Issuu

PULSE S TA F F M A G A Z I N E

Spring 2012

A College to be Proud of ...

Keeping staff in the know

S TA F F M A G A Z I N E

In This Issue of Pulse:

Welcome Welcome to the spring edition of your staff magazine, Pulse - it’s a pleasure to be back as your Editor! For those of you who were unaware, I was off for 12 months on maternity leave after my beautiful daughter, Isabel, came into the world. Thank you to my colleague, Sam Starkey, for holding the fort, I’m sure you’ll agree she has done a fantastic job in my absence! I must say that after returning to work following a long period of absence it really highlighted to me that City College Plymouth is a fantastic place to work. As a busy working ‘mum’, I’m taking full advantage of all the benefits that working at the College offers, including the fantastic Ofsted Outstanding onsite nursery (see page 1 for ‘News from the Nursery’), the fully equipped gym and most importantly the Costa Café. There are many more benefits that you are entitled to as a staff member, so make sure you don’t miss out by looking at the HR staff intranet pages at http://staff2/mod/resource/view.php?id=2961. Some of you may remember the internal communications survey that we conducted last summer. Over 400 of you responded, so we got a really good feel for what you, as City College Plymouth staff, think about how information is shared around the College. As a direct result of the feedback we received some improvements are planned to the Staff Bulletin (the most popular method of communication) which we hope to action over the Easter break. We’ve also stopped relying on the ‘staff intranet announcements’ as a discrete way of getting important messages out, and acknowledge the comments you had about the staff intranet overall. You might also notice some small changes to this edition of Pulse too - with a greater balance of stories and contributors. Many thanks to Helen Tope from the Faculty of Health, who has very kindly contributed some great articles. As always, if you do have any comments, suggestions or success stories you’d like to share, then please e-mail me at marketing@cityplym.ac.uk.

PULSE

Catherine Sims Editor

S TA F F

MAGAZ

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AUTUMN

PRINCE’S

2010

TRUST TEA

TRANSFORMM S

KINGS ROA D QUA

DRANGL E

Back Issues Previous issues of Pulse can be downloaded at http://staff2/.

STAFF

TRAINING UPDATES

GETTING

TO KNOW YOU and much

GOVERNO

more ...

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UPDATE 71837 CCP

Staff Magazine

Pulse Autumn

2010.indd

Keeping staff

in the know 18/04/2011

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New Human Resources Information System

Curious Kittens

Getting to Know You

Disabled Go

A Day in the Life of Roger the Postie

What’s On - Summer Arts Preview

Capture Your Students’ Interest

Focus on Progression

p8 The Little Interview p9

Our Healthy College

Volunteer’s Hard Work Recognised

p10

First Aid Corner

p10

Births and Marriages

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New Human Resources Information System Human Resources Office and Systems Manager, Vicky Fitzpatrick, tells us more … In July 2009, the College invested in a new information system for Human Resources - Access Select HR. The Human Resources Information System (HRIS) has developed into an invaluable tool for the HR team, and we are now excited to further develop its functions into the wider College community. In February, we launched our new e-recruitment system. This enables people to apply electronically for jobs at the College, rather than relying on a manual paper-based system. The e-recruitment website was developed in conjunction with Select HR and the IT team, and is managed by myself and Ros Gard in Human Resources. The new electronic system will reduce printing and postage costs and will enable recruiting managers to view their applications electronically. We are thrilled to announce that we will be rolling out ‘self-service’ to all staff during the spring. This will give all staff access to their own human resources record, and will enable individuals to update some of their personal details. Training will be provided to all staff over the coming months, and help and support will be given by the HR team - so watch this space!

