AoC London Members' Bulletin - Issue 112

1. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin
20 April 2012- Issue 112
London Regional WorldSkills Champions meeting on 16 April
With memories of the amazing WorldSkills London 2011 event fading into the distance, the
main topic of discussion at the recent London WorldSkills Champions meeting, chaired by Sue
Rimmer of South Thames College, was the need to refocus the work of the group to build on
the legacy of a successful event and generate increased participation by London competitors in
skills competitions, including future WorldSkills events. This also led to a review of the
group’s membership. Further information about the revised purpose and membership of the
group will be circulated shortly to all Principals, Vice Principals (Curriculum & Quality) and
Marketing Managers and a brief update included in the next Bulletin.
WorldSkills update – WorldSkills UK Competitions
WorldSkills Leipzig 2013
NAS is looking internationally to the road to WorldSkills Leipzig 2013. To create a great
Team UK requires great training and NAS are looking for Training Managers. If you think your
College might be able to help either with the immediate or the ongoing request, please get in
touch with Patrick Gormley, Apprenticeships/Skills Competition Development Manager:
patrick.gormley@apprenticeships.gov.uk
The Skills Show – deadline for applications: Have a Go/Showcasing
Some of you may have missed the information sent out previously by NAS about registering
for the Have a Go and Showcase elements of The Skills Show taking place in November in
Birmingham. In recognition of this, the deadline for registration has been extended to 27 April
2012. If you would like to find out more about The Skills Show, please email
JOMalley@theskillsshow.com.
Information Seminars final reminder!
The Awards information seminars are a golden opportunity to find out how to put together a
winning entry, meet a past winner, hear hints and tips from the Judges and network with like-
minded people.
If you have not yet booked a place, there is still availability on some of the seminars. You can
see the remaining dates and make a booking here. Deadline for entry is 5pm, 25 May 2012.
If you would like to get more information about the seminar, please email
info@nationaltrainingawards.com

2. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 20 April 2012
Olympic and Paralympic games update
HCC student Alpha to carry the Olympic Torch for Hackney!
On 21 July 2012, the Olympic Torch relay will be carried through
Hackney, on the 64th day of its historic journey. The route even
takes it past Hackney Community College’s main campus as it
travels up the A10 (Kingsland Road).
One of the torch bearers, 18 year-old student Alpha Kamara will be
proudly representing his borough and his college. Inspirational
student Alpha, was nominated by his tutor and many other staff
across Hackney Community College.
Photo: Hackney Community College
Due to a childhood illness, Alpha developed difficulties that have prohibited him from doing
things that are generally taken for granted. Since joining Hackney Community College, he has
shown extraordinary determination and perseverance in developing his skills.
Despite his difficulties, he has strived to show that they do not hold him back. He endeavours
to carry out all tasks unsupported and has the intuition to request support when necessary.
Alpha is over the moon: “I am very excited about carrying the Olympic torch around Hackney.
I am very excited and happy and can’t stop smiling. It will be great fun. I am also looking
forward to watching the Olympics, especially the athletics.”
Read more about Alpha’s story.
OTHER NEWS AND UPDATES
14-19 Spring Update from London Councils
The update provides you with information relevant to your area of work brings you news of
up-coming events and reminds you about any activities that are imminent. For more
information please visit London Councils website.
Calls for proposals – European Integration Fund
UKBA calls for proposals for the European Integration Fund 2011/2012 are now open. The
closing date for completed applications is 4.00pm on Wednesday 16 May 2012. For more
information please visit UKBA website.
Access to HE Diploma Review
You are invited to attend one from a series of half-day consultation events as part of a project
reviewing the Access to HE Diploma.
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3. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 20 April 2012
Please contact Ann-Marie Karadia for more information: Tel: 01452 557118, email:
a.karadiad@qaa.ac.uk.
The National Careers Service
The National Careers Service was being launched on 5 April. The new service will transform
careers advice in England by making accurate information about learning and work, and
professional advice, available to everyone. The Service will provide adults and young people
with a suite of online services and tools to help them to identify job opportunities, assess their
own skills, determine learning goals and select the training provider that best meets their
needs. They will also be able to access professional careers advice by web-chat or over the
telephone, to help them make the right choices and acquire the skills they need to flourish in
life and work. Adults over 19 will have access to face-to-face careers advice at a wide range of
locations in the community.
Future versions of the Toolkit will be made available here on the Skills Funding Agency
Website.
The National Careers Service can be accessed via the website
nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk or by calling 0800 100 900. For more information, you can
contact the National Careers Service marketing and communications team at:
marcomms@skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk.
