What's the best way to get something done?
Some might say just get on with it. Some might have twenty cups of tea beforehand. Others' might plan every tiny detail before they start out. Here at PIE, we have some experience of all of these approaches. New beginnings are hard however they happen, but mostly you just need to 'BEGIN'.
So that's what we're doing! Here's what we're starting up this month:
Pieces of the PIE
We're really excited to announce this one - an ambitious programme and it covers every element of the work we do at PIE - every single slice!
You may know that here at PIE we focus on 'Five Slices'. We work with young people to help develop five key areas that have been identified as being vital for future success and happiness. And Pieces of the PIE provides a project for each slice:
COMMUNICATION - Put It In Words - Performance Poetry Workshops, this is a continuation of a course we ran before Christmas with Antony. Following on from the success of the pilot scheme which was aimed at teenage boys in Stockport, it is now open to all high school aged students. We had 6 students come along to our first Covid secure session on Monday.
DIGITAL - Podcast Production - We are running a 6 week course in how to produce and record your very own podcast. These will be run by the amazing Vic Turnbull from MIC Media and will involve students producing a full podcast for young people of Stockport during the sessions.
CULTURAL CAPITAL - Guitar Hero - One-to-one Guitar tuition and a free guitar to take home when the course is finished! We have 10 young people starting lessons this week with Lee from local band Prose. So far we have also given 6 of these learners a brand new guitar to practice on and KEEP!
COMMUNITY COHESION / PROJECT MANAGEMENT - Community Leaders Training - Ok, we are cheekily putting two together, but we think you'll agree that taking part in this training and then putting those skills into practice is a perfect combination of the two. Following a six week training course, young people will then have the opportunity to run a twelve week social action project to make a difference to their community in Stockport.
Every single activity in this Project is FREE, in partnership with Startpoint Cafe in Woodley and funded by Stockport Council's Stockport Local Fund. We are so excited to get going with each of these projects!
Wave of Change
Extra pleased and proud to be starting our THIRD Wave of Change programme this week, in partnership with The Goodness Collective. Working with women in Stockport, this programme involves a minimum of ten sessions providing a network of support, a mix of digital and personal skills, and hopefully bags of inspiration! We are fully funded by ESF, meaning the sessions are completely FREE for our participants.
With both these programmes, and the Into The Mix programme we announced last week (https://www.pieuk.org/post/announcing-our-new-into-the-mix-transition-programme) there is reason to see lots of rays of sunshine peeking through the snowy storms we've had recently! (And we've not even mentioned excellent vaccinations news!)
We are proud and optimistic to be making new starts in many forms and forging more and more positive connections as we go. We hope you will join us for the ride!