Editor, Catherine Sims, takes a closer look at our fantastic nurseries … Returning to work after a year, I was a little apprehensive about leaving my daughter in the care of others. My apprehension soon disappeared when I approached the College’s Ofsted Outstanding nursery, Curious Kittens.The friendly and highly trained staff soon put me at ease and I can confidently say that my daughter loves it there. So, if you are looking for childcare make sure Curious Kittens, at either Kings Road or Goschen, is your first port of call. Kids’ Club Calling all staff …do you struggle for childcare during the school holidays? Did you know that Curious Kittens offers a fantastic Kids’ Club? The Kids’ Club is open from 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday, and offers fun and varied activities including sports, local trips, arts and crafts and much, much more - all at the bargain price of £14.00 per six hour session (9.00am to 3.00pm or 10.00am to 4.00pm).The Kids’ Club could be the answer to all your childcare worries. For more information call extension 5345 or 5060 for an application pack.

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There are further plans for additional development and functionality, which will be rolled out in the future. Long-term developments will include online: • appraisal system • annual leave management system • processing of HR paperwork. News from the Nursery As well as being Ofsted Outstanding nurseries, Curious Kittens has recently been awarded the I CAN Early Talk Accreditation - to acknowledge their excellent support of communication and language development for young children. Both the Kings Road and Goschen nurseries submitted portfolios and had external evaluations to receive the accreditation, which is a quality assurance award that highlights outstanding early years provision. Feedback from the external evaluators highlighted that there is a ‘warm and friendly environment’ and a ‘consistency in the staff ’s approach and flexibility to meet the needs of individual stages of development’. Staff also create a ‘calm, friendly atmosphere where children are happy and comfortable’ and ‘supported children and parents where English is an additional language’, a particular strength that supports many of our international students with dependants. To further enhance the nursery team’s communication skills the team are undergoing Makaton training. Makaton is a language programme using signs and symbols to help people communicate. It is designed to support spoken language and the signs and symbols are used with speech in spoken word order. It has been found useful when trying to communicate with babies and children! We will keep you posted and give you an update on how the training goes.

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Getting to Know You Pulse delves into two new colleagues’ past and present lives … Peter Napthine is the College’s TeLIT Manager. What do you hope to achieve at the College? I hope that we will be able to help lecturers to have increased confidence in using technology (VLE/Moodle, interactive whiteboards etc) for enabling and enhancing learning. I anticipate that the team will prove to be effective at providing support and training, and in helping to develop media content to support the learning. I believe this will contribute to the raising of standards of teaching and learning. What made you want to work at the College and where have you previously worked? I wanted to work at the College because the role advertised was exactly the type of role I was looking for - one that focuses on the use of technology for enhancing learning across a school/college. I believe the role blends well with my ICT qualifications, experience in teaching and coordination of ICT. It’s a great opportunity to help lecturers make an impact on enhancing student learning. I have just returned from Brazil where I spent 14 years as Head of ICT at the British School, Rio de Janeiro. I am from Somerset originally, so returning to the West Country feels like I am coming home. What do you like most about the College so far? It’s early days for me, but I have already been very impressed by the friendliness and enthusiasm of staff I have met in all areas of the College. The College clearly has many challenges to face, in difficult economic times, but it seems to me to be visibly moving forward with strategy and vision to meet those challenges, considering innovative solutions. I think that it is really positive and I am excited about being able to contribute to this.

What is your role at the College? My role is to manage TeLIT (the Technology enabled Learning Implementation Team) to help the College meet its strategic targets in enabling teaching and learning with technology, especially through support/training for lecturers and in media content development. A key aspect of my role is being a link between TeLIT and the faculties, and to help identify ways in which we can help support TeL in their areas. I think my teaching experience helps me to understand the needs and frustrations of teachers regarding the use of technology.

What do you like to do outside of work? I like to go for walks in the countryside - I am looking forward to exploring the South West Peninsular coastal path. I enjoy music and play the acoustic guitar and blues harp, and also sing and write songs. For the last few years, in Brazil, I have been half of a duo called Rice ‘n’ Beans which grew into a band. We made a CD in 2009 and have another coming out later this year - a live recording of a gig we did last December in Rio. If anyone’s interested they can see videos and hear tracks at www.ricenbeans.info, and also can find us easily on YouTube. I like to play darts competitively, so am now on the lookout for a team to join. I also enjoy spending time with my wife and our four cats (they entered the history books as the first to come into the UK from Brazil without needing to go into quarantine under the new regulations!)

