TBG Learning centres in Derbyshire have started rolling out some new taster days, which offer learners the chance to discover a new subject and opens up the opportunity to develop new skills. The days are ideal for young people who are unsure of what they want to do and good for those who would like a hands-on approach to deciding on their chosen career path.

The Derbyshire learners took on varied tasks over several days, from learning about animal care, to helping rebuild a 150 year-old dry stone wall on a working farm. The tasters went down really well with the learners and thinking outside of the box really gave them, and staff alike, a fresh set of ideas and goals.

Charlie Mapp, a LEAP learner, said: “The taster day was really interesting and we learnt the old art of dry-stone walling and how the different shapes of bricks merge together. I’m looking forward to learning how to care for and feed some buffalo next week. Not exactly what I ever thought I’d have an opportunity to do. Definitely worth it”.

The Derbyshire centres are currently planning further taster days covering music production, careers in art, construction and train a trainer.

1 October 2010 - Jeans 4 Genes Day

TBG As a company, TBG Learning rolled out a nationwide Jeans for Genes campaign across all 23 centres on the 1st October 2010. We made it our mission to raise awareness and promote understanding of what it means to be affected by a genetic disorder. Jeans for Genes provides funding for the care and support of children with genetic disorders. They also help to fund research into genetics and the development of effective treatments and cures to improve children’s lives.

The TBG Derbyshire team came up with an ingenious idea to get everyone involved. The staff paid £2-£3 each to come in to work in their jeans, and the learners paid 50p or what they could afford to come in wearing suits or smart clothes.

The learners were fantastic and really threw themselves into it, even pretending to be the staff at times! All of our learners put donations in the charity boxes to have cups of tea and coffee in the staff canteen instead of using the vending machines. We managed to raise a grand total of £72.25 for a really worthwhile charity.

Cherry Brooks, Business Manager Derbyshire said: "The Derbyshire team worked really well putting the day together and injected some fun into the works. I couldn’t be prouder of our learners for getting involved and really showing commitment to the cause." 

25 June 2010 - TBG Derby celebrates disability awareness month

TBG Learning Derby celebrated disability awareness month at their centre with an activity session on the Manual Alphabet for Deaf and Blind People.

The learning centre invited local Languages and Immigration Services business owner, Emilia Cieslik, to deliver the session to a group of young learners.

Centre manager, Dave Morgan, said “The Deaf Blind Manual Alphabet is a tactile language, used to communicate with people who have little or no residual sight and hearing. It involves forming letter symbols on the palm of a person’s hand. The session was perfect for our disability awareness month; our learners really engaged with Emilia while she conducted the session and expressed how interesting it was to learn about how deaf blind people communicate.”
 
Flexible New Deal learner, Mark Southgate, said “The session was great. Emilia was very clear in what she taught us and within half an hour I had almost all the letters in the alphabet remembered. Throughout the rest of the day I couldn’t stop practising because I had always wondered how deaf and blind people communicated. I would certainly recommend learning the manual alphabet as it makes you realise that there is a world out there beyond what we see and hear.”

TBG Learning has three learning centre across Derbyshire that deliver a number of free training programmes and qualifications to people of all ages and abilities. Learners at the centre are looking forward to next month’s activities around global music.