Bridlington

Bridlington Community Resource Centre on Victoria Road is having its centre and garden opening event this Friday 3^rdSeptember to celebrate two years under new management and ownership.

The event will be open to the public, and will be a great way for people to come along and see what services are available, as well as the renovation work that has been done to both the centre and the garden over the last two years.

Stalls will be on display from several organisations within the centre, including UKonline Centres - offering free computer courses for beginners – as well as our very own Seaside Voices stand.

The re-launch event will take place between 12 noon and 1:30pm in the main hall at the Resource Centre and in the garden. Refreshments will be provided in the main hall, and a guest VIP will be attending.

“Local Help for Local People” is an open access event available to the residents of Bridlington. The event is hosted by YASS at the Community Resource Centre on Victoria Road, and allows people to come and find out what free services and help are available in our community.

The event is taking place between 10:00am and 12:30pm in the main hall at the Resource Centre, and will contain stalls from providers of services in the Bridlington area, and refreshments.

The Community garden at the Victoria Road resource centre is taking shape thanks to the support of a  local business and a number of community organisations.

Bridlington in Bloom have donated £ 150 to the Bridlington Community Resource Centre to enable it to purchase much needed plants to complete the ‘Seaside’ themed garden.

Sewerby outreach have also donated a range of plants and herbs. The students of Sewerby Outreach will help with some of the initial gardening work.

The landlords for the resource centre, IB2K, have donated £1,000 to the centre in order that it can purchase furniture and trellis and some rockery stones.

Peter Crawford, centre manager, said: “I am delighted at the support we have had from local businesses and the community. The project is not quite finshed yet and will continue to evolve over the rest of the year however, the garden is already a credit to all those people involved. I am really looking forward to the official launch celebration which we expect will be held late in May.”

If you would like to donate plants or Seaside themed ornaments to the Seaside Green garden, then please contact Peter on 01262 670001.

Free computer training is now available to local residents who want to learn how to use the internet safely, email and make free internet telephone calls.

The training is open to anyone 16 and over through the UK Online centre which is run by the Bridlington Community Resource Centre (“BCRC”) on Victoria Road.

Simon Hayhurst, Project Manager at BCRC, said: “The centre is able to offer this free training as a result of a successful digital inclusion bid to UK Online. The aim of the project is to engage with those members of our community who are digitally excluded and help them to become confident users of computers and the internet. By using the internet we will demonstrate the savings which can be made by shopping online, the convenience of home deliveries and online banking, and how to use government and local authority websites to carry out basic transactions.”

The flexible courses are available on Tuesday and Wednesday’s each week and supported by a dedicated tutor.

Anyone interested in finding out more or wanting to register should either contact the resource centre on 01262 670001 or call into the reception on Victoria Road.

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Home Access Grants are a Government initiative, available from 7 January 2010, and will allow eligible parents and carers with children in school years three to nine to receive a free computer.  

 The programme aims to ensure that more children in state-maintained education in England have access to technology to support their learning at home.

 It was created out of recognition that there are still a significant number of learners who lack access to a computer and the internet at home and will benefit over 270,000 households by March 2011. This figures is expected to include around 2,000 pupils in the East Riding.

 The criteria for the scheme are as follows:

• Are you a parent or guardian responsible for and living with a child in school years three to nine?
• Does the child attend school in England full-time?  
• The parent or guardian did not get a computer from Computers for Pupils or a past Home Access programme?   
• In receipt of one or more of the following: free school meals,  income support, income-based job seekers’ allowance, child tax credit (but not working tax credit) and an income of less than £16,040, guaranteed pension credit, income related employment support allowance or support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act.

 The Home Access packages have been designed with a family’s needs in mind and include one year’s service and support, pre-set parental controls, installed office productivity suite, firewall and an anti-virus package.

 There also will be additional provision available for those learners with complex needs.

 People who think they may be eligible for a Home Access Grant, can call Capita on 03332 001004 after 7 January 2010 to receive an application form. 

Form processing takes around 10-15 days from receipt by Capita and successful applicants will receive a Home Access Grant credit card, which can be redeemed at selected retail outlets.

For more information about Home Access, call Ben Chappell, teaching and learning consultant for ICT, on (01482) 392439 or email ben.chappell@eastriding.gov.uk

The Bridlington Community Resource Centre is pleased to announce that the One Stop Shop is to be revived. Starting from the 22nd March the One Stop Shop service will be available between 2 – 4 PM weekdays at the resource centres in Victoria Road. The service is being run voluntarily by members of the Learning and Skills Forum, a sub group of the Bridlington Renaissance Partnership. The Bridlington Community Resource Centre will provide a free room, Internet and telephone facilities free of charge.

It is hoped that the Bridlington Renaissance Partnership, alongside East Riding of Yorkshire Council, will be able to seek funding for the contunity of this valuable service.

Services on offer by the One Stop Shop include fee information, advice and guidance for:-

• Careers Advice
• Job Search
• CV preparation
• Interview techniques
• Pathways to Employment
• Volunteer opportunities
• Training and Skills

To find out more please call into the resource centre at 4 – 8 Victoria Road or alternatively either call the centre on 670001 and ask for the One Stop Shop or email info@bridlingtoncrc.org.

For partners providing services then please ensure that the resource centre has the latest information about the services that you have to offer.

Whilst the One Stop Shop will be working closely with the Job Centre we would like to ask employers to keep the centre up to date with vacancies so that we signpost clients.

The Bridlington Community Resource Centre (‘BCRC’) has been successful in bidding for funding to support up to 360 local residents to learn how to use the Internet and access online services such as banking, shopping and public services. The courses, which are free, will be delivered at the resource centre in Victoria Road.

Simon Hayhurst, project director and a trustee for BCRC, said; “This is a fantastic result for the local community and the resource centre’s UK Online centre. From April we will be able to help the community to develop an understanding of online basics, how to use public services within  UK Online’s course suite available at www.myguide.gov.uk. Employability Skills are also available for those who need assistance in preparing for work. By taking away the barrier of cost we will aim to enable our clients to gain the skills and confidence to effectively use the Internet to improve their lives. 

“We are just finalising contracts but we expect to be able to offer this much needed service from the beginning of April. Details will be announced in the local Free Press and also posted on this website.”

To find out more please contact the resource centre on 01262 670001 and ask for the UK Online centre. Your interest will be registered and contact made when the dates and times for delivery have been finalised.