Free University Course: Taking Part – Course for People interested in standing for council

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Working together to make a difference

Do you want to take part in your community and work with other people to make a difference?

Do you think there are things that need to change for the better?
Are you keen to make a difference?

Taking Part is a course that can help you do this.

It will be held at a centre in the community and at Staffordshire University.
Taking Part will support you to:

· understand ways to work with other people to create positive change in your community or neighbourhood,
· think about your values,
· look at the strengths and problems of community.

On the course we will:

· talk together about communities and community issues,
· learn from each other,
· practice skills for community work.

Taking Part will run from 10am til 3pm
You need to come on all the days.

The dates are:
Tuesday 12th January
Monday 18th January
Monday 1st February
Monday 8th February
Monday 1st March

You will think about your skills and your learning.
At the end of the course:

· you will be able to plan a community project on a local issue.
· You will make a short presentation on a project of your choice.

You could get a University qualification if you do the course.
You do not need any qualifications to apply to do Taking Part.
We will support you with your learning.

Taking Part is FREE.
The course will be run by John Pierson and Janet Gittins from Staffordshire University.

How many people will be on the course?
There are places for 25 people on the course.

For more information contact:

Penny Vincent 01782 294540 or e-mail p.e.vincent@staffs.ac.uk

Have Your Say

  • Ali

    This sounds like a really interesting course, and one which I would have liked to attend. Unfortunately I work Monday-Friday and can’t afford to take a week’s holiday to use for attendance at this course.

    It is a pity because it sort of excludes working people from doing it.

    Is there any way another course could be run later in the year, on Saturdays, or breaking the daily sessions across more evenings?

    We really need more people to get involved in running this city and its communities, and courses like this can only help people to realise that they have the skills and qualities needed, with a bit of help and support from the people running the course. Unfortunately, working people just won’t get a chance to attend unless courses can be run outside of weekdays.

    But I would encourage anyone who can attend to do so!

  • Craig Pond

    Staffs Uni?
    Home of Assed Baig, the student union president that
    linked to published list of BNP members, and Dr Christine King, head of Common Purpose in Stoke-on-Trent.
    We don’t need those interested in standing, undergoing PC liberal indoctrination, thanks all the same.

  • Tony Walley

    Craig,

    Why is everything a conspiracy in your eyes? Sad, really really sad…..

  • Mick Williams

    Correction Tony – the adjectives ‘left-wing’, ‘commie’ and/or ‘scumbag’ usually precede any noun in Craig’s lexicon.

  • Craig Pond

    I never mentioned conspiracy Tony, and would you kindly point out what I’ve said that is factually incorrect?

  • bernard

    Why are my posts not being allowed through? I am doing nothing but speak the truth.

  • Tony Walley

    Bern,

    We have no issue with your posts. You need to go through the sign up procedure so that your posts will go straight onto the site. If you post as a guest it will take some minutes to appear onto the site :)

  • Adam Colclough

    Far from, as some people have suggested, being a means of indoctrinating prospective candidates it might just be a way of giving the people who represent us in the council chamber the skills and confidence they need to hold the unelected officers who have been running this city unchallenged to account.

    The only problem is the scheduling, few people can afford to lose earnings by attending activities run during the daytime, something I’m sure the organisers are only too well aware can also be a major barrier when it comes to being politically active.

    Timing aside this is still counts as an important step towards improving political engagement.

  • David Jack

    Or real candidates with real mandates can undertake their own party training courses, this course is nothing more than a fudge and a cop out. It is only atractive to those seeking to avoid gainful employment or real skills. The chamber is full of societies avoiders as it were.

    Any elected member should be given the support and training required to undertake their roles, this is a prerequist of the representation of the peoples act.

    There is fundementally nothing wrong with the majority of elected members, but rsather the system they serve under in which the officers dictate and the members follow.

    For once i have to agree with Craig and state that this is nothing more than left wing think tanks trying to caalm, passify and subdue the active masses.

    Just like all three main parties, people from outside have come into stoke to try and manage us and mind map our futures and take away what little democratic rights we have.

  • Shaun Bennett

    I have to say, I actually agree with David Jack on this one. Sounds like a blatant gimmick to me. The course won’t train people to be effective councillors, that is provided by the authority after they are elected. Neither will the course be any advantage when the public come to make the decision on polling day.

    I won’t go so far as David in saying that it is a complete waste of time. I myself took a politics undergraduate course from Staffs university, and a very very happy time it was too. Anyone who is interested in politics and who thinks it is interesting should by all means take part.

    But personally, I would prefer Staffs University to reverse the very damaging cuts to the politics department that were being enacted during my final year there and offer proper, full politics course’s like that which I enjoyed several years ago.

  • Lotto

    Hang on just what’s going on here David. Free training is on offer from one of our local universities, in the form of a short part time course, which I suppose would retail at about £250 per student under normal circumstances. Great! so what’s the problem?

