A colouring book which triggers memories for people who suffer from dementia and similar illnesses has been created by a student from Blackburn College after he was inspired by his late father, writes Billy Camden.
A mature student from Blackburn College has used the life of his father to create a colouring book that sparks memories for people with dementia.
Neil Floyd was just 16 years old when his dad, Samuel, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, meaning Neil had to become his full time carer.
Ten years ago it was confirmed that his father also had dementia and Samuel eventually died in 2013.
Inspired by the time he spent with his father, Neil began his illustration and animation course at Blackburn College.
As part of his studies, he has created My Colourful Memories, a colouring book for dementia sufferers with outlines of special moments including children being born, family holidays, weddings, former pastimes and hobbies.
Neil, now aged 47, said: “It has been a personal journey for me.
“When I visited him [Samuel] at the nursing home, colouring was one of the only things we could share and do together.
“He was always talking about the past so the concept came from that. I thought it would be great to create a book that could trigger memories through images.”
Neil confessed that he wasn’t sure what to do with himself when his father passed, but said he had always had an interest in drawing and it was something his dad always encouraged him to pursue.
“The course has been therapy for me because it was what I needed to do at that time. It was a positive step,” Neil said.
“Drawing was something that I always wanted to do and something that my dad thought I should be doing, so I had that in my mind when enrolling.”
Neil admitted that he found it hard going back into care homes as part of the project, but said he had received really positive feedback from the residents.
He said: “The book is benefitting people. Families and carers are sharing stories prompted by memories triggered by the colouring books.
“Nelson Dementia Day Centre started using it and they loved it. They were doing workshops and activities and it has had really good feedback.
“Sometimes, because it works as a visual communication as triggers, the resident doesn’t always have to colour in, they can still communicate through the images and just talk about the past.
Neil’s dad, Samuel, colouring at his nursing home
“It is unique, but it is really my dad’s idea. I think I have created something he would be proud of.”
Neil is now hoping to take the book further and start selling it and making it available for more nursing homes to use once he graduates.
“I don’t want the colouring book to just stay in my folder. I want more people to be able to enjoy it,” he added.
John Harrison, head of school of art and society at University Centre at Blackburn College, said: “We’re all extremely proud. For Neil, this isn’t about completing his illustration and animation course, it’s about creating something as a legacy for his father. In doing so, he has created something that is picking up national interest and is creating a real difference to dementia sufferers.”
Main picture: Blackburn College learner Neil Floyd with his My Colourful Memories book
Those of us in FE with even short memories will remember that the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) was scrapped, along with 47 local LSC councils, to remove their planning role.
It is therefore something of a return to the past with devolution of the Adult Education Budget (AEB), with providers facing even greater learner postcode scrutiny.
When they get their hands on the budget, why would they want to pass it on to providers spending it on learners living in another area?
They won’t, so in the absence of a national provider funding system we can expect major upheaval, particularly for colleges and training providers based near to area boundaries.
The end result may be a better one, with less subcontracting and more focus on colleges, in particular, supporting their local community.
But the SFA figures understate the issue, as they are based on the nine regions in England rather than the near 40 commissioning areas.
Any provider expecting a degree of stability over the coming years from the £1.5bn AEB budget will be sorely disappointed.
Devolved commissioning will be complex and the potential for unintended consequences are great.
So before opaque chaos reigns, if not delay then let’s at least be sure there is sufficient time for well-run consultations and pilots.
Students from Moreton Morrell College have shot past more than 100 other competitors to win an annual college clay shoot-out.
The winning team, made up of four students from Warwickshire taking the level three extended diploma in countryside management, won the British Association for Shooting and Conservation’s (BASC) Gamekeeping College Challenge Shield.
Teams were entered from 11 colleges across the country, with students facing 80 clays over a layout of 10 different stands at Park Farm Shooting Ground, Worcestershire.
The day’s high gun, with the best individual score on the day, was Ben Taylor from Moreton Morrell College, who managed to hit 75 out of 80 clays.
Top lecturer was David Reith, also from Moreton Morrell, with 63 out of 80 clays.
Ben, aged 17, said: “It was a great competition for young gamekeepers to exercise their skills.”