AoC's No Free Lunch campaign
No Free Lunch? is AoC’s campaign calling for the Government to extend the provision of free
lunches to disadvantaged 16-18 year olds who study at College.
You can pledge your support for this campaign by signing the petition at
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/31069 and by following @AoC_Campaigns using the
hashtag #nofreelunch when you tweet about this issue.
Investors in Diversity
Investors in Diversity are an all-encompassing approach to the effective management of
equality, diversity and inclusion. It enables organisations to take a structured and planned
approach to embedding equality and diversity at the heart of what they do and provides a
simple framework in which to do so. Please contact Caroline Tyler, caroline.tyler@iiduk.org if
this service may be of interest to you.
Disability Support in Further Education
Over the last 10 years Randstad Student Support has worked with Higher Education Institutes
to support their disabled learners. Utilising existing experience of disability support in
education, they have been developing a new service over the last 2 years in order to further
enhance the student experience by supporting learners in Further Education institutes.
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4. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 20 April 2012
They offer solutions for finding ways for colleges to reduce the amount they spend on agency
usage and free more time to spend on core activities and developing their service.
If you want to get more information – please contact Jonathan Griffiths, Disability Development
Manager at Randstad Student Support office by phone 0845 130 4655 or email
Jonathan.Griffiths@randstad.co.uk.
PYL weekly update
Partnership for Young London (PYL) aims to promote and improve youth work and services
for young people in London through working in partnership with central and regional
government, local authorities, youth organisations in the voluntary and private sectors and
young people in the capital.
If you would like to sign up for weekly PYL updates please contact Lucy Sandford,
Development Manager at PYL by phone 020 7332 3599 or emails lucy@pyl.org.uk/
Lucy.Sandford@cityoflondon.gov.uk.
College News Story of the Fortnight
EDDIE IZZARD TALKS POLITICS WITH STUDENTS AT WALTHAM FOREST COLLEGE
“Ken Livingstone will cut fares by October
or he will resign”, Eddie Izzard tells a
packed room of students at Waltham Forest
College. “Boris Johnson will always put
himself first, whereas a vote for Ken is a
vote for London.”
The actor and comedian, usually known for
his flamboyant stage presence, met
Catering, Engineering and Travel and
Tourism students at Waltham Forest
College in a different capacity today. He is
on the campaign trail for London Mayoral
candidate Ken Livingstone and will spend
the next few months speaking to Londoners Photo: Waltham Forest College
from all ages, encouraging them to vote for Ken Livingstone in the Mayoral elections in May.
“Young people are so far removed from politics, and for them Westminster and politics seems
like miles away,” he said.
“The only way to get them involved is by exciting them with a vision, and I feel Ken does this
well.”
The Treasure Island star went on to answer questions on the EMA, which struck a strong chord
with students, as over 800 learners at the College were entitled to this benefit in the last
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5. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 20 April 2012
academic year. He said Ken Livingstone will bring back the EMA, whereas under Boris Johnson
the scheme was scrapped.
Another hot topic concerned the London riots and crime and disorder. Engineering student,
Mustafa Kurt from Walthamstow said: “As a young person in London, I am worried about
crime and disorder, especially after the London riots when everything was just chaos. Eddie
says Ken will bring back the police who were struck of by Boris. If he does this, then great, but
we will have to wait and see.”
Cheaper rail and bus travel was another strong talking point. Eddie Izzard told students the
Labour candidate will cut travel expenditure by 5%.
Eddie Izzard intends to run for the Mayoral elections himself in eight years’ time.
Recent meetings
Date Event/meeting Attendees Feedback
2 April Meeting with Mark KA Regular catch up meeting
Hilton, London First
3 April Meeting with Mary KA Regular catch up meeting
Vine-Morris,
London Councils
13 April Directors’ Strategy KA Regular monthly meeting
Meeting
16 April London Regional KA See headlines
Champions Meeting
17 April Principals' Policy KA The agenda included:
Forum • AoC funding update
• Ofsted update
• Q&A
20 April Operational Sub- JS Regular meeting
group meeting
Future meetings
Date Event/meeting Attendees Agenda
24 April Meeting with KA Regular catch up meetings
Alexandra Worden,
Eversheds
24 April Meeting with Jill KA Regular catch up meeting
Lowery, Skills
Funding Agency
and Mike Pettifer,
YPLA (provisional
date)
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6. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 20 April 2012
25 April Meeting with KA Regular catch up meeting
Joanna Gaukroger,
LCC
26 April AoCLR Regional AoCLR The agenda includes:
Committee meeting • Funding Agency updates
• LSEO proposal
• Governors’ Engagement
• Other AoC updates
26 April City and Islington JS Awards ceremony
College Award
Ceremony
30 April Safer Learners - JS Agenda to be confirmed
Working Group
Meeting
30 April AoCLR VP C&Q AoCLR The agenda includes:
network meeting • AoC Policy update and funding
positions for the next year
• Worldskills UK – David Smith,
Director of WorldSkills Engagement,
AOC
1 May Strategic Group for KA Agenda to be confirmed
Sport
Teleconference
1 May London Higher KA Agenda to be confirmed
meeting
3 May Meeting with Cathy KA Regular catch up meeting
Walsh
3 May Meeting with Rod KA Regular catch up meeting
Baker, Barclays
Events and Dates for the Diary
 Skills Provision for unemployed adults: future developments and introduction of
Universal Credit, Wednesday 2 May, 10.30am-2.45pm at NIACE Renaissance House,
Leicester. For more information please email NIACE Events Team events@niace.org.uk.