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Joanna Dennison joined us in November and is Head of Faculty for Skills for Life. Where have you previously worked and what made you want to work for the College? I started teaching in Paris, working in companies preparing employees for negotiations and other meetings. There was a lot of one-to-one mentoring there and it was a natural step to move into individualised teaching in skills for life. My background is ESOL, where I have been lucky enough to work with people from all over the world. Following nine years working for a very large college in the South East, which achieved Beacon status, I accepted the opportunity to lead on the quality of teaching and learning for the Skills for Life Development Centre in Brighton, part of CfBT Education Trust, a large international charity. Here, I worked with providers nationally on a range of initiatives to inform and provide quality improvement for students. To me, working with so many organisations and projects was vital experience in such a critical economic climate.

What is your role at the College? It’s a great role, I essentially facilitate and lead the Maths, English, ESOL, Skills Development and HELP teams to help achieve high quality standards of differentiated learner experience and success in line with the College’s business and financial goals. What do you hope to achieve at the College? I am very privileged to have joined the Skills for Life team at City College Plymouth, which has made significant progress in the last two years. We want to build on this and proactively shape our provision to respond to a fast-moving and changing context to best support skills in the College and across the community, including transition into College. The team continues to work closely with the Learner Experience Team in pursuit of best practice for learning support, maths and English. One particular area of focus is supporting staff in being qualified to level 2 in English and maths as a mandatory requirement - staff are really enjoying taking part and we are putting on more workshops at our different sites. Another initiative is extending the volume of our employer responsive offer, as organisations see the value of improved maths and English skills, particularly functional skills for their employees. There is so much excellent practice in the Faculty and crossCollege, and we are working with colleagues to help link this up and ensure that resources and expertise are shared appropriately. An example of this is a new project in which we are working closely with the Work-based Learning department to maximise opportunities for adults seeking work and training.

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This is a challenging time for large colleges, but I think it’s an exciting time for us to review how responsive we are to local need and how innovative we can be. I was very happy at CfBT, but I had always hoped for an opportunity at City College Plymouth, because it’s my ‘area’ professionally and personally. Born in Cornwall, I’ve grown up in and around Plymouth. My family and my husband’s family all live in the city, or nearby, and I have often looked at the College website in hope. Finally, the right job at the right time came up! What do you like most about the College so far? Firstly, the range and diversity of the College offer. Within our faculty alone, we deliver outreach, including Project Search at Derriford Hospital, Dame Hannah Rogers and the Probation Service. I’m based at Kings Road and love to pass all the different activities which students are engaged in outside the conventional classroom, such as Wholefood Delights, theworkspace and the new construction centre. Secondly, the atmosphere and energy! I have worked in, and with so many providers, but I can honestly say that this College has been the most welcoming. Every day I see colleagues on the front lines and behind the scenes aspiring to provide a professional, inclusive, quality learning journey and environment for each student. That’s expected, but this College does it with a smile. What do you like to do in your spare time? I am very lucky to live in a small village surrounded by beautiful countryside. We are an outdoors family, who enjoy the simple things in life, so any chance we get we are out and about enjoying the scenery. We’ve just bought a couple of sea kayaks, so I can’t wait for the weather to warm up!

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DisabledGo DisabledGo is an award-winning disability organisation providing free detailed access information to locations and venues for disabled people across the UK and Ireland. DisabledGo Access Guides have been specially designed to answer the everyday questions of disabled people, their assistants, carers, family and friends. Their aim is to use access information to empower people to enjoy their communities and make their contribution. City College Plymouth works with DisabledGo to help disabled students and staff access our facilities. The DisabledGo website Using the website 1. You can search for facilities/ attractions within your local area simply by entering your postcode or city/town. You may want to look for specific information, such as hotels or restaurants - if this is the case, simply enter what you are looking for in the ‘I am trying to find’ box on the website and click the ‘Search’ button. 2. After doing so you will be asked to confirm your search, if you are happy with your search simply press the ‘View Results’ button.

