Bryn Gwalia Communities First is offering local residents the opportunity to improve their maths and English skills – with Deeside College providing courses on the Bryn Gwalia estate, Mold.
It is an ideal opportunity to help you get back into employment, help your children with their homework and work towards some qualifications.
The classes are open to anybody over the age of 16 and are free of charge.
You can work on your skills at a level to suit you and, at your own pace, in a friendly, relaxed environment.
Karen Hodgkinson, of Mold, left school with no qualifications and at the time was determined that she would not return to learning after a number of bad experiences. It was after the birth of her three children that Karen decided that she needed to better herself and, still unsure of the benefits that College could offer, she approached a community group to help with her quest.
“I had no qualifications and when job applications were asking for maths and English I knew that I had to do something. I got involved with the Communities First group in my area who signposted me to an Essential English course provided by Deeside College.”
Despite her reluctance, in 2005, Karen enrolled on her first course, provided by the College but offered at the community centre where she had also begun to volunteer.
“It was so much different to what I thought it would be. I was with other adults, everything seemed a lot more laidback than how I remember school, yet I was learning a lot more. I think it’s important for the college to offer the courses in the community since it breaks down the barriers of entering college. Things just clicked. The course has certainly given me more confidence.”
Karen has progressed from this initial course onto many more and now has qualifications in English, Maths, Word Processing and Health and Safety and uses her new skills on a daily basis, in her role as Centre Manager for two local community centres and also to help her children with their homework. Karen also went on to win the accolade of Essential Skills Learner of the Year at the Deeside College annual awards ceremony 2011.
English takes place every Monday at The Clubhouse between 12.30 and 2.30pm and maths takes place every Wednesday at The Clubhouse between 12.30 and 2.30pm. The Clubhouse is located on Park Avenue, Mold, Flintshire, CH7 1RY.
To enrol, or for further information, please contact Amanda Morgan (Deeside College) on 01244 831531 ext 4873 or Janiene Davies (Bryn Gwalia Communities First) on 01352 705931.
