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We've still got a few places on our course:

Communicating Biodiversity Creatively
11 – 12 October 2010

It is led by Gordon MacLellan, or Creeping Toad, one of Britain’s leading environmental educators. Gordon is a trained ecologist and experienced teacher. He has worked with people of all ages in education for many years as a school teacher, a countryside warden, an FE lecturer and heritage interpretation officer. With an additional background as an artist, dancer and storyteller, he now combines scientific and expressive fields to offer challenging and exciting activities.
Communicating Biodiversity Creatively is two days full of inspiration and practical guidance to help you create opportunities for people to make things and be creative, in ways that get them involved in biodiversity.

You will leave the course having learned to:

• Use a range of wonderful and simple techniques to educate about biodiversity
  Be creative in involving people in the natural spaces around them
  Make biodiversity a real and relevant issue for families, young people, school groups, older people - whoever you work with.
  Adapt these new activities to a range of settings
  Devise your own biodiversity event or initiative
  You will participate in a wide variety of hands-on activities, using a step-by-step process that you could take away and use with a group.

Tuition Fee: Book by 11 August £306 (Standard £360), plus one night Dinner B & B £58

We hope that this course is of interest to you and your colleagues and look forward to seeing you at Losehill soon.

To make a booking or enquiry, please contact Margot Seymour, Learning Team Administrator, 01433 622472, training.losehill@peakdistrict.gov.uk

[2.30pm to 5pmCharlestown Public House, Charlestown Road, Charlestown]

2.30pm to 5pm
Charlestown Public House, Charlestown Road, Charlestown

Local groups, residents and partners from across the city are invited to
come along to a small, local event to showcase the film "The Green Wave"
which has recently been produced with local residents. A total of 85
residents from Charlestown and Higher Blackley were involved in writing,
acting in, and directing the film, despite many of them having no acting
experience whatsoever.

The Green Wave lasts 40 minutes and was made by the REELmcr project, who
worked with the residents to develop a storyline about ordinary people
making a real contribution to tackling climate change.

Set in the year 2080, the film describes the global spread of The Green
Wave Project, from its beginnings in north Manchester as a simple way of
encouraging residents to get involved in recycling, conserving
electricity, sourcing local food and growing their own fruit and
vegetables.

As well as the film drama there is also a film the 'Making of the Green
Wave', which illustrates the journey the local volunteers have been on
from the outset of the project in Summer 09 to date. There will also be an
opportunity for the attendees to discuss the project with the REELmcr
director, Jacqui Carroll and the volunteers themselves.

See below for a couple of links to the the film itself and a film of the
cast travelling to the film premier on 21 May.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU7ZubRZ4Ms

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER3gWvotmqI

The event will be held at the Charlestown Public House on Charlestown Road
from 2.30pm to 5pm and we would be delighted if you are able to come
along.

The format of the event will be fairly relaxed and is still subject to
very slight change, as follows:

2.30pm  Arrive, tea and coffee
3pm      Short welcome (Jacqui Carroll)
3.05pm  The Green Wave
3.50pm  The 'Making of'
4pm      Members of the cast talk about their experience of the project
4.30pm  Next Steps - Members of the cast & REELmcr
5pm      Event End

If you would like to attend or for more information please contact Joanne
Rhodes on 0161 953 2750 or e-mail
j.rhodes@manchester.gov.uk

12.45 - 4.30pm, lunch included

Bridge Mill 5
22A Beswick Street,
Ancoats,
Manchester
M4 7HR

MEEN's Education for Sustainable Development forum is an excellent place to learn more about local projects, support for environmental developments and resources and network.  Please email office@meen.org.uk if you wish to attend, and specify any dietary requirements.

This event is free.

12.45pm, lunch included

Bridge Mill 5
22A Beswick Street,
Ancoats,
Manchester
M4 7HR

MEEN's Education for Sustainable Development forum is an excellent place to learn more about local projects, support for environmental developments and resources and network.  Please email office@meen.org.uk if you wish to attend, and specify any dietary requirements.

This event is free.