3. You will then see a list of places that are in your local area - all you have to do is choose where you would like to go! Search City College Plymouth or use this link http://www.disabledgo.com/en/ org/city-college-plymouth. This will display all the relevant information that disabled users will find useful about the College and how it helps with everybody’s individual needs. You can access all the information about the College from this link and what it offers by using the orange form on the right-hand side of the website. If you need any additional help the website has its own ‘Using the site’ page, which you can access at any time by clicking on the relevant tab as shown below.

helps to encourage greater use of the College’s facilities by disabled students, staff and members of the public. We want to encourage further use of the DisabledGo website and highlight its benefits to you. You can also use DisabledGo to find a job, catch up on the latest disability news, advertise events, post articles and join discussions on its forum. The website offers detailed information about access to all kinds of places - hotels, restaurants, colleges, tourist attractions, libraries, hospitals, leisure centres - the list goes on! All access information has been collected in person by DisabledGo’s team of surveyors.

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A Day in the Life of Roger the Postie Our morning continues at 10.00am, loading up the newly arrived post into bags to deliver around Kings Road, stopping off at MIS, Finance and HR along the way. Our whistle-stop tour around the College continues with a fast and furious pace around Estates, Hospitality, Construction and Reprographics. I’m feeling thankful for my trusty, sensible shoes. Dropping off some all-important course applications to Reception, and picking up books to be delivered to Goschen Library, the City College Plymouth van is loaded with postbags. Arriving at Goschen at 10.30am, we drop off post for Skills Development, Finance, and Arts and Sciences. It is at this point that we discuss exactly how Roger landed a career in post services. Starting off as a driver and clerk in the Forces (he can still manage a steady 40wpm if asked), Roger was asked to help out at the local Forces post office one Christmas. He did so well that when the post orderly went on holiday, Roger was asked to cover for him. After the same orderly went on sick leave, Roger decided that this would be a good career path to follow and asked for a transfer. The rest is history.

Helen Tope shadowed College legend, Roger Williams, for the day. With sensible shoes on, the day starts at 8.30am. Roger makes a few early morning deliveries to Skills Development, Exams and Learning Support. By 9.00am, we’re making our way through the tower block collecting outgoing post from Hair and Beauty, Marketing and Central Admissions. At 9.30am comes the first challenge of the day, collecting outgoing post and sorting/dispatching incoming post. Sorting the post, Roger sorts incoming and outgoing post, recorded deliveries, external and internal letters, working at lightning speed. Roger’s talent for multi-tasking is easily explained once you learn more about his employment history. Prior to his appointment at City College Plymouth in 1996, Roger worked as a Technical Duty Officer at RAF Lyneham/Brize Norton from 1990 to 1991. Working during the first Gulf War, Roger was sent to RAF Lyneham to act as a liaison between the RAF and Postal and Courier Services, ensuring mail went out on the correct flight on the right day. He also supervised incoming mail - items being returned to the UK included ammunition and hand grenades, with police sniffer dogs needing to check out mail before it could be processed! Luckily, Roger’s post at the College hasn’t been half as dangerous! Now ex-Forces, Roger built up years of experience running large distribution offices, mail centres and post offices. After joining the College in July 1996, he became the Post Supervisor in 2002.

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Following Roger only for a few hours, it becomes evident, very quickly, that his real skill is interacting with people. A familiar, friendly face in the corridors of Kings Road and Goschen, Roger’s ability to name a member of staff at ten paces is legendary. On speaking terms (by his count) with at least 95% of College staff, his natural, easy-going rapport with everyone we meet, from members of staff to students, shows a person who not only loves their job, but loves working in a college environment. Roger provides an essential, life-blood service to the College - not just in distributing post, but providing us with a daily reminder that a college may run on systems and processes, but it thrives on relationships. Five facts about Roger: • Roger walks ten and a half miles each day which equates to 19,000 steps • in the course of its five year service, the franking machine in the post room franked nearly 900,000 letters. Unsurprisingly, it has been recently retired • in an average week, 1,800 letters will pass through the post room • Roger, during his stint at RAF Lyneham, held a diplomatic passport • Roger’s hobbies include caravanning and (more) walking but this time with his dog!

