Community Hubs has worked with Care Link over an extended period, producing initially a CD of training materials. This was distributed around the Black Country to assist people making decisions about whether they would like to work in the care sector. Now a website provides more advice and guidance to employees and potential employees in the care sector. The videos you can watch here give some idea of the jobs available. Care Link helps unemployed people, aged 24 plus, find work in the care sector. It works with a variety of partners across the Black Country to achieve this. Learning2Care. Domestic l Driver l Homecare l Laundary l Manager l Monopoly l Senior Carer l Support Worker l

A case study developed in the Test Bed in Sandwell (The South East Smethwick Partnership). Creating animations is an exciting vehicle for developing responsible team work alongside speaking and listening skills through participation in an activity with an eminently shareable outcome. This is a record of the creativity work a group of schools carried out in their individual schools and together in the spring and summer terms of 2006. They would like the animations to be viewed for inspiration for pupils and staff when creating digital animations. Some parents were involved in creating animations through a course- Learning how your children learn. This work was funded through the DfES Test Bed project.

A filmed record of a conference held to disseminate the results of projects, financed through standards fund, which enabled schools to improve the learning of students with special educational needs through varying teaching styles using technology.

Bleakhouse Junior, Cronehills Primary, Devonshire Infants, Oakham Primary, The Meadows and Yew Tree Primary took part and in many instances made video and video editing a central theme of the learning. As the title suggests ‘It's not about the technology' and here teachers expand upon the improved learning which took place.

This project funded by the Housing Market Renewal Area (HMRA) enabled four schools to produce their own videos about antisocial behaviour issues and how improving the environment would reduce the risks. With support from Broadband Sandwell and Sandwell Housing's Education Liaison Officer pupils from the schools storyboarded, shot, edited and produced these movies. ‘All Their Own Work' would be an equally apt title.

Click to view : Crockett's Lane l Shireland Hall l St. Matthew's l Victoria Park l

Test Bed in Sandwell (The South East Smethwick Partnership)

This DfES funded project, ICT Test Bed, investigated how the sustained and embedded use of ICT in learning spaces can improve learner outcomes, classroom practice and institutional development. One aspect of the Sandwell project investigated the influence on learning and home-school relationships of providing computers for family use in the home. This is one student's account.

This event, organised at Tipton Professional Learning Centre, saw a range of community based initiatives and organisations offering their services to the community of Tipton. Facial massage, nail painting and mendhi (henna) were on offer alongside community police, learning opportunities and local joblink staff. Those who were there at lunch time were fed by local groups as well! Formal discussion focussed on improving the environment and employment prospects in the area.

Sandwell is proud of the achievement of all its learners. The award celebrations in 2006 were filmed so that everyone might see the range and variety of learning that takes place throughout the borough. As you will see age and background are no barrier to successful learning. Music for the occasion was provided by Sandwell’s own School’s Youth Music. The Master of Ceremonies was BBC’s Michael Collie and entertainment was from local comedian and playwright Malcolm Stent. The celebrations took place in the Platinum Suite at The Hawthorns. A truly local event celebrating local successes