Alex Farrell, BASC gamekeeping officer, said: “It was a fantastic day and great to see so many student gamekeepers come together from across the country to compete on a challenging clay shooting course.”
Picture: From left: Moreton Morrell College clay shooters Charlie Hawkins and George Smith, both 18, Ben Taylor and Neil Taylor, both 17, and Stephen Curtis, BASC director of operations
A computer whizz from New College Durham has shown he is one of the best in the world after competing at the Abilympics — an international competition for people with disabilities.
Ben Joyce, one of only two competitors from the UK, demonstrated his skills in data processing against entrants from 45 different countries, achieving sixth place, and second in Europe.
The 17-year-old, who is studying vocational access level one ICT and suffers from autism, bagged a place in the competition after winning gold at the UK final of WorldSkills in Birmingham.
He said: “This was a fantastic opportunity to represent the UK at the Abilympics. It was not easy but I am glad I was able to compete. The support I have had from college has been amazing.”
John Widdowson, principal of New College Durham, said: “Ben has been a great representative of both his country and his college. He has shown what can be done with hard work and enthusiasm, competing with the best in the world in this field.”
This was the first time the UK had entered the Abilympics. The other competitor was 16-year-old Simon Davies, from Coleg Sir Gâr, in Wales, who finished tenth in cabinet making.
Picture: From left: Abilympics judge Emma Allen, Ben Joyce, and New College Durham vocational access lecturer Colin Galley
Animal care students at Derby College have successfully released two hedgehogs back into the wild, having spent the winter looking after them.
The hedgehogs, named Apollo and Barry, were found locally last autumn and were too small and undernourished to hibernate.
They were taken in by the college’s animal care department and students kept them well fed over the winter months.
The two recently spent two weeks in an outdoor pen to acclimatise, and were then released into the grounds at the college’s Broomfield Hall campus.
A third rescued hedgehog, Zeus, was due to join them but died in his sleep a week before release.
Animal care lecturer Abby Bruce said: “The learners have been monitoring their behaviour during the gradual process of reacclimatising them, and we will be leaving food out over the summer.
“Apollo and Barry are now at a good weight so should survive well in the wild.”
Picture: Animal Care students Abbygale Dale, 17, and Sian Glover, 18, releasing Apollo and Barry back into the wild
The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) publishes a monthly update on notices of concern, which FE Week will report on regularly in our new ‘SFA Warning’ section.
The latest to be added to the list on May 10 were Cornwall College and Tower Hamlets College, which received notices for financial health and minimum standards respectively.
Tower Hamlets is the first provider this year to receive a notice of concern for minimum standards.
These are issued if a provider does not, for example, meet a minimum threshold for qualification achievement rates in different types of provision, such as basic skills maths and English.
Notices are also issued to providers that fail to meet the SFA’s criteria for financial health.
The agency collects information from colleges each year in order to give them an overall financial health rating.
It comes after FE Week reported in February that the number of notices of concern issued to FE providers by the SFA had more than
doubled in the last year.
A team of the country’s most skilled young people have been selected to represent the UK at EuroSkills 2016, but what is its purpose and what benefits can it have on our competitors? Billy Camden investigates
Twenty of the country’s top apprentices and learners will be going for gold at EuroSkills Gothenburg 2016, after being selected for Team UK.
They will compete against the most talented young people, under the age of 25, from more than 30 European countries in more than 35 different skill areas ranging from gardening and stonemasonry to bricklaying and web design.
This year’s competition, taking place from December 1 to 3 in Sweden, will be celebrated as more of a “highpoint” event for the competitors than ever before.
Ben Blackledge, director of education at WorldSkills UK, the organisation that oversees the selection process for the British WorldSkills team, told FE Week: “Being in a European final is a massive achievement and should be celebrated accordingly.
“So, while EuroSkills will still be used as a preparation event for WorldSkills, it will also be used as a motivational event for the team and highlighted as a highpoint in the training process they go through.
“We are only sending our young people who we think will do the best.”
The team will therefore be looking to better the haul of three golds, six silvers and three medallions for excellence they picked up at EuroSkills 2014 in Lille.
Mr Blackledge said the competition would also be used to “benchmark” the employability skills of the UK’s apprentices with those from the rest of Europe.