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What’s On - Summer Arts Preview Looking for things to do running up to and during the summer? Helen Tope gives us a brief round-up of what’s on and where to go.

Film Diary The Avengers (release date 27 April) - starring Robert Downey Jnr, Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner Not be confused with John Steed and Emma Peel, this film revises RDJ’s grand-standing turn as Iron Man. Joined by Scarlett Johansson (The Black Widow) and Chris Evans (Captain America), this is superhero action on an epic scale! Men in Black III (release date 25 May) - starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones Smith and Jones return for a third instalment of the sci-fi comedy. The Amazing Spider-Man (release date 4 July) - starring Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone With the trailer already creating waves on the internet, this is the story of Spiderman re-told for a new generation. The Dark Knight Rises (release date 20 July) - starring Christian Bale, Gary Oldman and Michael Caine Four years after the highly successful Dark Knight, Christian Bale returns as the eponymous hero. Abraham Lincoln:Vampire Hunter (release date 2 August) starring Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell and Dominic Cooper Yes, you did read that correctly. Ahead of Steven Spielberg’s biopic of the American President (due to be released in early 2013), the story of Abraham Lincoln gets a supernatural spin!

Festivals - Summer 2012

Arts Events

Plymouth Volksfest, Newnham Park, Plympton 1 to 5 June Now in its fifth year, Volksfest is set to once again combine the Volkswagen scene with top quality music and entertainment acts from all over the world.

Hall for Cornwall,Truro Bette and Joan 1 to 5 May Birmingham Royal Ballet 11 and 12 May Simon Amstell 26 May

Isle of Wight Festival 22 June Confirmed line-up: Elbow, Noah and the Whale, Biffy Clyro, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Pearl Jam. T in the Park, Scotland 5 to 8 July Confirmed line-up to date: The Stone Roses. Latitude Festival, Suffolk 12 to 15 July Confirmed line-up: Elbow, Paul Weller, Bon Iver and much more. Port Eliot Festival, St Germans 19 to 22 July Stay local and expect the usual eclectic mix of literature, fashion, crafts and live music. Plymouth Flavour Fest 17 to 19 August Plymouth’s local produce extravaganza Flavour Fest 2012 returns for its ninth year. Reading Festival 24 to 26 August Leeds Festival 24 to 26 August

Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, Exeter The Road to Rome: Artists and Travellers on the Grand Tour running until 6 May International Garden Photographer of the Year 23 March to 10 June Selling Dreams: 100 Years of Fashion Photography 7 July to 2 September Plymouth Pavilions Frankie Boyle 6 and 27 July Michael McIntyre 14 to 19 August Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery Beetlemania 7 July to 8 September Find out more about the most researched natural history collection in the Museum and the people who collected ‘coleoptera’ - otherwise known as beetles, the most diverse animals on Earth. Endless Summer:The Evolution of Surfing in the South West 21 July to 22 September Boards, photographs, art, magazines, profiles of riders and shapers and more! Find out how surfing has evolved in the South West during the last few decades.. Royal Citadel, Plymouth Music of the Night 16 to 20 July

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Teaching and Learning Capture Your Students’ Interest Keith Ebdon, Programme Leader for the Foundation Degree in Forensic Science, says one way to keep your students on their toes and alert to their subject is to ‘talk topical’. In your class sessions, students’ attention and interest can be captured using topical news stories. Media coverage is so vast and instant in today’s current affairs via newspapers, magazines, e-publications, 24-hour TV news channels and internet sites. Interesting stories can be channelled into your class sessions, especially in the introduction, catching your students’ attention. Newspaper headline cuttings can act as a good ‘class session starter’ or a ‘discussion topic’.

In forensic science, for example, there is no lack of media coverage and controversy. The recent Stephen Lawrence case gives a vast resource for how a criminal investigation and forensic science can bring about successful convictions. Topical criminal cases help to stimulate a student’s interest giving a lever for further research, providing up-to-date knowledge and an opportunity to ‘keep ahead of the subject’. By the same token, other academic subjects can benefit. Academic teaching must not just lie in the past but in the present and future!

