Warwickshire News Mine

The Community Consultant Project, which ran through October and November, brought together a number of parents who spent time looking at ways they could actively develop community services and influence decisions.

The county council programme ran for six weeks at Whitnash Children’s Centre on Nursery Lane, Leamington Spa on Monday afternoons and came to a close on 29 November. The regular sessions helped parents build confidence, share information and address family matters.

The scheme has already produced some positive outcomes as Helen Tupman, a Whitnash parent of twins explained: “I found out about this course through my work as secretary for Friends of Kingsway Children’s Centre (similar to a PTA) and I was really pleased I got involved.

“I valued the opportunity it offered to meet informally with other parents to share ideas as well as form new friendships. An added bonus was that we came away with new skills and had the chance to obtain an Open College Network qualification.

“Even though the course has come to an end the group have agreed to continue meeting on a monthly basis to further develop our learning and support each other to implement our ideas to benefit parents using the four Children’s Centres in Leamington.”

Lorraine Jaeger from Warwickshire County Council delivered the programme, she said: “The programme has been a great success and as a result we are now looking at setting up similar schemes around the county to help more families engage with local support services.

“Feedback from the parents involved has been really encouraging, people have told us that the course has given them new skills, they have made new friends and now feel more empowered to influence change in their neighbourhood.”

To thank the parents for their participation Cllr Ian Colls, the Mayor of Whitnash presented the group of 15 with certificates on Monday 29 November. He commended the partnership working between the county council and the children’s centres and praised the parents’ hard work.

For more information contact Lorraine Jaeger, Parent Participation Development Officer on 01926 742468 or email lorrainejaeger@warwickshire.gov.uk.

Link to WCC