Park Village Education Centre

Park Village Education Centre is situated on Cannock Road in Low Hill, Wolverhampton, West Midlands. This facility was a local authority Youth Services Hub and community centre. As a host to local VCS groups the centre provides a home for all their activities and events which are delivered for the benefit of the local community. This includes a meeting space for these local groups, craft and cooking activities, mental health support, into work support and social activities. More recently, the centre has been a part of the HeadStart programme, setting up activities for Youth and Parents to provide support with Emotional Resilience.

The organisation is keen to improve the centres’ facilities and maximise its potential for bringing much needed services into the area by creating a thriving and sustainable community hub.

During the past few years we have identified the following key priorities:

• Create An Environment In Which Children And Young People In Our Area Have The Confidence To Access Opportunities That Will Enable Them To Have A Successful And Prosperous Future
• Promote A Caring, Supportive And Safe Environment That Will Give Older People Confidence In Themselves And Their Surroundings
• Reduce And Prevent Crime And Anti-Social Behaviour Through Communitybased Activities, Providing Residents With The Confidence That Their Local Area Provides A Safe Environment
• Support The Family Unit To Prosper Economically, Socially, Physically And Mentally. Through Building Confidence, Enable Local People To Access Training And Vocational Support, Jobs And Business Opportunities.
• Build The Capacity Of The Local Community By Building The Confidence Of Local People. Enable Local People To Become Active Citizens, Providing Community- Based Activities With A Continuous Endeavour For Community Cohesion
• Educate And Build The Confidence Of Local People To Encourage Them To Tackle Health Issues. Work With Local Services To Provide Community-Based Support.

Holiday Play Scheme Programme

During Summer and Easter Holidays we run playscheme for children to engage them and promote emotional well-being. We have been running these successfully every year. Children have engaged in Arts and Crafts, Football, table tennis, textiles, baking, board games and English and Maths Support. Over 400 local children have benefitted from these playschemes to date. See video on YouTube exhibiting these activities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0y86j_M07A&t=136s or link on our website: www.aladdinseducation.com

HeadStart / WV10 Consortium Activities.

We have for over two years now been active in providing emotional well-being support to young people and Parents, by putting on a plethora of activities around Sports, recreation, keep fit and martial arts. The aim to engage people with the activities and provide support and referral to other agencies through this. We have supported over 400 people through this work last year.

Events and Conferences.

We regularly hold free community Christmas parties and other religious and cultural events to celebrate the diversity and richness of our locality, e.g. Diwali, Eid and Latvian and Gambian National Days. There are a very wide and diverse community that frequent the Centre, so it is essential that we cater for their needs and religions. We have also been active in promoting community health and well-being and have set up conferences and events around; Bullying, Drugs and Gangs. Here is a video of a very successful event organised by us and launched by the Mayor, with several key speakers. Over 1000 people have will attended such events each year. Link to Emotional Resilience Youth Conference, as an example of our work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwCSUu2umWw or link on our website: www.aladdinseducation.com

ESF Employability Support Projects.

Administered by Walsall Council Community Projects. This programme aims to work proactively with the most disadvantaged and excluded communities. At our Centre, it aimed at economically inactive local adults to support them to get back into employment, training or education. A number of these clients also were suffering with mild mental health issues or domestic abuse, so the other activities provided in the Centre were of benefit to them. This programme commenced in January 2017 and we had two rounds of funding up to 2018. This will hopefully again restart in 2020. We have so far supported 42 people through this work.

Women’s and Families Resource Centre, based at the Park Village Education centre.

They have office space here, use the counselling room as well as the halls. This organisation focuses on providing support for women affected by domestic violence, abuse, and similar issues including emotional well-being and welfare support. They provide, counselling, befriending, fitness, and social activities throughout the week. They have supported over 280 women and families through this work last year.

ESOL Classes.

We have been a venue for Wolverhampton Council Community ESOL provision up to end of 2018. The classes were set up to support local Adults with English language and employability skills, foundation to Entry level 3. Around 44 people (mainly BME women) were supported with these classes over the two years.

InPower CIC

Based at the Centre provide martial arts and MMA classes and general fitness support. Especially during School holidays and Friday evenings. Over 300 people have benefitted from such sessions last year.

Ghatka Sikh Martial Arts Group.

Meet regularly at the Centre and engage in Sikh traditional and cultural activities and including Ghatka Martial Arts. Around 18 young people attend weekly.

Azaad Dhol

Community group based at the Centre provide Arts and music classes for locals. Have also been funded through funds in the past. Around 12 children attend weekly.

Brahma Kumaris Centre for Spiritual Learning

Third Sunday of every month there is an International meditation event which takes place. PVEC is the Wolverhampton hub for this. Over 80 people attend regularly.

United in Christ

Congregate every Saturday from 12 noon until late for their weekly programme in the hall. Over 70 people attend and benefit from this social activity weekly.

Network and Community Links.

We host a vast array of family and community parties, and individual events at our hall. e.g. Keep Fit, Zumba, Yoga/Pilates, Grow, Cook, Learn, Knit and chat club, Soft Play and Coffee Mornings.

We as an organisation have excellent links with and are patronised by all local religious, social, cultural and ethnic groups. We are an eclectic and diverse hub, we are active and seen to be at the forefront of promoting equalities within our locality. We enjoy excellent links with the local PCSO’s and Police, local Councillors and a range of Churches, Temples and Mosques. Income and Expenses at Park Village Education