Focus on Progression It’s said that humans always have a NEED to move forward in life, and progression helps advance that human desire! Deputy Principal, Liz Myles, explains the importance of progression and why it should be at the forefront of our minds now.

destinations is good practice and a measure of organisational performance. During scheduled and ‘ad-hoc’ tutorials, it is important to ascertain whether a student wishes to progress to another level of education, training or employment. High levels of internal progression, from a course at one level to another at a higher level are one indication that our students are having a positive experience at the College. A key strength of the College is the breadth of our provision, and the progression pathways within this from foundation level to university and professional level. Tutors will need to provide appropriate information and guidance to enable students to make informed choices in relation to career goals and intended destinations. This may be achieved through signposting students to:  appointments

Taking time to focus on progression is critically important for our students. Staff should, as a matter of routine, be discussing opportunities for internal progression with their students knowing students’ intended and actual

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with the Careers team/Student Services

 attending

a scheduled or bespoke session in theworkspace. For example, employer talks, business start-up advice and Apprenticeship information

 CV

development

 work

experience and/or volunteering opportunities

 College

recruitment events. For example, the Apprenticeship Open Day in June

 higher

education taster sessions

 higher

education fairs

 support

with employment and/or higher education applications

 further

short course provision.

Tutorial exit interviews should, where possible, be completed with the student so that accurate destination data may be collected. Although intended destination information is collected via MIS3 and IAP4, there is currently no consistent methodology for collection of progression data. We are currently reviewing how best to establish a destination/progression tutorial to capture progression and wider achievements of students postprogramme which could be used as a performance indicator - so watch this space!

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The Little Interview - Lisa Thompson

What do you teach? BTEC Subsidiary and Extended Diploma in Sport (Level 3), BTEC Level 1 Public Services and Sports Leaders’ Awards (Community Sports Leaders). I mainly teach on the level 3 sport programme and I am tutor to year one and year two sport groups.The subjects I teach are varied and include leadership, outdoor adventure, nutrition, sport development and work experience. What’s the best thing about your job? Definitely the variety, I am a lecturer, tutor, coordinator, PGCE mentor and subject learning coach. I enjoy being challenged and therefore always put myself forward for new experiences in order to improve and develop my skills, ability and potential. I like having the opportunities to undertake CPD and expanding my knowledge base. Last year I completed an MA in Physical Activity and Health with Applied Sports Development. Going back to university was definitely a challenge, but this experience updated my higher education knowledge, which in turn I pass on to my students. It also made me realise the pressure some of our students are under and how important it is to listen, make time and provide support to students on a one-to-one basis. What’s the most frustrating part of your job? The job is very demanding and varied so it keeps you constantly busy. Spare or free time is extremely limited so you have to be very organised to stay on top of your

workload.The most frustrating aspect of the job is that there never seems to be enough time to get everything completed, hence numerous ‘to do lists’. Also, listening to students’ excuses for not submitting assignments on time - they get more creative each year!

assessment methods and have increased the number of sport visits. We effectively use the College resources to enhance the enrichment programme and are currently increasing the amount of employer involvement focusing on employability and progression.

What’s the most outlandish excuse you’ve heard?* “I was walking to the bus stop with six assignments, to a merit grade, in my bag. Unfortunately, I left my bag zip open and they all blew out.” When asked why he didn’t pick up the assignments, he replied ‘they all flew away’ (never to be seen again!) When the lecturer told him ‘not to worry just print them out again’, he replied ‘no it was all hand written’. Now that is bad luck!!

What makes your role important? Knowing that at any one time I am responsible for 40 plus students! I have a responsibility to my students ensuring I provide them with the qualifications, knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the future. I am also aware that whatever I am doing I am representing the College and need to set a good example.

