Have you heard of the CP Learning Trust and their ‘Building Better Opportunities – eMploY-ABILITY’ project?
I came across their February workshops as they posted them out to me to add as events and decided to have a little nosey at what there were doing in the way of helping the community in Peterborough.
This particular project is aimed at engaging participants, upskilling and supporting them towards employment and is delivered throughout Peterborough, Fenland and West Norfolk. The events are provided by means of funding by the European Social Fund and Community Fund of the National Lottery.
I got a space at two of these which brought together a group of around 8-12 people on zoom. Based around creativity I chose the acrylic painting and making a doodlefant! Just so I could give you a first-hand account. These creative workshops are great at the moment due to lockdown and keeping us mentally fit.
So what happens? You’re sent a link for a zoom meeting. Each workshop lasts one and a half hours to ensure that you can get your little project finished. Some, like the doodlefant, require a little bit of preparation so you’re ready to start (sewing and stuffing beforehand).
Amanda kindly delivers your bag of goodies in Peterborough before the course so you’re ready with the basic bits you’ll need. The acrylic paint bag had a canvas, acrylic paints, paintbrushes, pots, cotton buds and some instructions. We started with a blue background receding to white for the sky, drew some stick trees, then messily added paint blobs. It was time for cotton buds…..! Bunch them together and dab around in the paint and it actually looks a bit like tree leaves…although still a mass of colour blobs. It’s amazing though how blobs of colour really don’t look anything until you start adding some dark shadows and tree branches. All very easily done and you get a sense of achievement at the end of the workshop. Also, for a first attempt at things it gets your brain working and your co-ordination. Our tutor Dave was very patient in doing his examples upside down so we could understand what we were aiming to achieve on zoom. So thanks for the added creativity LOL. You can see my attempt here as well as a couple of other’s pictures from the morning.
The second workshop I completed this morning. A lot of pricked fingers last night as I prepared my elephant I have to say. I haven’t sewn anything since school, so it was definitely an achievement – even though it took me around 2 hours! So, ready to go with my elephant we had to create a tail from string – a 5 threaded plait, sew on ears and button eyes and then decorate in any form we wanted with some supplied Sharpie pens. I did have my own set so at least I had a mixture of colour to use on mine – the others too).
They are planning 4 more workshops throughout March so if you know someone in lockdown who is on their own or needs a bit of a boost being with others and learning something new.. why not tell them about it.
Leaflet: employability-peterborough.pdf
Website: www.cplearningtrust.org/our-projects
Facebook: www.facebook.com/C-P-Learning-Trust-Peterborough-124349401109015
