NATIONAL FAMILY WEEK - 31st May to 6th June 2010

National Family Week is a national event which runs every year during May half-term top engage families to participate in learning through a range of free short courses/activites.

During May half-term 2010, the Aspire Centre delivered a range of activities for families to celebrate this event in partnership with the CLC, NHS, Wimbledon Park Lake and Wandsworth Family Learning.

These included:

• Family Cookery/Healthy Eating - in partnership with Hannah Bracey, Extended Schools Southfields cluster Health Team Lead;
• Family Fun Watersports - held off-site at Wimbledon Park Lake;
• Family Movie Film Academy, Family iPhoto Slideshow, Family Flash Animation, Family Photography - all held in the CLC;
• Family Fun Jewellery-making;
• Family Box-Fit;
• Family Climbing;
• 2 Parenting workshops - Internet safety and Street gang awareness both led by Carole Gray, Southfields Parent Champion and in partnership with outside agencies.

We also hosted our first "Dads in the Picture" event to target dads/male carers to take part in activites with their children and to introduce them to the Aspire Centre with a view to them attending further activities/courses. We ran a range of activities throughout the day and divided the activities into those with under 5s and those with children aged 5+. For dads/male carers and children aged 5+, we delivered Cookery, Crafts/Textiles, Pottery, Rock Climbing and for dads/male carers and children under 5, we delivered Music & Movement & Storytelling. At the end of the day there was an opportunity for all families to take home a decorated photograph capturing their time at the fun day - here are some of the quotes from the parents at the end of the day:

"GOOD FUN, EVENT DAY." "REALLY HELPFUL, FUN SESSION - ART SESSION." "EXCELLENT STAFF. THIS IS SUCH A GOOD IDEA FOR ALL THOSE WHO LOOK AFTER KIDS." "THE DAY WAS VERY ENJOYABLE FOR THE CHILDREN. THE LUNCH & FOOD WAS LOVELY & EVERYBODY WAS FRIENDLY!"

Overall, 123 parents attended 12 courses/activites at the Aspire Centre during National Family Week. The parents came from several Southfields Cluster primary schools and here's what they thought:

"WE REALLY ENJOYED THE SESSION, THE SELECTION OF FOOD, WITH DIFFERENT COLOUR, TASTE AND TEXTURES. THE RECIPES WERE DOABLE FOR AGES. FAB FUN! - VERY ENJOYABLE COURSE. TAUGHT BOTH OF US ABOUT HEALTHY EATING. MY SON LOVED THE COOKING AND WE WILL COOK AT HOME MORE OFTEN - MANY THANKS." FAMILY COOKERY/HEALTHY EATING

"THE COURSE ORGANISER WAS REALLY HELPFUL. IT WAS A LOVELY CHANCE FOR OUR FAMILY TO WORK TOGETHER. WE ALL REALLY ENJOYED THE COURSE, THE CHILDREN TRIED SOMETHING WHICH THEY HAVE NOT DONE BEFORE AND FOUND IT A VERY GOOD CHALLENGE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH."FAMILY CLIMBING

FAMILY LEARNING AND THE FAMILY LEARNING FESTIVAL
16 - 31 October 2010

The Family Learning Festival is the biggest annual celebration of family learning in the UK. Every October, organisations across the country put on thousands of activities that bring families together for fun, informal learning.

The National Family Learning Festival is organised by the Campaign for Learning and is the biggest annual celebration of family learning. It aims to draw attention to the importance of our families and friends in forming our attitudes towards learning, and encouraging and supporting us to learn through life. Family learning can lead to powerful benefits for both children and their parents; children’s educational outcomes are strongly influenced by parental involvement in their learning; and parents and carers are often motivated to learn as a result of being involved in family learning activities.

The Family Learning Festival is a fantastic opportunity for all family members and friends to take part in fun and informal learning activities, enjoy something different and find out about learning opportunities throughout the year. This relaxed and non-threatening ethos of the Festival is particularly effective at encouraging parents and carers who may not normally take part in learning activities, to have a go.

The Aspire Centre will be taking part in this years festival, check back soon for details of courses and taster sessions happening at the Aspire Centre and the Aspire@ venues.

FAMILY BABY/INFANT FIRST AID AND RESUS
Would you like to learn how to treat your child for burns/scalds; bites/stings; fractures; bleeding; poisoning; suffocation and much more? Would you like to know how to perform resus on your baby or infant? Come along to this one-off session where you will learn the basics of Paediatric First Aid and Resus through practical training and guidance. For parents/carers and babies – refreshments provided.

Thursday 12:00-15:30