PORTLAND COLLEGE CELEBRATES
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
Students, Staff, Governors and Volunteers at Portland College held their
Ten EDI Achievement Awards were presented to Students and Staff for their outstanding contribution to furthering the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion agenda:
Students - Gareth Evans, Adam Struggles, George Patrick, Sammy Jo Allot and Staff Members -
PORTLAND COLLEGE ANNUAL AWARDS
FRIDAY 11TH JULY 2008
2008
The Walter Laughton Memorial Trophies Students of Year
Kerry McVeigh Kate Naish
Learning & Skills Employment
The Nottinghamshire Chamber of Stephen Sykes
Commerce & Industry Trophy for
Business Administration
Wholesale Office Supplies Shield John Windsor-Beck
For Accounts
The Derek Linacre Memorial Vivienne Leach
Award for Customer Service
Award for Computer Aided Design
Bill Boyes Shield Colin Hoskyns
For Information Technology
For Performing Arts
The Lee Staniforth Trophy Matt Brockhouse
For Art
The Walter Laughton Memorial Neville Bavin
Rosebowl for Horticulture
The Douglas Lea Memorial Trophy Jayne Glass
For Sports Person of the Year
The Don Price Memorial Prize Peter Allan
For Communication
Leonard Cheshire Award for Karen Horne
Excellence in Employment Training
The Beatrice Lee Rosebowl Chris Walsh
For Music
The Rachael Horwood Award Damon McGuire
For Endeavour
The Ted Turner for Student Youth Kirstie Charlesworth
Centre Volunteer Award
Skills for Life Margaret West
The Ashfield Chairman’s Challenge Kevin Colton
For Personal Achievement
The
For Outstanding Achievement
The Lulu Churchill Memorial Trophy Amy Boreham
Learning & Skills Student of the Year
The Taylor-Eggleshaw Trophy Ian Dodsley
For Employment Student of the Year
The Staff Trophy
For Lifetime Learning Head of Residential Services
The David Inglefield Award Jean Wakelin &
For Volunteer of the Year Ann Brown
Meeting the Challenge Award Andrew Pascoe (Learning & Skills)
Dorothy Frearson (Employment)
Winston Smellie (Employment)
Ends...............
Portland Leavers Ball - Tuesday 15th July 2008
Learners attended the Portland Leavers Ball on Tuesday 15th July to celebrate achieving their aspirations and goals during their learning programmes at the College. As you can see from the photographs below, a great time was had by all. Congratulations everyone!
Portland College obtains outstanding Grades from OFSTED
Framework for Excellence
These results are a great reflection on the strategic leadership that the Governors have provided to the College over the years and the hard work and dedication put in by every member of staff to achieve these strategic goals.
CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENT
John gains employment at 61!
John Windsor-Beck from Worksop in Nottinghamshire has successfully gained employment after retraining at the College. Before attending Portland, John, who has a heart disorder and hearing impairment, had never used a computer before. In one year John has successfully acquired Sage Line 50, Microsoft Office Specialist in Word, Excel, Access, Power Point and Excel Expert, City & Guilds Computerised Accounts Level 2, OCR Cert in Adult Literacy Level 2 and OCR Cert in Adult Numeracy Level 2. With all these new qualifications behind him, John (61) is now enjoying fulltime employment as Senior Administrator/Credit Control for Aquaid in Maltby, South Yorkshire.
John comments: 
"It has been a very worthwhile experience being at Portland College for the past year. Learning Sage Line 50 and Microsoft Office techniques has helped to build my confidence. Although I have only been in my job for a short time, I feel sure it is somewhere I can make a difference and give my employers ample payback for the trust they have put in me to do the job".
Portland helps Anthony get back into Employment!
Anthony Coughlin from Northampton has successfully gained employment after retraining at the College. Anthony achieved Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications in 2D CAD (Computer Aided Design).
Now, with these qualifications behind him, Anthony 50, who suffers from a heart disorder and high blood pressure, is working as a Computer Aided Design Operator with Action Technical Services in Kettering.
Anthony comments: 
"I found the course at Portland College challenging, but yet still attainable. I have learnt many different techniques not only from my tutor, but also from my fellow students".
Mark's new skills have let to employment!
Mark Hobbs from Sheringham in Norfolk, has successfully gained employment after retraining at the College. Mark has achieved AutoCAD Level 2 in 2D and Level 3 in 3D in Computer Aided Design.
Now, with these qualifications behind him, Mark (48), who suffers from Osteoarthritis and Diabetes, is working as a Computer Aided Design Technician with Building Innovation Ltd in Southam, Warwickshire.
Mark said: 
"I really enjoyed my time at the College. I have managed to achieve what I came for - a new skill and the means of getting myself back into employment".
Karen achieves her goal!