*Win a £20 shopping voucher Do you think you can top this? Calling all lecturers … What’s the most outlandish excuse you’ve ever heard? E-mail marketing@cityplym.ac.uk and we’ll choose the best and publish them in the next edition of Pulse. How long have you been at the College? Eight years. I started working at the College in 2004 as a Support Assistant for 16 to 19 year olds on the public services course. I wanted to gain some experience working in the FE sector before deciding on which teaching route to take. I gained a placement at the College in 2005 for my PGCE and was fortunately offered a fulltime teaching position in sport in 2006. Tell us a bit about being a lecturer? Every day is different and you can never predict what the following day will bring. Being a sport lecturer means being part of a team.The Sport team is relatively small - but is extremely effective and successful. We work closely together to ensure we provide an enjoyable, motivating and challenging learning environment. We rely on each other’s strengths and respect what each member brings. Recognising this and sharing the same vision has made the Sport team a grade one provision. We try to vary the programme and continually make changes based on student feedback. We have worked hard on our timetabling, increasing practical sessions, varying

“I believe that, from a student’s perspective, Lisa epitomises what is good about coming to study at City College Plymouth. Her dedication to her work and the students is simply outstanding. She is totally professional in all that she does.” Martin Nash, Head of Business & Leisure Industries What is a typical week for you? Planning, marking, teaching, attending meetings, writing reports, phoning parents, sending letters, conducting interviews, responding to e-mails, dealing with first aid incidents, completing risk assessments, attending training, checking eILPs, monitoring attendance and retention, organising trips and visits, dealing with students, MIS tracking, planning, marking and more meetings. Phew! What do you do in your spare time? I am currently volunteering for the London 2012 Olympics as a Games Maker. As I have to attend several training sessions in London I am making the most of exploring the city, sightseeing and trying to understand the underground system!!! Otherwise I enjoy being lazy, eating out and going on holidays. What would be your three desert island essentials? An endless supply of food and drink, and my family!

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Our Healthy College In the autumn last year the College celebrated the news that it had been awarded ‘Healthy FE College’ status by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS).The Student Liaison and Activity teams, based at both the College’s Goschen and Kings Road sites, take a pro-active role in highlighting healthy living - through awareness campaigning on issues relating to smoking, healthy eating and the dangers associated with drugs and alcohol. In January 2011, the College furthered its commitment to healthy living by taking part in the Big College Health Check - a confidential online survey, which enabled it to access a wealth of information about the health and wellbeing of its students and staff, and how it could be improved. Student Services Manager, Nicole Pethybridge, gives us an update on what’s happened since. Following the Big College Health Check in 2011 there have been some very positive outcomes. Early in 2012 we reviewed the key indicators and are very pleased to see that everyone has embraced the Healthy College outlook! Nearly 500 staff members completed the 2012 follow-up survey, almost identical to the numbers who took part in 2011. • The number of staff choosing healthy food options has increased by 12%. We must thank Aramark for its contribution and support of the healthy agenda.

% staff choosing healthy food options Yes Sometimes No No response

• Moderate exercise activity has increased slightly, maybe, reflecting the new gym and increased use of this facility. • Daily consumption of alcohol has fallen. Smoking levels have remained the same but there is always support via Student Services or Occupational Health for the links to local quit smoking practitioners. A BIG THANK YOU to all staff who have also encouraged our students to adopt healthier attitudes. Students selecting healthy food options have also increased by 10%, regular alcohol consumption and smoking has fallen, and awareness of sexual health services at the College has also improved by 14%. Let’s keep up the good work together to continue this trend and commitment to our Healthy College.

Volunteer’s Hard Work Recognised The first accolade, Community Volunteer of the Year, was for her work representing the Tamar Canoe Association and attending meetings for events and initiatives including the Ferry 50 Festival and Community Action Through Sport (CATS). The second award was for Official of the Year. Rose was short-listed for her work as the Tamar Canoe Association club secretary. In addition to this on-going commitment, she was also nominated for her work supporting funding bids, one of which resulted in the purchase of pool boats based at Saltash Leisure Centre.