“That is not just in terms of the actual competition, but also how we prepare our competitors, what happens when they get back, how they progress, and so on,” he said.
The members of Team UK were selected after excelling in the national finals at the Skills Show.
At the national finals, competitors operate at a level three standard, WorldSkills operates around a level six, and EuroSkills is “somewhere in between”, so the team can certainly expect a step up in class when they take to the stage in Gothenburg.
No matter the outcome in terms of medals however, the competitors are set to come back with a greater set of skills that add to their employability credentials, according to Mr Blackledge.
He said: “Ex-competitors have said that being involved in these kinds of competitions improved not only their technical skills, but their professional skills, the kinds of things that we know employers are really keen on.
“These high pressure environments are closely aligned to what it would be like in industry, delivering projects on time, to high quality, so it is best to compete as many times as they can.”
Members of Team UK will now go on to complete an intensive training programme, supported by their trainers, employers and training providers, before competing in Sweden.
After the Euros the competitors will go on to compete for a place at WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017.
Last year, the UK team took home three gold, four silver, and two bronze medals from WorldSkills in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
ANGUS Bruce-Gardner — Cabinet maker
Cabinet maker Angus Bruce-Gardner is hoping his tireless work will pay off with a gold medal in Gothenburg after giving up his social life for two years to prepare for the competitions.
The 21-year-old, who is an apprentice with Waters and Acland and trains at Chichester College, said he has had to dedicate his evenings and weekends to “constantly prepare”, but it was all worth it when he got selected for Team UK.
“I didn’t think I was going to get in because the competition was so tough but when I was told I was very excited,” Angus said.
“The process has been really hard and at such a high level so far. I haven’t really had a social life for the last couple of years because I’ve just been on it the whole time and focussed on being successful.”
Angus said that his dedication will also benefit his career because WorldSkills credentials are “recognised by the biggest companies”.
He added: “I’m looking forward to competing abroad and representing the UK. It will be a really good and new experience.”
Lucy Knight — Hairdressing
Lucy Knight is hoping her day-to-day experience of owning her own hairdressing salon will give her the edge over the competition in December.
The 21-year-old, who opened Hair by Knight in Bristol two years ago, also has past experience of competing in the high pressure competitions, having previously been selected for Squad UK.
“I was in the squad but I didn’t go to EuroSkills last time, it makes you want it that little bit more now,” Lucy said.
“It is amazing to be given the chance to go over and represent the UK and show that I am one of the best hairdressers this country has.”
Lucy said her career had already benefitted from being part of the WorldSkills set up and predicted it would only get better as a result of being selected for the games in Gothenburg.
She said: “On my website I’ve got details about my participation in Squad UK, and you don’t realise that a lot of people actually do read that before coming to you for a job.
“It certainly gets my name out there and builds my reputation a bit more.”
Chloe Wills
Julianne Lavery — Trainer
Competitors will need intrinsic motivation as well as world class talent to be successful at EuroSkills, according to veteran expert Julianne Lavery.
Ms Lavery (pictured right), who has worked with WorldSkills UK since 2012 and trains the visual merchandising competitors, also said their mental strength must be of the highest order if they want to win gold. She told FE Week: “EuroSkills is a step up from anything these young people have done before because they are suddenly facing a more international competition and market.
“The nationals help to highlight someone who is slightly more innovative than our national expectation.
“We then add on another layer to their overall ability, so that by the time they get to the Euros their confidence, interpersonal, and time management skills are more ready for industry.”
Julianne Lavery
But competitors can expect an “endless” repertoire of industry ready skills once they return, Ms Lavery added.
“Every competitor I have trained has ended up getting an amazing job because their skills base is so much more advanced.
“On top of that they’ve got confidence and interpersonal skills, they’ve travelled the world and matured into adults. The list is endless.”
A man has been jailed for 15 months for defrauding New College Swindon out of almost £43,000 of Skills Funding Agency (SFA) cash — after he faked certificates that wrongly showed students had completed assessments.
Leonard Hay, of Cochran Close, Churchdown, was the manager of his own one-man company Update, Training and Vocational Services (UTVS), based in Churchdown, which operated as a subcontractor for New College Swindon.
