Study Centre shut?

[DSBlue72]

I noticed an article of late in the EM about the centre with kids receiving certificates and the like and I hear at the Carlisle game it is due to close. Any one know owt about it? Shame if true.

[tictactoe]

It is shutting and opening under a new name but same ladies running it over at the old walney community centre I believe. Also Neil Doherty is taking his Inside Out office there. Don't know if the club receive any rent off Neil at the moment but they will be losing it if they do.

I think the above is common knowledge now so hope I am not disclosing anything I shouldn't be

[Andy]

That is sad as the whole point of the original study centre was to get disillusioned kid into work via the football. Now it is just another computer centre with no unique selling point. Kids loved it was at Holker st.

[beyond]

I would like to thank Gill Jepson for all the hard work she and her team put into the Center. It was really one of the finest initiatives the previous Goverment introduced - as it worked. I know Gill worked tirelessly to attract funding and this allowed the Center to keep operating even though on a reduced scale. A shame it has left the club but, the concept will still exist in the form of 'New Hoizons Education Ltd.' run by Gill. I hope she achieves the success she deserves.

[tictactoe]

fully agree beyond, not knocking Gill or her staff at all, they do a great job. Long may they succeed in their new venture.

[DSBlue72]

It is shutting and opening under a new name but same ladies running it over at the old walney community centre I believe. Also Neil Doherty is taking his Inside Out office there. Don't know if the club receive any rent off Neil at the moment but they will be losing it if they do.

I think the above is common knowledge now so hope I am not disclosing anything I shouldn't be

Thanks for the reply.


Could this have not come from the club? It is called the Bluebird's Study Centre after all......

Thanks Jill for all you have done.

[gilljep]

Please can I halt any speculation in its tracks. As far as I know Bluebirds Study Centre is NOT closing and will continue to thrive and develop-at least that is what I hope. I am indeed leaving the centre and I have set up a new educational company with my colleague Lynette Ewing. We have left amicably and because we felt it was time to move on. Playing for Success unfortunately ceased due to government cutbacks and we, with the club's assistance continued in a small scale. However, the concept of working with children in a football setting is still an exciting and viable one-but there is scant funding and will require a lot of energy and expertise to enable it to continue. There are many young, energetic teachers out there and the Steering Group are very keen and supportive so I am sure that eventually things will improve.

I am flattered at the comments and good wishes -can I clarify however we will not be offering a PFS style scheme. We are principally starting with adult learning and training and will also develop recreational courses. We can never be in competition with the club education initiative because it still does have a unique selling point and still could, with the correct funding do a useful job helping pupils at risk of under achievement. It will just not be with me at the helm.

The decision to go has been a long thought out one and much soul searching has been done. However, the opportunity arose for us to use the Walney Centre and we are pleased to do so. I will miss the club and the initiative, but it is time after 4 years to let go and reinvent myself.

I would like to thank Rob Cairns, Keith Allen and the rest of the Steering Group for their support this year and for local Headteachers who have tried to support us-including Pat Tumelty at St Pius,Caroline Vernon at Victoria, Margaret McCulloch at St Pauls and Kate Waplington at Holy Family...among others.

I wish the club well in their future plans and would like to thank everyone who helped us over the last few years. PFS was the best job I ever had and I will always remember my time at Barrow AFC with fondness.
Gill Jepson

[Andy]

Thanks for that Gill. And everything you said is very true about the unique selling point of the Centre. I wish you well in your new job and thanks for all your efforts before.

[optomisticsupporter]

Gill, It is a very gracious account of your involvement in the running of the centre but technically without staff it is closed, we know you have had difficulties since the present governments removal of funding, a scheme the labour government were very proud of and rightly so, but we also know the directors of the club have not always behaved in a way that was helpful, good luck in your future scheme.