Karen Hall, who comes from Cresswell, Worksop in Nottinghamshire, has successfully gained employment after retraining at the College. Now, with these qualifications behind her, Karen (38), who suffers from a number of health problems including Polyarthralgia and Asthma, is now working as an Administration Assistant with Step Forward in Mansfield - who provide rehabilitation and support to people who have sustained brain injuries.
Karen comments: 
"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here at Portland College. I have gained more confidence as well as vocational qualifications and skills. Students and Tutors work well together and overall, I think make a good team. I am proud of my achievements and would gladly recommend Portland College to anyone. I would like to thank everyone at the College for helping me".
The future looks bright for Simon!
Simon Cooper (22) from Nottingham is now working as a Clerical Assistant with Select Appointments. Simon, who suffers from Spina Bifida attained OCR Text Production Level 1 and 2, Microsoft Office Specialist Word and Microsoft Office Specialist Excel, whilst retraining at Portland College, a national specialist residential training college for people with physical disabilities and associated learning difficulties, near to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire.
Simon comments: 
During my time at Portland College, I have improved and gained a lot of new skills. I have matured and I feel I can now work under my own initiative. I have met many new friends during my time at Portland and its a shame to come to the end but I have lots of good memories. I now feel ready to go into the real world of work. I feel stronger and confident to go out there and give it a go. I am looking forward to the challenge and hope I will be successful in the future".
Personal Development and Achievement
Matthew Brockhouse - Learning and Skills
"I came to Portland College after leaving school so that I could develop my communication and independence skills. I have worked with my tutors and the speech therapy department to improve my directive and assertive skills. It is important to me that I am able to communicate my own life choices and I work hard to do as much as I can by myself".
Things I have achieved at Portland:
- I have my own special equipment to allow me to access a computer. I send emails home and look up information on the Internet. I am able to go to the computer club at lunchtime and during evenings.
- I have been able to make snacks and drinks and clear up after myself.
- Since have the doors removed I am now able to take my own clothes out of the wardrobe in the morning.
- I have learnt to speak more clearly and to try out different strategies to make sure people understand me.
- I have made a lot of new friends and done things that I never thought I would be able to do on my own.
The best things about Portland:
"I love to go in the hydrotherapy pool, it helps to keep me more comfortable. I enjoy going out on the bus with my friends. I go to social activities, discos and the bar when I want to because I have passed my silver driving licence, which allows me to drive around the campus in my electric chair. The staff at Portland support and encourage me to become as independent as I can just like any other young person. When I move on I want to have my own flat or bungalow - perhaps shairing with someone my own age so that I can continue to develop as a person".
Kerry McVeigh - Learning and Skills - Academic Achievements
"I have achieved a number of qualifications since I started at Portland, working on my spelling and improving my punctuation. I passed my Adult Literacy Level 2 and completed my Adult Numeracy Level 1, after developing division, multiplying and other equations.
I have also completed a module for an Expressive Arts Award in drama and stage production, studying a famous actor and giving a talk on what I had researched to the rest of my group.
My accreditation for ASDAN FE Level UP Award involved a range of modules choosing a different task for each one. I have learnt about healthy eating, job hunting and what is implicated in a job description of our choice, looking for a place to live and listing equipment needed if you were to have your own accommodation.
I have also reached my target for my Portland Independence Programme Stage 3 and I am now working on my Gateway Bronze Award, where I hope to complete the units. Whilst working in the Employment department part-time, I have had the opportunity to take the Text Production examination at Level 1 and achieved a distinction.
Community Involvement:
I was fortunate to have been involved with a drama workshop run by West Nottinghamshire College performing arts students, as part of their TIE Theatre in an education project. My tutor group have been working on several projects with Mansfield District Council, following a Disability Equality Scheme training event.
My group visited Mansfield Fire Station to discuss and review publications for using a smoke detector; we were able to make suggestions to simplify the language.
We also wrote suggestions for the new proposed Transport links in Mansfield. The architect listened to and approved several changes and we are still involved in the next stage for signage.
We visited Ranby Prison as part of Disability Awareness Week. We discussed a range of issues that may affect people serving a custodial sentence to include learning difficulties, visual or hearing impairments, dyslexia or a physical disability.
I have taken on work experience as part of my Gateway Award Service to others. I collect and distribute newspapers daily, collect and sort out the post allocating it to staff pigeon holes and Friday afternoons are allocated to undertaking specific ICT tasks for our Programme Team Leader.
Other Achievements:
I recently designed a Portland Transition Passport using Power Point. This is a new skill that I can use when I am hoping to chair my last College Case Review. My family and other visitors will be able to view my presentation, as each section is dicussed, towards my aims for moving on after Portland College.
My next target is to gain work experience in the Mansfield area".
| OSA Annual Reunion 2008 | 2:15 PM, Jan 24 2008 |
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The OSA Annual Reunion will be held on Saturday 26th July 2008. Invitations to all current OSA Members will be sent out at the end of February. |
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