Welcome to the latest Faccts-Cast: Summer 2009

The following report covers the period from April to July 2009.
Compiled by Mischa Constant

 

April 2009

This was a quiet month from our perspective as Easter holidays take up most of the month.

 

Junior schools
Events: Assembly at All Saints Junior School.
Student Relational Development: Our usual weekly Christian lunchtime clubs ran at All Saints, Heatherside and Velmead. These weekly clubs continue to see growth in numbers and more importantly relationship with students and staff.

 

Secondary schools
Events: Mischa joined the Calthorpe Park staff and entire Year 7 group on the infamous ‘Isle of Wight’(I.O.W) weekend residential. Running for four days, this trip is always an absolute pleasure to participate in, as part of the Calthorpe staff team, and is always well organised by Pauline McGovern. Having fantastic weather made it even more enjoyable and great relationship was built with the staff and students. This was done in all the different activities and events of the weekend but especially through the early morning assemblies that Bill Starring and Mischa Constant ran each morning. Of course our weekly coffee mornings continue to run at both secondary schools.
Student Relational Development: Primarily through the I.O.W trip this month as well as a few 180 sessions at both schools.
Other: Mischa continues to develop well at CYM university degree. Too much work! Ongoing weekly work on various youth projects with Hampshire Youth Services (HYS) has also helped in developing the wider youth practice of Faccts.

May 2009

Bank Holiday month! Yes!

Junior schools
Events: Church on the Heath will begin a new club in the autumn of 2009 due to building work taking place at Elvetham Heath Junior School. Crookham Baptist Church continues to run a Monday extended schools, Faccts Associated club, on their church premises which is well attended.
Student Relational Development: Our usual weekly clubs ran this month.

Secondary schools
Events: Mischa completes an ‘Open Country’ one day course, courtesy of Court Moor Secondary School. A vital tool for being able to work in a variety of ‘outdoor’ contexts with young people and good practice in developing risk assessment procedures generically.
Student Relational Development: Our usual 180 clubs have run this month. Calthorpe 180 has grown to maximum capacity and Court Moor 180 has remained consistent. Both are considered as quality extended schools activities at the schools.
Other: Mischa has continued to work with HYS on a weekly basis which is proving to be invaluable in our development in youth practice as a schools work trust. HYS manager June Bing has also been doing much work with Mischa to plan and co-ordinate the Africa trip that we plan to offer 25 Court Moor Year 10’s in the summer of 2010. On a sad note Clare Shepherd has been signed off work for a few months but thankfully our faithful ‘pool’ of volunteers has helped to cover her commitments. Our weekly coffee mornings have continued to provide much needed sustenance to staff this month as per usual.

 

June 2009

Junior schools
Events: The annual Year 6 ‘It’s Your Move’ course was co-ordinated this month by Nicola Hamilton and the wider Faccts team at all the Junior schools in our area with great success! This is a much appreciated ‘pre-secondary school’ taster that we offer to all Year 6 leavers at all our area Junior schools and is always well received. This is run nationally every year by many similar schools work trusts.
Student Relational Development: Our usual weekly clubs continue to run well this month. Thank you to our fantastic wider Faccts team who serve so faithfully every week!

Secondary schools
Events: Once again Faccts provided a series of much needed Year 11 pre-exam light breakfasts at the request of the school. We ran a few assemblies at both schools. We also provided our speciality coffee for business delegates at a Calthorpe activity day and - yes - our awesome coffee mornings happened at both schools throughout the month! To end the month Mischa participated once again on the week long Year 8 Tile Barn residential trip with Court Moor in the New Forest. An amazing time was had by all (students’ words) and the weather was absolutely perfect! A very well run and organised trip by Richard Moor and Natalie Dearling (Court Moor staff) and much productive time spent with students. Very tired at the end of the trip... but as always a pleasure to participate in.
Student Relational Development: Our usual weekly 180 clubs continue to run well this month with some great conversations on ‘life, the universe and everything!’ The Year 11 breakfasts were also a good opportunity to for Mischa and Sharon Gardner to chat to some nervous (and some not!) students before their final GCSE exams.
Other: The Africa trip ‘official’ meeting was held with Mischa, June Bing (HYS) Suki Binning (Court Moor community Director) and Beverley Stephens (Head teacher at Court Moor) on the 4th June. Beverley Stephens approved our offer and thanked Faccts for the opportunity for Court Moor Year 10’s to participate in this trip in the summer of 2010. Hopefully this will be the first of many trips, to Bulembu, Swaziland in years to come.
Mischa has also completed his first year of his youth work degree with CYM. No mean feat that has only been achieved through the support of the fantastic Faccts team! Thank you!

July 2009

Junior schools
Events: The termly Faccts Associates lunch was held at the United Reformed Church. This is always a useful event that all Faccts Associates are invited to, to reflect on the term.
Student Relational Development: Our usual weekly clubs continue to run well this month. Thank you again to our fantastic wider Faccts team! We say goodbye to Isobel Norton and team at All Saints school lunchtime club as they take a sabbatical from their part in Faccts. Isobel has been an amazing conduit and catalyst of delivering diverse Christian children’s work at All Saints school and we pray God’s blessing over her and her family for many years of faithful service! Thank you! We will miss you and hope that new volunteers will take on this ‘open-door’ at All Saints Junior school in the near future.

Secondary schools
Events: Mischa got out his BBQ tools yet again at Calthorpe for the annual sports day followed by their charity day cooking over 1000 burgers! A rather hot experience... This is a much appreciated and enjoyable way to serve Calthorpe staff and students
Student Relational Development: Our usual weekly 180 clubs continue to run well this month with some great conversations on ‘life, the universe and everything’ once again... We also had great opportunities to teach RE lessons at Calthorpe Park and Court Moor schools respectively. Mischa is normally invited to share his Christian testimony, in line with the RE curriculum at both schools. This is always a good opportunity and this term was done with various classes from year 7 through to year 10. The students always respond well to Christian story and discussion and it is a privilege to work with both RE departments at these schools. Mischa also presented the Bulembu Africa trip opportunity to the Court Moor year 9’s in a lengthy assembly and over 60 students have responded to this ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity. MUCH more information to follow in our next report. If interested in Bulembu please log-on to: www.bulembu.org
Other: The Faccts team have had two interviews for potential new part-time staff. After months of advertising on these available positions two candidates have applied and will be recorded in our next report. The date for the Fleet and surrounding area TOWN WIDE youth event has been set for November 28th 2009 to be held at Court Moor School. More information to come in the next report.

Once again: THANK YOU to all the Faccts team and partners for a highly productive year! We are expectant for great things in 2009/10!

Mischa Constant, on behalf of the Faccts team.

 

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