What MFLA does!
We provide free learning opportunities at local community venues and we take free learning home to those who cannot leave home to attend classes. That means no-one gets left out of the learning journey.
We believe in lifelong learning. We also believe in equality and fairness and trying new things which is what drives our project ideas. We are constantly looking for new, radical and innovative ideas to help us 'more effectively' reach our target group, those from socially disadvantaged communities - often severely socially excluded people - with little confidence in themselves or their ability to contribute positively to this society.
Monthly Meetings
Once a month we hold a monthly meeting where our volunteers meet and discuss the group's progress and other ideas we have or would like to explore. Everyone is invited to these meetings and transport is provided free of charge, all you need to do is let us know you are coming so that we make the necessary arrangements.
We understand that many people have low confidence and do not like to participate in meetings and therefore we let everyone know that if you don’t yet feel confident to contribute but would still like to simply 'attend' please do, you are welcome – just treat the event as a regular activity for you to attend and meet with people.
Just some of our innovative projects...
Free Computers in the Community
We were the first organisation in the UK, to run a project ‘giving out’ free computers to people who could not afford one. We revised and extended this project (with European Social Fund money) by running our hugely successful PC loan scheme that lends refurbished computers to people for use in learning at home.
Our free PC Loan project helps to ensure that no-one misses out on the benefits of having a home computer, especially families with young children.
Making this new project a free loan scheme rather than just 'giving out' computers was a decision that came from our previous experience of giving out free computers: 'giving away' free computers could appear final and often appeared to our service users,like our organisation were ending our relationship with them. However, offering a free PC loan meant that our group could easily maintain contact with our service users and be continually welcomed with more of what our group had to offer.
To date, more than 100 computers have been loaned out to residents of Newport City. This project is successful and we are always looking to extend it so if you know of someone who could benefit from a free PC loan - contact us today.
Learn@Home
This programme enables those who would normally be left out of the learning journey to access free training in their own home via home study. With support from MFLA, the assisted learner will gain access to as much support we can offer with the additional support of a programme designed to better meet their learning requirements.
Volunteer Development Project (VDP)
This project was previously funded by Community Fund and thanks to them for believing in us, they really helped put us on the voluntary sector map. The VDP project was a phenomenal success that saw us squash our targets in less than a year of the project launching. To date our organisation has helped well over 500 people with courses, training and other activities.
A2L Project
On the back of the successful VDP project, 2005 saw MFLA being awarded project funding for the organisation's much awaited Access to Learning project. This new innovative programme opened MFLA and its activities up to the World Wide Web, with the history of the organisation including MFLA's story outlined using a step by step approach that invited the reader to learn all about MFLA and emulate the group’s success where possible. The meat of the project however, is in the group’s aim to over two years, provide an online database of over 100 courses available free, online and available to the World Wide Web.
A2L Consultations
MFLA are currently consulting for our Access to Learning programme. We want to hear what courses you would like to see in our online database of courses. What do you want to study or what would you like to study if we could make it available for you? Tell us, get involved and you could see your courses available online at the end of this project. Look out for consultation meetings planned for January. We always release details for the New Year activities at our end of year Community Get Together.
Partnership activities, Meetings and our Christmas Get Together
Every year MFLA get involved in all kinds of projects that increase our community profile. For example, if a new group is launching, we help out as much as we can providing advice and support wherever possible. This year, MFLA joined forces with Latent Talent Agency and Connect Africa as the two organisations launched their services in the City of Newport.
MFLA are proud to associate ourselves with other positive community groups working for the good of the Newport community and we wish Latent Talent Agency and Connect Africa every success. If you have a group and would like MFLA to facilitate your launch or a meeting, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Community Get Together
Every December MFLA hold an annual Christmas Get Together where members of the community are invited to come and meet with us at a local community venue, our way of thanking the community for their support throughout the year and to let them know what we have planned for the new year. This activity also doubles as an opportunity for us to cheer up severely disadvantaged members of the community - who if not for the efforts of our volunteers putting on such an event - feel they would not have anything to look forward to at Christmas, a time when many of us are happy and filled with festive cheer. MFLA's event for this year is confirmed as:
Maesglas Family Learning Association (MFLA) Christmas Community Get Together 2006
Date: Saturday 16th December 2006
Time: 12 noon to 2pm
Venue: Newport Leisure Centre, Kingsway, Newport City Centre
If you'd like to attend this event, give us a call on 01633 21 27 21 and we'll send you an official invitation. |
