Give Kids a Chance
Give Kids a Chance supports vulnerable young people between the ages of 10 – 18 years to develop and sustain interests or
hobbies that will divert them from negative pastimes such as alcohol and drug misuse, or anti-social behaviour. Give Kids
a Chance provides "at risk" young people with positive worthwhile activities in a safe, controlled environment and helps to
relieve boredom, raise self-esteem, confidence and personal skills. Funding has been secured to ensure the project is available
in the Moray area for the next year. A limited number of places are available. To find out more about Give Kids a Chance
view the project web area at: http://www.nhsgrampian.org If you wish to find out about the criteria for involvement and the availability of places please contact the LCN Co-ordinator
for your area.
Forres/Speyside - iain.macdonald@moray.gov.uk
Elgin - jodi.glowacki@moray.gov.uk
Fochabers/Lossiemouth - ben.hinnie@moray.gov.uk
Keith/Buckie - ivor.lee@moray.gov.uk
Milne's LCN
Peer Mediation at Milne's Primary
Fifteen P4 and P5 pupils and two staff at Milne's Primary school were trained in peer mediation last November. The pupils are now actively involved in peer mediation at the school. There is a daily rota and the mediation team have their pictures on a board in the school corridor so that they are easily recognised by the other pupils. The aims of the peer mediation programme are:
At the Primary head teachers meeting in Elgin Town Hall Supper Room on March 22nd, three of the pupils trained in mediation described their very positive experience of the initiative and answered questions
about their training and involvement in mediation at the school. The input from the pupils followed a presentation by staff
from the LCN and the school about how the training programme was designed and facilitated.
The young mediators have urged the head teachers group to use peer mediation in all schools in Moray and it is planned to
offer wider training to staff and pupils later this year. For more information, please contact Ben Hinnie, LCNSO Milnes & Lossiemouth at ben.hinnie@moray.gov.uk or tel: 01343 829054
Lossiemouth LCN
P7 / S1 Transition BBQ at Roseisle
The Lossie LCN annual BBQ event at Roseisle Beach is an all P7 event held as part of a transition support programme that includes
small group support for some pupils over the summer holidays.
Grampian Fire and Rescue, Police and the Forestry Commission support the event as part of an initiative to reduce wilful and
accidental fire raising in the Moray coastal area. The event is also aimed at raising fire safety awareness in the home. Each
of these services put on a display and the pupils were bussed in to the BBQ area in Roseisle forest. The pupils were then
separated into their S1 house groups under the guidance of senior pupils from Lossiemouth High School. Grampian Health Point
and the Active schools co-ordinator for the area provided activities for the groups who enjoyed venison and meat burgers as
well as sizzly sausages cooked by Cathy Collins and volunteers from the LCN partnership and the Forestry Commission.
Staff Evaluation of the P7 BBQ
Burghead Primary:Thank you for organising the event for us, well done! Some points for the future: the children really enjoyed being in the
house groups rather than their primary school groups ands seemed to make loads of friends. This will support them on transition.
Congratulations Anna and her team, Using the beach for games was great but remember to check the tide tables each year when
setting the date! The buses could have arrived closer together as the organising into groups was very smooth. And finally
the food was lovely!
St Gerardines: The children at our school thoroughly enjoyed their day at Roseisle and the staff haven’t had such a relaxing carefree Friday
afternoon for a long time. Everything was so well organised (perhaps more helpers assigned to each house group would be more
beneficial in future) to say nothing of the gastronomic feed. All staff were so friendly and helpful and already we look
forward to next year.
Hythehill: We would like to thank you for organising a very successful day. It was much better than last year due to the involvement
of LHS pupils and the P7’s went to their respective S1 House groups and giving them the opportunity to mix with their peers’
from other primaries. It seemed to give them more confidence to speak to one another and seemed to control the discipline
as there seemed less fooling about. We as a result were not stressed and could enjoy the event. The weather couldn’t have
been better.
P7 Summer Transition Groups
There were two P7 summer transition groups last year in the Lossie ASG. The groups were selected because of low self-esteem,
self-confidence or a lack of social skills and inappropriate behaviours in a group situation. The activities are chosen to
allow the pupils to experience challenge and work as a group while developing individual confidence and a sense of achievement.
The days together also allow the participants to make new friendships with their peers from other schools in the ASG.
The activity programme included a day at Daltuich Bridge near Forres with 'Wildthings', a Scottish charity seeking to encourage
a mutually beneficial relationship between individuals and their natural environment.
The groups were given the opportunity to try their hand at Bush craft skills including shelter building, bread making, animal
tracking and observation. In November, the group returned for a two day camp when they started to develop these skills by
starting to learn about wilderness fire making techniques, natural bindings and cord, wild plants identification for utility,
food and medicine, backwoods cooking techniques and animal tracking and observation.
Some members of the groups will now take part in a five - day wilderness camp in May of this year.
The transition programme also included a day in Culbin forest with Rachel Jones the Forestry leisure ranger who arranged transport
in Polaris, a flat bed trailer towed by a quad bike. We were shown a seal colony, enjoyed a tour of the forest and had a Barbecue
lunch. The afternoon was spent pond dipping which the groups enjoyed immensely.