In her spare time Rose Stuart, Functional Skills Administrator for the Faculty of Health, acts as a level 1 coach and the club secretary for the Tamar Canoe Association in Saltash. Her years of hard work for the club were rewarded when she was nominated for not one, but two, volunteer awards at the Cornwall Sports Awards.

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Pictured here with her nomination certificates, Rose summed up the experience as being ‘really encouraging that the work I put in behind the scenes has been recognised, as it takes up quite a chunk of my spare time. I still make time for getting out on the water, both with the Tamar Canoe Association and the Devon and Cornwall seabirds.’ Rose’s future projects will include an event to promote Go-Canoeing Week and co-organising a celebration of the Olympic Flame coming to Saltash.

S TA F F M A G A Z I N E

First-aid Corner - Epilepsy By Anita Gunning, Lecturer For anyone who witnesses an epileptic seizure, it can be a frightening experience. Anita Gunning gives us a few tips, with the help of Epilepsy Society UK on what to do if a colleague or student has a seizure. Usually when a person has an epileptic seizure (also known as a fit or convulsions) there is no need to call for an ambulance. However, you should always dial 999 and request an ambulance if: • it’s the first time this has happened to the person • the person has badly injured themselves • the person has trouble breathing after the seizure has stopped • the person has repeated seizures - one seizure immediately follows another with no recovery in between • the seizure lasts two minutes longer than is usual • the seizure lasts for three to five minutes and you do not know how long their seizures usually last • you are unsure. Describing and recording seizures We’re all different - people react in different ways to their seizures and in how they recover. Often people have no memory of what’s happened during their seizure. Some people like to be talked to during and as they come round and some need to sleep afterwards. If you know that you are working with someone who lives with epilepsy, it may be helpful to find out as many details as you can about their epilepsy. For instance: • what type/types of seizure do they have • how long do they usually last • when do they normally happen eg morning or evening

• do they have any triggers eg flashing lights, moving patterns • do they have any warning before it happens • how do they feel afterwards • do they need to sleep afterwards • how long does it usually take for them to recover fully • how often do their seizures happen • do they have any history of repeated or long seizures that do not stop on their own and need emergency medication to stop them (status epilepticus) • do they take any medication - useful information if they need to go to hospital • is there anything else that may be helpful/ useful to know about their seizures • is there anything in particular they would like you to do to help them during or after a seizure? Recording a seizure - specific things to think about ... Before the seizure Were there any triggers for the seizure? For example: • were they feeling tired • were they feeling stressed • were they ill. Did they have any warning (aura) before the seizure? For example: • a change of mood • restlessness • making any sound such as crying out or mumbling? Did they experience any sensations? For example: • strange taste in the mouth • smelling a strange odour • seeing spots in front of their eyes • a strange or rising feeling in the stomach

• a weakness, numbness, tingling or ‘pins and needles’ in the arms legs or face? Where were they and what were were they doing when the seizure happened? Were they: • standing, sitting or lying down • walking or sleeping? During the seizure Did they fall down, and if so: • did they fall forwards or backwards • did they go stiff and fall or slump and/or and fall? Did they lose consciousness and if so, for how long? Did their colour change? For example: • go pale or grey • go red • go blue around the mouth or face? Did any parts of their body move? If so: • which parts eg arms, legs or head • did they make any facial movements such as chewing or lip smacking • did their head or eyes turn to one side and if so, which side? After the seizure Did they injure themselves and if so, what were the injuries and how were they treated? After the seizure did they: • recover quickly and carry on with activities • become confused, and if so, for how long • become agitated, aggressive or restless • need to sleep, and if so, for how long? The Faculty of Health runs short courses in first aid. For more information please visit the College website at http://www. cityplym.ac.uk/courses/first-aidwork-0

Births and Marriages Congratulations to...

Congratulations to General Support Administrator for Engineering and ICT, Toni Amber, who married Simon Knight on the 22 October 2011.

Congratulations to Head of Academy for Beauty Therapy, Emma Edwards, who gave birth to a baby boy - Louis James Edwards on 20 February, weighing 9lb 8oz.