people looking for secure employment in a skilled occupation”.

Bute Park Education Centre Celebrates its First Birthday

Posted by Now Cardiff on Oct 19, 2012

This month Bute Park will celebrate the first anniversary of its Education Centre.

The unique facility, which was officially opened last year, provides a venue for a range of educational and nature-based craft activities, and also lets families pick up a variety of guided trails and activities to go out and use in the park itself.

Cabinet Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Huw Thomas said: “In the last 12 months the Education Centre has already reached out to large numbers of people in the community, giving them the opportunity to understand more about the park’s rich history and wildlife.

“As well as being a venue where schools, community and educational groups can further their learning about the park, it also gives an insight into the work that goes into creating the floral displays across our city through its views out over the Council’s working plant nursery.. .

Unsurprisingly, it has also proved to be a popular and distinctive venue for organisations and businesses to hire as an inspirational alternative to regular meeting rooms and conference centres.

“The Education Centre has been a welcome addition to Bute Park and already has established itself as an important facility which will continue to be well used by the people of Cardiff.”

The centre, set behind a new garden wall, plays on the concept of a ‘secret garden’ and is accessed through a large, beautifully carved oak door. The panels of the door were specially designed by local wood carvers as part of the ‘’People’s Door’’ competition and help tell the park’s history through imagery.

Cardiff Council’s award-winning horticultural apprentice scheme also uses the centre as a training resource for staff and visiting students.

Over 35 different groups and organisations have chosen to use the centre for a diverse range of functions including workshops, team building, training sessions, meetings, book launches, conferences and children’s events, all of which help sustain the free public use of the facility.

Regular events include the Friends of Bute Park’s Wildlife days, talks and lectures on the history or wildlife of Bute Park, as well as botanical art classes. ‘Painting in the Park’ is run by local artists Christine Wilson and Louise Young and offers people the chance to improve their technique in botanical illustration in the park’s beautiful setting.

Louise said: "The Education Centre is beautifully situated for classes like ours, surrounded by the park and looking out on the plant nursery.

“The peaceful atmosphere of the building encourages creativity and learning and having the lovely cafe close at hand is much appreciated by our students.”

Over 3000 members of the public have utilised the facility since it opened its doors free of charge on weekends and school holidays last February.