The finishing touches have been made on my ‘preparation for work’ units. So far so good on the sessions that have been trailed and with work experience getting steadily closer I hope the sessions will help prepare the young people for their two week placements.
Recent posts
20:03 on March 4th 2010
Post | A brilliant opportunity that is set to continue
A massive thanks going out to Vodafone World of Difference: These last 7 weeks have been fantastic and luckily for me are set to continue for a few months more. As I am nearing the end of my placement funded through Vodafone, ReachOut! have offered to extend my contact until the end of April!
I am immensely happy that I will be working with such a dedicated team and can continue to build relationships with the children and young people of ReachOut!
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13:02 on February 25th 2010
Post | ReachOut! Week 2010 raises over £4000!
February half term saw a week packed full of activities including valentine’s stalls, raffles, cakes sales, numerous bag packing slots and the massively successful ReachOut! Cup 2010. Raising a grand total of £4014.14. With over 50 Mentors and mentees donating their time it was inspiring to see so many interested in giving something back to ReachOut! which will allow more young people to get involved in mentoring projects.
It was also equally brilliant to see so many companies donate and support the week.
http://www.reachoutuk.org/HTML/index.html
http://www.reachoutuk.org/HTML/Web%20Galleries%202010/RO%20Cup%202010%20GalleryImages/index.htm
Tags: ReachOut! Week 2010 raises over £4000!
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16:02 on February 18th 2010
Post | Ready, steady, pack
ReachOut! fundraising week 2010 is well under way…3 days of bag packing, 1 day of cake sales and the big football event still to come!
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13:02 on February 15th 2010
Post | chocolate crispy buns, braclets and debates
Last week at the Reachout! projects showed more creativity as the year 10 girls made junk mail jewelry and the Chrysalis homework club worked as a team to produce some tasty chocolate crispy buns. Whilest the year 10 boys took part in an outstanding presentation and debate about the effect of violent rap lyrics and video games on children and child violence.
And yet more recruits are signing up to help support ReachOut! Fundraising week 2010.
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14:02 on February 8th 2010
Post | ReachOut! Fundraising Week is fast approaching
There is just one week to go before myself and the ReachOut! Volunteers replace mentoring with bag packing, cake sales and football stewarding during the February half term.
This week I will be helping put together and pull together all the necessary man power and resources needed to help raise vital funds during ReachOut! Fundraising Week 2010.
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13:02 on February 4th 2010
Post | Footie kick around for Haiti
It’s freezing and it’s about to snow but that doesn’t stop the boys from Manchester Enterprise Academy getting together to raise funds for Haiti…
Run by Project Leader Brendan, the year 11 ReachOut! Junior Mentees rallied support from teachers and past ReachOut! Mentors as they spent the evening playing football and raising vital funds for Haiti.
Well done boys!
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16:02 on February 2nd 2010
Post | Let’s get creative!
Wednesday 27th January….
This afternoon Blanca, Andrea and I took one of our year 10 girl groups out and about in Manchester to get some ideas for their up coming Fashion Show. Along with providing one to one mentoring the girls are also working alongside their mentors to prepare and showcase their very own fashion show. The trip to the Manchester Craft Centre and Noise Lab in Manchester City centre has definitely given them loads of ideas. It’s amazing what you can do with a few old buttons and a bit of fake fur!
The fashion show is due to take place in March so watch this space.
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09:01 on January 27th 2010
Post | Meet the gang
Week three
Looks like it’s going to be just as busy as last week with projects to plan, projects to run, trip to go on and fundraising to organise.
This week did start off a little differently however. Last night was the ReachOut! new year dinner hosted by the lovely Andrea. An evening of food and wine lovingly bought and made by the ReachOut! team ( mainly bought in 
some people’s case).
Andrea McDermott
Volunteer and Recruitment Manager
Xavier Bosch and John O’Donnell
“The Bosses”
Blanca Font
Fundraising Manager and Project Leader
Brendan Donelon
Project Leader
Monique Willis
Office and Administration Manager
Nina Birley
Project manager
Andres Laporta
Project Manager
Mark Clayton
Training Manager and Parent Liaison
The Gang!
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10:01 on January 21st 2010
Post | Project plans get underway
Along with assisting in the co-ordination of the ReachOut! fundraising week, I will also be using these two months to put together a project aimed at providing the young people of ReachOut! with an insight into preparing for work. After my meeting with “the bosses” to discuss the finer details, I have been let loose to plan, develop and implement a series of sessions focusing on skills and behaviours needed in work and life. Once developed and tested this will be a resource ReachOut! can use now and forever.
Of course my blog would not be complete without a plug for the fundraising week, so here it is…
…If anyone out there is reading this blog and interested in entering a team in the ReachOut! Charity football tournament 2010 click on this link for further details http://www.reachoutuk.org/HTML/index.html
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13:01 on January 16th 2010
Post | The projects get back up and running.
After a long Christmas break, made longer by the terrible weather and school closures, the ReachOut! after school projects are back up and running. The homework club was lively as ever and I tried my hand at dodge ball for the first time in about 15 years!
In the office plans for the ReachOut! fundraising week 2010 are coming under way. With dates finalised and the confirmation of the ReachOut! charity football tournament. We will be giving 12 companies the chance to battle it out for the ReachOut! 2010 trophy whilst raising valuable funds for ReachOut!. Any interested companies watch this space for further detail…
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Tags: Reachout! charity football tournament
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09:01 on January 13th 2010
Post | The journey has begun!
The Vodafone Foundation World of Difference Induction day
What a brilliant day – not only because of the new fancy phone, but because of the opportunity to meet the other winners of this great programme.
Good luck to you all.
Day One
The first Reachout! meeting for 2010 ( I should have used my new fancy phone to take a picture – next time) After having a round up of all the projects, what happened last year and most importantly whats happening this year, it was my turn – ReachOut! fundraising week 2010.
How much money can we raise in one week?…..
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Tags: ReachOut! fundraising week 2010
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09:01 on January 13th 2010
Post | Who is ReachOut!? What do they do?
ReachOut! is a mentoring charity set up to work with the children and young people of some of the most disadvantaged areas of Manchester. The aim is to give support and advice based on sharing core values and encouraging good citizenship. Over 30 programmes are run in local schools and community centres for 2 hours each week. ReachOut! has over 170 active, passionate and dedicated volunteer mentors. The mentors are mainly university students offering their support and encouragement, life experiences and enthusiasm.
Having volunteered with ReachOut! since October 2009 I will continue my role as mentor and project leader. Through this brilliant oppotunity to work with ReachOut! full-time I will be assisting in the co-ordination and participartion of the annual ReachOut! fundraising week and developing sessions based on post 16 options to be run in the projects.
Through its dedicated team of staff and volunteers ReachOut! builds positive and inspiring relationships with young people aged 8 and over. If you would like to find out more about ReachOut! and the work they have done visit their website: www.reachoutuk.org
Tags: ReachOut!
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