    I’ve read the prospectus issued by the University”¦there’s no mention of “Ëœmind mapping’ or “Ëœleft wing think tanks’ ..just an opportunity to go along and broaden your knowledge base. The opportunities for further learning should quite rightly be open to all. How individuals interpret and make use of the knowledge gained should continue to be left to the individuals concerned.

    Your conclusions that these sort of course will only be attractive “to those seeking to avoid gainful employment or real skills” illustrate a unsavoury contempt on your part for folks who presumably don’t share your own ideas on life. May I suggest that other folks may consider that the course on offer is best suited to those who simply have a genuine interest in the betterment their local community. Granted these folks may not presently be gainful employment (whatever that means in your vocabulary!) or professionally qualified , but it could be that the absence of these and similar attributes could be the very reason why these folks are best suited to identify themselves with the community and help propagate a culture of self help that has been so sadly lacking in the past.

    Without the opportunities for self betterment, of the sort presently being offered we could all find ourselves “Ëœslaves’ to the sort of society you describe in your last paragraph. So, for a moment anyway just put down your political pen and accept this offer of free education and put your trust in the folks of Stoke to interpret for themselves what is actually on offer here, and how it can best be used to better their own community..

  • terry turbo

    Further understanding of the workings of the council would be a definate advantage, but the first thing thats got to happen before councillors take their seats is that the power is taken back from the “officers of the council”, and I’m afraid thats not going to happen.

  • Shaun Bennett

    I agree with you Terry. My view from then margins of Conservative council politics has always been that councillors are far too deferential of officers. Quite often, they seem to ‘go native’ once elected and settle into the cosy relationship of governing officers and scrutinising councillors. Too often, councillors seem to think that ‘well it must be true’ because the officers have told them that something is impossible, or something must be done or that there is absolutely no choice on the matter, or that the city will collapse within 24 hours if their advice is not followed to the letter.

    So far as I have always been concerned, officers are no different to the regular Westminster civil service. Yes Minister should be compulsory viewing for all those who seek election to the council. Officers have an agenda of their own and, more often than not it, is not the same as the agenda of the city interest or of the voters.

    As Terry says, we need a fundamental shift of power and authority from officers to councillors. Unfortunately, that depends on the people elected as councillors-and they are always going to be in a less secure and less informed position than officers. As Terry says, what needs to be done will probably never happen.

  • Nicky Davis

    This just further highlights the issue with being a councillor.

    Ali, I totally agree, It’s not possible for many of us to go on this course because we’re working. That’s also why we can’t stand as councillors, because we can’t fit it in with work. I know I’d stand as an independent if I weren’t working. I know others with the same issue.

    I’d go on this course if I weren’t working. Craig “undergoing PC liberal indoctrination”, it may or may not involve an attempt at that, I don’t know. But the point is people could be credited with more strength of character, many people aren’t going to just do exactly what they’re told. There may be bits of the course that are useful. And if other bits are claptrap than there is always the chance to argue the case, put the cat amongst the pigeons and maybe even have a bit of fun with that. You should go Craig, make it lively!

    Lotto “How individuals interpret and make use of the knowledge gained should continue to be left to the individuals concerned.” Exactly, take the useful bits from it, reject any bits that aren’t.

    David “Any elected member should be given the support and training required to undertake their roles, this is a prerequist of the representation of the peoples act.” I agree with that, any course like this shouldn’t be a replacement for that but I don’t think it’s intended to be.

  • Bill Cawley

    My experience of two different authorities at the beginning of the 80s and at the end of the 90s- I was elected to Stoke in 82 and Staffordshire in 97- was that there was probably more talent in the 80s then a decade later on.

    I think that the blame can be pinned on the Tory Government Local Government Act that followed the Widdecombe Report of the late 80s which implemented the politically restricted post. Many able Councillors could not stand again because they fell under the ambit of the legislation and consequently local government suffered.

    I also think that the loss of “localism” over the resultant time has also a contributory effect

  • Pooter

    I have to agree with Nicky on this, I think it’s a great idea.

    Learning all about Local Government eh? Could we start off an appeal here so that bus fares might be paid so that our present Councillors might attend?

  • Ian Norris

    I attended “Participatory Approaches in Action conference” in June and very good it was too community workers and groups from all over giving feedback or various projects and involving communities in THEIR community future and WHAT they want also looking at setting up a national community networks.

    check out http://www.ppfc-uk.net/who.shtml

    also used 9 days holiday to attend degree course, which was most interesting

    Warren If your fit enough try attend if not ask to go on mailing list for future events

    in fact everyone try make time and attend

  • Pooter

    Ian, thanks for the info.

    If true – that you gave 9 days of your holiday up – hang on, (holi?) SORRY,SORRY!

    Ian I’m not trying to get you the sack by pointing out to our Labour and Muslim friends that quite, we’re sure, unintended racialist Christian obscenity! Just please don’t blow him up any one?

    I’ll Start again. Taking time out (Yeo!) of Your ‘Vacation Time’ to attend then pi*s taking apart, I take my hat off to you.