We’ve listened

We’ve listened to the wishes of our parents and carers and from Term 3 our 3+ Learning Program will be running for 5 hours, from 8:30am to 1:30pm.

As part of the change we have also decided to combine the snack and lunch time so that it will be at 11:00am.

The new fee will be $45.00 / $27.00 concession

Any queries, please see our Childcare Coordinator

Congratulations

The results are in and we can now announce the winner of the FREE Party Hire from our OCC Review Survey

Thank you to everyone who completed the survey – your feedback has been invaluable and will help us with planning the future of our Children’s Services programs.  Of the survey respondents, we are pleased to announce that Loretta B is the winner of the free Party Hire – she has been notified and is looking forward to organising her next party at Richmond Community Learning Centre.

Online bookings for parties at RCLC now available

Did you know that you can now book your party yourself using our new online bookings system?  Check out what dates and times are available, book your timeslot and make payment to confirm your booking. Visit our website and click on the Book Now button on our Home page.

Setting a new course

While we’re on the topic of new systems, how about new programs and activities?  We’re currently developing an ACFE-funded iPad course which is particularly suited to beginners.  You might have heard about the new technology, haven’t bought one (yet) and want to find out more about it.  Is it really worth getting one?  Alternatively you might have bought an iPad/tablet but need to know about how to work with it for your home or job.  Either way, you will be learning on our iPads and use what you have learned to practice on your own iPad/tablet at home after class (if you have one).  More information will be posted on our website.  Contact us to register your interest.

See our website for other programs such as the Computer Confidence Group and Iyengar Yoga classes.

When there’s not enough room to swing a …

Apart from our popular party hires, our centre also has rooms available to hire for non-social purposes.  You might be a community group, non-profit organisation, or business needing some space for a meeting, discussion group, class, workshop, presentation, demonstration, etc.  We’ve had hirers put on art classes for adults and children, children’s dance programs, social and support groups, AGMs, exercise and well-being classes and much more.  There is such an amazing pool of talent out there looking for affordable space to share what they do and know in their local community.

Parents and carers, we know that it is sometimes difficult to catch up in each other’s homes or at a local cafe so why not meet at a neutral location in your own neighbourhood?  We have rooms and a large child-friendly playground for you to enjoy with your precious little ones and other mums, dads, grandparents, nannies and more.

If your program or activity is open to the general public we can offer you free advertising on our website and other marketing streams for the duration of your hire.

Please get in touch to book a non-social hire and have a tour of our facilities.

Working with children …and loving it

For the last five weeks, eight women from various backgrounds and with varying levels of English have been undertaking our Working with Children course and having a taste of what it is like to work in childcare.

This morning the women worked with Lyndley, our ESL trainer, to prepare craft materials for occasional childcare’s art activities.  There was paper cutting, tearing of tissue paper, rolling paper into little balls, many-hued ribbons and foam shapes to excite the imagination of a child of any age.

Since starting the course in late July, the women have learned an immense amount including the importance of free play and letting children make their own choices.  They have understood that childcare is a profession involving the development of children’s physical, mental and emotional abilities and not “it’s just childminding” as some of them had been led to believe by family and friends.

Our Children’s Services staff have been impressed by their work ethic, care and enthusiasm for the well-being of the children at our centre.  As this post is being written, the women are busy updating their class blogs with their thoughts about their work experience at the centre and about what they learned with Lyndley this morning.  As an IT professional, it is satisfying to be able to use information and communications technology as an instrument for growing a human being’s confidence and capabilities.

Learning about blogs

Have got a number of eager eyes looking on as we create a brand new blog post in our Computer Applications class – great way to communicate with each other.  What do you think?

The human story

As we head into the Christmas season, our thoughts especially turn to each other at this time – we seek to spend hours or days together and perhaps share a meal or two.  This is a part of our human story.

In our recently finished Digital Storytelling class, we had seven adult learners spend the last five weeks together developing a story from a memory and/or imagination.  Some stories perhaps need more work but these just show how the human story is as varied as the people from all walks of life that enter through the doors of Richmond Community Learning Centre.  Using information technology in a classroom setting has enabled them to produce a range of tales – and they are rightly proud of their efforts.

We hope that you will enjoy the fruits of their labours by downloading our Digital Storybook.

Everyone has a story to tell and yours is just as important – so please let us know what you think of our storybook and perhaps share a story too.

First steps to learn and walk

Step 1: Learn

Our open day for the 3+ Learning Program went very well – thanks to those parents/carers and their terrific children who enjoyed the day at our centre.  A reminder that our inaugural 3+ Learning Program session starts today (ie Monday 30 May 2011), 12:45pm – 3:45pm, with a small number of vacancies currently available.  Remember, if you’d like your 3-year-old+ child to join, get in touch right now.  We’ve already had a number of parents/carers add their younger child to our 3+ Learning Program waiting list.  If your child is under 3 years old get him/her into the queue of this popular program by downloading and completing our waiting list form.

