Frist Responders Complete Their Training

Congratulations to Mr. John Fields and Mrs Patricia Creighton who completed their First Responders Training and will be responding to NI ambulance service calls in the coming weeks. Our new First Time Responders received their training though a four-week course and confidently passed. Their going active with the CFR programme comes shortly after the actions of the Community First Responders are being credited with assisting in the saving two lives in the city. Two men were successfully resuscitated and maintained by CRF volunteers, not the local volunteers but others who responded to the emergencies. Indeed, in one of the emergencies the CFR volunteer accompanied the patient in the ambulance assisting in the speedy delivery of the patient to Craigavon Area Hospital. These incidents happen at Callanbridge and on the Moy Road.

The West Armagh Consortium and REACT came together in the promotion of this life saving project. And we would like to take this opportunity to extend our congratulations to John Fields and Patricia Creighton. We hope that they will be the first of many community volunteers to take up the challenge of the first responding. The four-week training course has been described by the two CRF volunteers as very comprehensive and rewarding. They added that the training programme will also afford them further opportunities to advance their emergency medical responding skills.

We would like to take this opportunity to once again promote this fantastic project and encourage more people to uptake and avail of the training. ‘Such a programme can sometimes be under appreciated insofar that not all emergencies become newsworthy for the very fact that assistance had been readily available and had averted what could perhaps have been a more serious incident. As a result of our initial promotion we identified several people willing to put their names forward we hope that these volunteers will be able to follow through and in turn encourage even more like-minded people.

There are a number of avenues that potential volunteers can  go down to register with the Community First Responders. They can contact either WAC or REACT and we will forward their details on or go directly  to the CFR website https://www.cfrat.org.uk/volunteer  and link into their "Volunteer Registration Form"

Free Training Courses

Work@sea Training Through Southern Regional College

Anyone interested in an ocean going career might be able to avail of training being offered through the local Southern Regional College  

INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL TO VISIT ARMAGH IN JULY

2018 Armagh Peace Building Summer School July 8th - 17th 

The second International Summer School began its visit to  Armagh on 8th July. 12 students from Boston were joined by some local students who availed of a council bursary to participate in the Conflict Resolution Programme. As part of the course the students will be examining

• Tough Issues in the conflict how they have been resolved or not resolved
  Parades from Loyal Order , marching band and residents perspectives, accommodations and current position in Armagh
  Impact of the conflict Armagh City and south Armagh with guided tours
  Visit to Derry's Museum of free Derry, Parades and how they have been managed in the City
  Life in Northern Ireland from the perspectives of: LBGT , Asylum Seekers, Ethnic communities
  Tour of Peace Walls in Belfast

Participation by people from Ireland and those from Abroad through UMASS Boston giving opportunity for learning and interaction  of local and international perspective.
 
Students  from UMASS undertook an  accredited learning as part of  UMASS teaching. while Irish students undertook  accredited learning through Open College Network course on Peace Building specifically designed for the school
 
 
The Summer School is being led by Diversity Challenges http://www.diversity-challenges.com
and University of Massachusetts Boston  Conflict Resolution, Human Security, and Global Governance https://www.umb.edu/academics/mgs/crhsgg/grad/conflict_resolution
and a partnership of:
REACT http://www.reactni.org
West Armagh Consortium http://www.westarmaghconsortium.org
Rural Community Network http://www.ruralcommunitynetwork.org

SRC COURSES

THIRD IN SERIES OF DEFRIBILLATOR TRAINING

Fourteen people availed of the recent defibrillator training that took place at Sherry’s Field Sports complex on Saturday 1^st April. The training was the third in a series of defibrillator training that followed the provision of defibrillators in community houses. The West Armagh Consortium in conjunction with the Southern Regional College delivered two classes, one in the morning and the second in afternoon. The classes were delivered by Andrea Hamilton who is a trained nurse. Funding for the programme was drawn down via the Growing Communities Programme, a programme delivered by ACBC as part of its Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership Board commitment.

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Southern Regional College Courses 2015/16

The Southern Regional College are currently taking enrolments for their 2015/16 classes and courses. There are a wide and varied range of courses available, some of which carry recognised accredited qualifications. The poster does not cover all available courses. Details of everything on offer can be got on the SRC website or via the contact details listed.

It is a useful way to increase your employment prospects or simply take up a course for personal satisfaction. Whatever your reason enrolment couldn’t be easier. To aid enrolment a recruitment session was held in Mullacreevie Community House. Other sessions can be organised for other community houses if it is felt that there is a need for them. Alternatively, simply contact the Southern Regional College

Places available on Oceans

 Anyone interested in working on oil rigs or any similiar off shore employment . The Southern Regional College are running a programme called OCEANS.Basically it is a training programme instructing would be employees on the neccessary health and safety requirements insisted upon by employers in this field. Several local people availed of this programme last year.There are still places left on OCEANS 2015 but they will soon be allocated eleswhere if not taken up from the town. The programme is run under the SRC's Neighbourhood Renewal committments. If interested you need to act fast. Contact can be made either through the West Armagh Consortium or through the Southern Regional College direct.

Enhance your employability skills

Community groups should take note that the Supportimg Training and Employment Programmes (STEPS) is set to begin again. STEPS has been delivered by the Southern Regional College for several years now and has a very good success rate for full and part time employment for those who have completed the courses. STEPS provides taining in a wide range of skills. Skills that have proved to be what employers are seeking.In the current difficult employment climate anything that enhances employment opportunities is to be welcomed.

These classes are delivered by the Southern Regional College who in co operation with the Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership Boiard have already been successful in helping a number of local people to find jobs, both with these advertised courses and previous programmes. Anyone wishing to avaid of this training and other course on offer with the SRC shold contact the numbers listed in the poster.Most of these courses can only cater for a limited number so if you are interested, get in touch immediately.

Local community groups also have course application forms and information on the various courses

Video training as part of Consortiums' Social Enterprise Project

Pictured with the Southern Regional College instructor are consortium members Stephen Fields, Deckie McGerrigan and Barry McKee who took part in the video training sessions. The West Armagh Consortium is launching a social enterprise project that it is hoped will provide the local community with a valuable service and generate some employment, albeit part-time at the start. The main trust of this project will the An Post Fánach, which translates as The Occasional Job.

However , the video aspect will see the consortium providing a videoing service for such events as football matches, parties, and other informal events. The consortium through funding drawn down from the NRPB Growing Communities Programme have purchased the camera equipment along with the necessary computer and software. This part of the project will go hand in hand with the handyman scheme.

An Post Fánach is a handyman scheme designed to provide the community with an affordable service to deal with small household jobs. Tasks like grass cutting, hedge clipping path hosing and much more will be covered by An Post Fánach. The idea was first muted two years ago and more recently during the consultation process with pensioners in the community the idea was again mentioned. Many pensioners find it difficult to get someone to take on small one off jobs. An Post Fánach aims to address this. However, any social enterprise has to operate along sound business lines. This service will not be a free service and it will also be open to all the community not just the elderly, though special consideration will be given towards pensioners.