He was sentenced to 15 months behind bars at Gloucester Crown Court, after pleading guilty to committing fraud between May 2013 and June 2014, with police calling his behaviour “deplorable”.
The Crown Prosecution Service subsequently told FE Week on Tuesday (May 10) that Hay had sent fake certificates falsely claiming that more than 40 level two and level three laboratory technician apprentices had “completed” their studies — and pocketed £42,863 in resulting payment.
A CPS spokesperson said: “Hay stated that a number [of students] had succeeded, and sent certificates to the college confirming that.
“The college then paid Leonard Hay, but the certificates were fake, and the named persons did not complete their assessments.”
A spokesperson for the college told FE Week that it had taken immediate action in 2014 as soon as it realised what Hay had been doing.
She said: “We were saddened by this incident and disappointed for the affected students.
“The college picked up the fraud through its robust control processes when staff spotted anomalies in the paperwork and certificates that were submitted.
“We took immediate action in informing the police and the SFA and had Gateway Assure in to audit our processes in dealing with subcontractors.”
She added the college had tried its best to help learners affected.
“Some of them worked in NHS organisations and some in private organisations.
“Where students have remained in the NHS sector, New College has been working very hard with them and their employers nationally to ensure that they can complete their awards and gain certification.
“This is an ongoing process as we’ve had to start assessment from scratch with them.
“Of the 44 [students affected], 22 had left their organisations, or changed roles, or were not interested in completing, and we are still working with the other 22.”
Investigating officer DC Simon Shaw was scathing in his criticism of Hay.
He told FE Week: “This case featured the theft of a considerable amount of money from the taxpayer.
“Equally deplorable, Mr Hay badly let down many students, who believed he was guiding them to a professional qualification.
“Hundreds of hours of their hard work was wasted as Hay kept the funding money for himself, leaving his students high and dry.”
A Skills Funding Agency spokesperson said: “In 2014, New College Swindon made the SFA aware that they were investigating fraudulent activity at Update Educational Services Ltd, one of their subcontractors.
“The college kept the SFA regularly informed of outcomes and the SFA reviewed the college’s audit report to provide us with assurance that public funds were protected and learner needs were being met.”
The government must do more to promote the newly-expanded FE learner loans, to avoid the danger of low take-up at the start of the new academic year, the Association of Colleges (AoC) has said.
Applications for the new advanced learner loans will open on Monday (May 16) for courses starting from August 1.
But an AoC spokesperson told FE Week that “the government needs to do more to promote the scheme nationally, in the way they have for university loans and tuition fees”.
She said it would be “likely that take-up of the new loans will be fairly low in autumn 2016”, but suggested the numbers would “pick up once the scheme gets established”.
FE Week reported in February that the responsibility for promoting the new loans would lie with providers, after the government admitted it had no budget to market them.
Take-up of the existing FE loans for learners aged 24 and above at levels three and four has remained low since they were launched in 2013.
Figures published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) in February showed that there had been 56,950 24+ loan applications so far in 2015/16, just up on the 55,100 application which had been made at the same time last year.
And figures published last October showed that just 38 per cent of the £397m budgeted for FE loans in 2014/15 was awarded, meaning that providers missed out on £250m in loan cash.
Loans for apprenticeships were scrapped soon after they were launched — after the Student Loans Company received just 404 applications in seven months.
And new research published on Thursday by BIS found that numbers of 24+ learners on courses eligible for loan funding dropped 31 per cent in the first year the loans were available.
A BIS spokesperson acknowledged that take-up of the new loans would be low at first.
She said: “We appreciate it may take a little time for colleges and training providers to adjust to the expanded loans system, but we expect to see greater pick-up in the future.”
While the government does not have targets for numbers of learners taking out a loan, the spokesperson said that “over time” the new loans would lead to “an additional 40,000 learners studying for high-level technical qualifications”.
She added: “We have expanded advanced-learner loans so they are available to everyone aged 19 and over studying at level three to level six, and have ensured there are sufficient funds available to allow for increased take-up.”
The loans expansion comes at the same time as the government is consulting on introducing maintenance loans for FE learners aged 19 and above at levels four to six.
The consultation opened on Mar 24 and runs until June 16.
