An innovative training programme set up through a partnership of Bolton housing and education providers is to be recognised at a prestigious awards ceremony in London.
The programme, Bolton Employer-Led Regeneration Training Initiative, has been shortlisted for the Homes and Communities Academy Awards – Skills for Better Places. Team members who launched the programme will join other finalists at the Roundhouse in London, on 4 June 2009, where the winners are to be announced in front of an audience that includes key figures from Government and public, private and voluntary sectors.
The launch team of representatives from Bolton at Home, the University of Bolton, St Vincent's Housing Association and Bolton Community College, set up the training programme in September 2007. It was created to give workers, residents and volunteers involved in regeneration a better understanding of the key issues in the field of sustainability and regeneration and to complement in-house training.
With support from the Greater Manchester Strategic Alliance (GMSA) and accredited learning provided by the University of Bolton, Bolton at Home workers and residents successfully completed the first Introduction to Regeneration course in May 2008.
Following its initial success, the course intake has been extended and current students include workers and volunteers from Bolton Council, New East Manchester Limited and Rochdale Development Agency Group as well as staff and volunteers from Bolton at Home.
Dr Margaret Nelson, Reader in the Built Environment at the University of Bolton, said: 'This programme is unique in the way the employer, Bolton at Home, has led the development of the training programme in close partnership with the University. The result is a collaborative approach which gives students a broader understanding of regeneration and sustainable development and can form the basis for further studies and career development.'
Gwen Crawford, Director of Housing Regeneration at Bolton at Home, added: 'Bolton at Home is delighted to be involved in this programme. For regeneration to be successful, it is essential that we work alongside a range of partners from different sectors, and this programme will help us to do this more effectively."
All the Awards finalists are to have their projects included in the Homes and Communities Best Practice Guide. They will also be given a special logo for use on letterheads, website and other marketing materials.
Pictured: Students of the first Introduction to Regeneration celebrate their success