The third day of the programme was the school treasure hunt where the pupils are given a map of the school and clues that
lead them to the classes they will attend in S1. An adult accompanies the pupils and this activity really helps boost their
confidence about finding their way around the school. This is always a popular activity with transition groups. The day was
rounded off with a trip to Inverness for a Dolphin trip - no dolphins were spotted but a great time was had by all!
For more information, please contact Ben Hinnie, LCNSO Milnes & Lossiemouth at ben.hinnie@moray.gov.ukor tel: 01343 829054
Buckie LCN
Parent Information Day, Buckie - 11 March 2006
The first Parents Information Day with a local focus was held at Buckie on Saturday 11 March. Over 20 exhibitors on a wide
range of services were complemented by two workshops on aspects of Parenting. Click here for a fuller report of the day.
Portknockie Primary School - Parent Workshop 23rd February 2006
A highly successful Workshop for Parents was held at Portknockie Primary School on 23 February 2006. The aimed of the workshop
was to provide Parents with information on Care and Welfare Initiatives and to provide them with a forum for discussion on
future developments. Click here for a fuller report of the evening.
For more information, please contact Ivor Lee, LCNSO Buckie & Keith at ivor.lee@moray.gov.ukor tel: 01542 836013
Keith LCN
Developing Skills of Young People with additional support needs
Keith LCN is funding the transport costs to allow 12 young people with Additional Support Needs to take part in Equestrian
activities. Through these activities they are improving their social and motor skills as well as developing their personal
self-confidence. For further information contact the Keith Active Schools Co-ordinator, Kerry Smith (kerry.smith@moray.gov.uk)
Forres LCN
The Forres Mentoring Project is a new and exciting project, which provides additional support to young people who are undergoing
the potentially difficult transition from primary to secondary school. The project supports young people by providing the
support of an adult mentor for two hours per week, over a six-month period.
Young People accessing the service are referred from one of the eight Forres primary schools. The young people will choose
to take part in the project and will be actively encouraged to evaluate their own experiences. Close links are made between
parents, mentors, primary and secondary staff.
Currently the Mentoring Project has five volunteer mentors who have undergone a recruitment process, core training programme
and who now receive regular supervision and additional training opportunities.
The project is best summed up in the words of one of its mentors, David Hogg:
“I felt nervous and apprehensive at first. Over the first few weeks I felt the young person was initially suspicious of both
my and the projects’ motives. However, as the weeks passed we participated in activities together and quickly became friends.
I felt I that gaining his trust and he became more open and was able to talk more freely to me about things in general. The
weeks have turned into months and my young person has thoroughly enjoyed our mentoring sessions. He has never missed a session
and is often ready and waiting for me to arrive. I do feel that I have made a difference”
For more information, please contact Iain Macdonald, LCNSO Forres & Speyside at iain.macdonald@moray.gov.uk or tel: 01309 675047.
Speyside LCN
Increasing the numbers of young people participating in physical activities is a key priority for the Speyside LCN. A wide
range of new activities have been introduced through the work of the Active Schools Co-ordinator, PE Staff, SAYI, Community
Learning and Development, Health promoting Schools, Outfit Moray and LCN Staff.
One recent development has been the upgrading of the Climbing Wall within Speyside High School. A questionnaire circulated
to all pupils highlighted indoor climbing as one of the main activities that pupils would like to participate in. The local
community were also showing interest.
The cost of upgrading the wall was estimated at approximately £3000. Funding to cover the upgrade costs was sourced from
Community Learning and Development, Speyside High School, Donations, Local Action Fund and the Speyside LCN budget.
The work was completed in February 2006 and young people and community members are now able to use the wall. Taster sessions
for young people have been provided and further introduction sessions will be provided during the holiday periods and in the
evenings.
For more information, please contact Iain Macdonald, LCNSO Forres & Speyside at iain.macdonald@moray.gov.uk or tel: 01309 675047.
Elgin Academy LCN – Young Peoples Group
The Academy and High LCNs are currently drawing on the multiple resources and funding to support a Young Peoples Group. The
group is tackling the recurring concerns of re offending, non-attendance at school, family and peer relationships and anti
social behaviour within our community. It is proposed that the intensive support programme, aimed at 12 – 16 year olds who
are experiencing an array of difficulties, will reduce offending, improve integration, improve school attendance and improve
the young peoples feelings of self worth and social inclusion. For more information, please contact Jodi Glowacki, LCNSO Elgin at
jodi.glowacki@moray.gov.uk or tel: 01343 544865
Elgin High LCN – ‘Clearing The High’
Elgin High LCN was keen to support events, which coincided with the Smoking Ban taking place on the 26th of March. The ‘Clearing the High’ event took place at Elgin High School over a two week timescale, with a ‘claiming back’ of the school to mark the final day. The Health Promoting School accessed the LCN to support a balloon release, a powerful visual display to signify the new legislation. This event, alongside valuable work of The Health Point, the school nurse and volunteers is hoped to promote a positive approach to promoting a smoke free school and encourage a significant decrease in the amount of smokers who access the school. For more information, please contact Jodi Glowacki, LCNSO Elgin at jodi.glowacki@moray.gov.uk or tel: 01343 544865