Posted: 25/10/10
College's calendar girls launch their new year
West Nottinghamshire College adult learners will be proudly launching their own charity fundraising calendar this week.
The group of 25 ladies who all attended the 10-week confidence building course at Kirkby-in-Ashfield’s Diamond Centre (previously Ashfield Women’s Centre) embarked on a project designed to improve their self-esteem as well as raising vital funds for a local charity – North Nottinghamshire Independent Domestic Abuse Services (NNIDAS).
The Women in Work (WOW) pilot course was funded by Nottinghamshire County Council’s Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS) worklessness fund, which provided the college with an opportunity to trial a new and innovative programme to give local women the self-esteem and skills required to put together a career action plan.
To make it a realistic, confidence-boosting project, the group set about organising their own photo shoot, going on location and arranging their own costumes and props to depict seasonal images. The group also developed marketing and finance skills.
The calendar, which is being launched at the NNIDAS annual general meeting on Wednesday (27 October), shows the newly-confident ladies depicted as bathing belles in August, dressed as spooky Halloween witches for October and getting festive on a nativity set for December.
NVQ Level 3 hairdressing and beauty therapy students also met with the ladies to offer new trend-setting styles and tips on hair and make-up.
Team leader for community education at the college, Lynne Linacre, said: “This group has really made me and their tutor Nigel very proud. They’ve all achieved in ways they admit they never thought possible and I believe nothing evidences this better than the feedback from The Diamond Centre staff who report that the women have a much greater sense of their own personal worth.
“Little did they know that they’d have such fun putting this calendar together, which brought them closer as a group, revealed new confidence and has opened new doors for them. One learner has gone on to run and organise a support group at The Diamond Centre; another has secured a part-time job and another lady feels motivated enough to apply for new jobs and attend interviews and feels hopeful of securing a new job soon.”
The printing of the calendar was paid for and edited by the college’s marketing team and will be on sale in local shops and through the college for £5 each. For further information about where to purchase the calendar, contact The Diamond Centre on 01623 473010.