Step 2: Walk

Pram pushers, take to the streets of Richmond!

Get fit and make friends in the RCLC Pram Walking Group on Fridays 9:00am – 10:00am starting Friday 03 June.  It’s FREE – just meet here at the Richmond Community Learning Centre by 9:00am.  You can have a cuppa before or after your walk in comfy indoor space.  You and your child(ren) then have the option of joining our low-cost playgroup for some play time from 10:00am – 12:00pm.

We are happy to provide a warm, welcoming place for pram walkers to meet up – all that we ask is that group members decide where they would like to go together on their pram walk. Going by the friendliness of the mums, dads and carers we have coming to our occasional care and playgroups now, this should be lots of fun.

A walk around Richmond with your bub snuggled up in your pram, chatting with other parents/carers and all the while helping yourself and each other get fitter.  Sounds like a great social and green thing to do on a Friday morning.  So, what’s stopping you?

See RCLC Pram Walking Group for more details.

Bringing healthy families together

We’d love to get a couple of groups going to help bring parents/carers and children even closer together in a happy and healthy environment.  Get in touch if you’re interested. 

Dads’ Playgroup

The father-child bond is important to a child’s development and a playgroup is also great for new or experienced dads to share tips with each other.

Image source: Daughter Playing With Dad by Vera Kratochvil

 

Pram Walking Group

Be fit, healthy and happy with your little one enjoying the view and meet other local parents/carers. It’s time to take to the streets pram pushers!

Image source: Fraternal Twins by Peter Griffin

Don’t Worry You Won’t Harm the Computer

Found this article (Don’t Worry You Won’t Harm The Computer) while scanning through the plethora of sites online (mind-boggling, isn’t it?) and found this one about computer newbies.  (Remember when we all started out with the computer?)  For some of us that may not have been so long ago.

Our Computers Made  Easy course got booked out today and we have nine eager students from all generations, many getting their first taste of the tech-world.  In some cases, they have taught themselves how to do a few small tasks on the computer – watching over the shoulder of one of their kin, or having a play on the computer themselves and making lots of mistakes – great!

DIY computer training is OK for more advanced computer users but for beginners it’s always nice to know that there are fellow classmates and a great teacher onhand who can teach you to say: “Now I understand WHY I am doing what I am doing”.

And yes, you will also learn that you won’t be harming the computer.

Our next Computers Made Easy course runs in Semester 2 – if you know someone who is scared they might hurt their computer (and their pride), get them to come down to our centre to banish their fears once and for all.

The wisdom years of a woman

Detail from Welcome banner made by WOW group

When the prospect came up at my attending a group such as the Women of Wisdom (WOW), I first shunned it as I am a loner.  However, having finally plucked up the courage to travel from Fitzroy to Richmond, I have found that over the years I have come to know a very committed group of ladies who are always ready to welcome new women into the group.  I will admit that before attending the group, I was worried at not being able to make anything well but I see now that the creative skills and knowledge I had long forgotten in my life have been revived once more. 

The ladies in the group are very friendly and they are a mixed bag: some are from Europe, some are Australian-born and there is a wide range of ages. The great thing is that everyone shares their ideas and you do not have to worry about your level of skills at making things because you will always have someone there to help you and teach you something new.  There is nothing like a handmade item to give to another person – family member, friend, whatever!

When you come to the group you will receive afternoon tea or coffee and if you are good at making cakes or biscuits, you can bring these in to share.  Some of us sometimes just buy a little something sweet or savoury from the shops – it’s still great to eat!  You are not obliged to bring anything to eat, of course.

I would really recommend to anyone thinking about coming to a group like the Women of Wisdom, to pop in on a Friday afternoon.  It’s on between 1:30pm and 3:30pm – come and have a try.  You will find laughter, friendship, learn new things and, like me, brush up on skills I had forgotten about!

Kathryn O
Long-time WOW participant

Business & computer training anyone?

We’ve got some great courses and workshops coming up – one of them starting this week!  Check out our Business & Information Technology page for more info and register now so you or someone you know doesn’t miss out.

Alli Price of Motivating Mum will be conducting two workshops:

18 Feb: Brainstorm in a Teacup
31 Mar: Twitter Workshop

Our very own computer trainer, Richard, will be capably conducting his next computer course:

28 Feb: Computers Made Easy

If you know someone who you’d like to connect with on the computer but they don’t know how, talk to them about coming to this course.  By the end of it they will have great computer skills and made a few more friends along the way.