 AoC London Principals’ Forum, Tuesday 8 May, 3.00pm-5.00pm at Hackney Community
College. Please email Evelina Bagusyte for more information.
 Alcohol Awareness workshops, Wednesday 9 May, Westminster Kingsway College. For
more information please visit AoC Create Events website.
 AoC London Marketing Managers’ network meeting, Thursday 10 May, 9.30am-2.00pm
at Working Men’s College. Please email Judith Smyth for more information.
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7. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 20 April 2012
 AoC London Heads of Sport Network meeting, Monday 14 May, 12pm-5pm, Hackney
Community College. Please email Evelina Bagusyte for more information.
 How to be successful in the HE market Conference, Tuesday 15 May, 9.30am-4.20pm,
Maple House, Birmingham. For more information please visit AoC Create Events website.
 2012 AoC International Conference, Tuesday 15 May, 9.00am-4.30pm at Prospero House,
London. For more information please visit the AoC Create Events website.
 AoC London Business Development Managers’ Network meeting, Wednesday 16 May,
1.30pm-4pm, Venue (tbc). Please email Judith Smyth for more information.
 Linking London Event: Producing Access Agreements for 2013-14, Wednesday 16 May,
2.00pm-5.00pm, Clore Management Centre, Birkbeck, University of London. For more
information please visit the Linking London website.
 AoC London Clerks’ Network meeting, Friday 18 May, 2.00pm-5.00pm at Westminster
Kingsway College, Victoria Centre. Please email Judith Smyth for more information.
 AoC Equality and Diversity Conference, Wednesday 23 May 2012, Holiday Inn
Bloomsbury, London. For more information please visit the AoC Create Events website.
 AoC London Heads of Student Services Network meeting, Tuesday 29 May, 10.00am-
1.00pm at AoC Offices, Stedham Place. Please email Evelina Bagusyte for more
information.
 AoC Purchasing Conference and Exhibition, Tuesday 29 - Wednesday 30 May 2012, ICC,
Birmingham. For more information please visit the AoC Create Events website.
 AoC London Finance Directors’ Network meeting, Wednesday 13 June, 9.00am-1.00pm
at AoC offices, Stedham Place. Please email Evelina Bagusyte for more information.
 AoC London HE Coordinators meeting, Wednesday 20 June, 3.00pm-5.00pm at AoC
Offices, London. Please email Evelina Bagusyte for more information.
 BCS/AoC National Sports Conference 2012, Thursday 21 & Friday 22 June at Aston
Business School Conference Centre, Birmingham. For more information please visit the
AoC Create Events website.
 AoC London AGM, Regional Forum and Summer Party, Thursday 28 June, PM, Venue
Working Men’s College (tbc). Please email Judith Smyth for more information.
 AoC CIS/MIS Managers’ Network meeting, Friday 29 June, 10.00am-1.00pm at AoC
offices, Stedham Place. Please email Evelina Bagusyte for more information.
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8. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 20 April 2012
Policy and other documents
GLA news
Statement from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime
Mayor secures more than £100 million to boost house building, jobs and construction across
London
London 2012 confirms Torchbearers and the street route for London for the Olympic Flame
Chelsfield 'pavilion' plans win race to transform Royal Docks and create over 9,000 new jobs
If you wish to contact the AoC London office to give feedback on this bulletin, to request
additional information where we have offered it, or to provide suggested content for future
issues, please email Evelina Bagusyte.
Kate Anderson Judith Smyth
Regional Director Executive Manager
kate.anderson@aoc.co.uk judith.smyth@aoc.co.uk
Evelina Bagusyte Cyheme Bilouta
Regional Coordinator Team Administrator (part-time)
evelina.bagusyte@aoc.co.uk cyheme.bilouta@aoc.co.uk
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