Homework club is highly commended

A VOLUNTEER group which helps children with physical and learning difficulties with their homework has been highly commended in the national Inspire! awards.

The Vale Parent and Child Homework and Support Club was set up in 2012 and provides a weekly homework club for children with multiple physical and learning difficulties.

In five years it has grown from just two children to more than 100 with a team of volunteers offering a series of pioneering support services for families as well as additional qualifications for the children and young people who attend.

The project works with Adult Community Learning to offer courses including craft confidence, stress management, counselling, customer service, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, ICT and money awareness.

Founder Catherine Watkins said, “When I first launched the club I never imagined that it would grow so quickly and have such an impact on the lives of so many people.

“I am so proud of what we have achieved to date and it’s so great to watch some of our members really flourish and become determined to go on to make a success of themselves and accomplish their dreams.”

Some younger learners have left school with few formal qualifications but through the project have achieved vocational qualifications and take part in volunteering.

“Through this they have also been encouraged to join an essentials skills course and improve their English and maths,” she said.

Many of those involved in the project have gone on to further education and training with the project’s partnerships with Cardiff Metropolitan University and the Open University resulting in 17 people currently completing degree courses including law, psychology and maths.

The project has no significant funding and depends solely on partnerships and the volunteers who strive to make learning fun for young people who would never have considered further education or training previously, the project said in a statement.