Thursday 9 September 2010 - Manchester
Fees: £114/£168 + VAT

A very practical day for those new to working with children and young adults with special needs - behavioural, emotional and physical. (Please note that the day is not designed for those working with severe special needs.)  You will be shown simple and effective ways to focus your groups on the environment around them. The activities are practical and encourage group work, interaction and negotiation skills.

The day is appropriate for new practitioners. It will provide you with ideas and the confidence to work outdoors with difficult groups.
Contact Jacki or Helen on 0121 359 2113 or Email Etn@btcv.org.uk  for further information & bookings.

Tuesday 25 January 2011 - Manchester
Fees: £114/£168 + VAT

This event is designed for people new to environmental education. The day will offer ideas and confidence, plus some refreshing approaches to getting children more in touch with the world around them.

Combining environmental discovery with creativity, the event includes a range of innovative activities to enrich your education sessions and reinforce your message. You will also have the opportunity to try out simple (craft based) ways to encourage the groups you work with to find a new understanding of the world around them. The day will feature ways in which you can link in to aspects of the National Curriculum other than science and geography, for example literacy and geography. The activities covered during the day are aimed at primary age children.
Contact Jacki or Helen on 0121 359 2113 or Email Etn@btcv.org.uk  for further information & bookings.

Thursday 4 November 2010 - Manchester
Fees: £114/£168 + VAT

We are offering this whole day packed full of innovative ideas on how to lead art and craft activities with an environmental theme, due to many requests by participants in the past. The event is suitable for anyone who wants to enhance the environmental work they do and to add to their clients’ connection with and enjoyment of their outdoor spaces. You will be shown and be able to try out activities that are easy for anyone, with or without art experience. You will leave with lots of ideas and experience to help you reinforce your message back in your work, whether it be paid or voluntary.
Contact Jacki or Helen on 0121 359 2113 or Email Etn@btcv.org.uk  for further information & bookings.

Thursday 21 October 2010 - Manchester
Fees: £114/£168 + VAT

Launched in November 2006, the ‘Learning Outside the Classroom’ Manifesto aims to set out a shared vision for out of the classroom learning that schools, youth groups, local authorities and other providers can sign up to, underpinned by practical actions. This new event will explore the scope of Learning Outside the Classroom and the benefits to children and young people. It will look at the barriers to out of classroom learning, including Child Welfare and Safety issues and how these might be overcome. It will also look at the opportunities for partnerships between schools, youth groups and other providers to support Learning Outside the Classroom and links with other initiatives, including Extended Schools, Every Child Matters, Youth Matters and the DCSF Sustainable Schools Action Plan.  This event will be of interest to teachers, youth workers, and organisations working with schools to encourage out of the classroom learning.
Contact Jacki or Helen on 0121 359 2113 or Email Etn@btcv.org.uk  for further information & bookings.

Wednesday 20 October 2010 - Manchester
Fees: £114/£168 + VAT

A practical, participative workshop to show how learning about energy efficiency can be made fun and exciting for all ages.  You will explore and experience a wide range of ideas and tools, games and interactive activities suitable for both inside and outside the school environment, in both formal and informal settings, to educate and encourage young people in how to use energy more wisely.  This event is ideal for anyone wanting to work in energy efficiency with young people, or working with young people on environmental issues who wish to add an energy efficiency dimension.
Contact Jacki or Helen on 0121 359 2113 or Email Etn@btcv.org.uk  for further information & bookings.

Tuesday 28 September 2010 - Manchester
Fees: £114/£168 + VAT

Want to develop your skills in community engagement? Want to learn new techniques for involving communities in local environmental issues? Want to explore new ways of motivating communities to take practical action? This event is aimed at those working with local communities to bring about positive environmental change in areas such as regeneration, transport, waste and recycling, healthy eating, home energy conservation and inclusion. It will look at identifying and overcoming barriers to attitude and behavioural change, to enable you to develop strategies, which will engage and motivate local communities, bringing about changes in behaviour and practical action.  Examples of those who will benefit from this event might include sustainability officers, regeneration officers, environmental coordinators, community liaison workers, information and education workers.
Contact Jacki or Helen on 0121 359 2113 or Email Etn@btcv.org.uk  for further information & bookings.