News

Young Citizen Action Group from Riverside School scoops School of the Year Award for Social Action

Riverside Secondary school is a founding member of Barking & Dagenham Citizens part of The East London Citizens Organisation (TELCO). Just before half-term, at the TELCO Annual Meeting and Awards, students from the Young Citizen Action Group (YCAG), won the School of the Year Award in recognition of three major campaigns win as part of their work with Thames Ward Community Project (TWCP) and TELCO. In the last 12 months, they’ve secured litter bins at bus stops outside Riverside School and, more recently, finally got their hands-on keys for a community garden! But that’s not all – they campaigned successfully for extra buses on routes serving their school – a win worth a whopping £1m!

Head of Riverside School, Andy Roberts said:

“These young people are the future of local and national politics. It’s great to see Riverside students getting deeply involved in local social issues; having a voice; and being listened to action change that benefits the whole community. This is a superb achievement – congratulations! – I’m delighted they have been recognised for their outstanding citizenship.”

Year 10 YCAG member, Basmala El-Kadry said:

“YCAG gave us a voice to speak out about issues that affect us and act upon them to make our community better. It forces adults to see as as a part of the community and take us seriously, since we are not just complaining, but actually taking action”.

YCAG stages successful garden keys action!

After 2 years of work the Young Citizen Action Group (YCAG) from Riverside School have managed to take possession of the keys for the community garden site next to their school from BRL after visiting their offices after school yesterday.

The students were getting impatient after numerous meetings but for so long still no results.

They prepared large banners/posters to appeal to BRL to give them the keys so that they could get their plans for the space underway, they even painted giant cardboard keys and prepared their own version of “All I want for Christmas” and were finally successful after BRL handed them the keys and thanked them for their commitment and hard work.

Job Advert: Part-Time Communications and Community Organiser Posts

Two part time jobs:

1) Thames Ward Community Organiser
2) Thames Ward Communications Manager

Riverside School, Barking and Dagenham
Salary: £10,410 (plus 17.2% pension contribution)
Location: Thames Ward, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
Duration: Initially until October 2020, part time
Start date: as soon as possible

Deadline for apllications is Friday 3rd January 2020 at 12.00 midday

Interviews are scheduled for Wednesday 15th January 2020

For further clarification contact: matt@twcp.org.uk

Please note:
Riverside School is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to the protection and safeguarding of children and young people in our recruitment procedures and in all our work across and beyond school. The school adheres to statutory guidelines in respect to safe recruitment. All persons employed by the school, in any capacity, will undergo an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, and confirmation of employment is subject to a successful outcome.

YCAG receive Citizens UK Leadership Training

Yesterday, as they do every year, members of the Young Citizen Action Group (YCAG) continued on their journey of learning about Community Organising by undertaking training covering core principles including:

How to conduct a listening campaign
How to work as a team
Understanding who has the power to change something
Recognising leadership potential in yourself and others
How to take action to achieve positive change

The students participated in a number of activities to help develop their skills as community organisers and active local citizens including role playing meeting powerful local figures to discuss issues that have surfaced in their listening campaign.

#PeoplePower #YesTheyCan #YoungPeopleAreTheFuture

TWCP receives £90,000 from Trust for London

Following successful applications for funding throughout the year to London City Airport, Near Neighbours, BRL and Laureus Foundation, TWCP has secured £90,000 for two part time worker posts (Community Organiser and Communications Manager) from Trust for London, and as a result has been able to employ two local residents, Amina and Michael, to double our staff team.

Amina joins us as a Part-Time Community Organiser leading on TWCP’s Resident Charter initiative

Welcome aboard Amina and Michael!!

Pierre promotes FREE ‘ESOL for Parents’ classes at Riverside School parents evening – 17th Oct 2019

To get the word out to local parents about his FREE English classes for parents in Thames Ward he spent the evening yesterday at Year 9 parents evening meeting local residents and letting them know about his upcoming pilot programme.

As well as being a qualified ESOL and Employability Lecturer with 15+ years experience he is also a resident of Barking Riverside and experienced many of the challenges his students face when he first arrived in the UK from Cameroon and initially struggled to find work, despite being able to speak English fluently.

There was a lot of interest from local parents wanting to sign-up with a very wide range of countries represented.

Help for residents affected by Barking Riverside Fire

Following the fire which occurred on Sunday 9th June around 3.30 pm efforts are underway to support residents, led by local people themselves alongside many different groups and agencies.
One simple way people might want to support is by donations – see this crowdfunder link below:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/help-for-families-affected-by-riverside-fire

Details from London fire brigade below:

https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/incidents/2019/june/flat-fire-barking/

Our thoughts are with all those affected and with all those who are supporting them – see further information below:
https://www.lbbd.gov.uk/barking-riverside-fire-sunday-9-june-2019

Category: News