The first festival of skills for the Marsh is coming this summer. Romney Marsh Inspires is for the whole community but with an emphasis on young people and the opportunities available to them.
It is being held at The Marsh Academy on Wednesday 20 July and is organised by Folkestone & Hythe District Council, The Romney Marsh Partnership and The Education People.
A range of training and careers' providers will be present, along with "local champions" who have helped shape the area. There will be workshops, interactive activity and talks from organisations including the NHS, South Kent Ambulance Service, Digital Kent, South Kent Mind, KentChoices and Screen South.
Social Enterprise Kent will be delivering short informative workshops on CVs and transferable skills, interview preparation and top tips, and quality, diversity and overcoming challenges. There will be hands-on experience of CPR and resuscitation with a 'Resusci Annie' mannequin.
FHDC Cabinet Member for Economic Development Cllr David Wimble said: "We hope that by attending the event, people of all ages from the Romney Marsh will be able to learn about different career opportunities, how to grow and develop their skills and how to access support to achieve their ambitions."
Leader Cllr David Monk said: "The Romney Marsh is a of great importance to our district: it is a vibrant place to live, work and visit and in many ways, quite unique. Parts of the community really suffered from social isolation during the pandemic and Romney Marsh Inspires forms part of the post-COVID recovery."
RMP Chair Cllr Patricia Rolfe said: "As part of its remit, The Romney Marsh Partnership has been working to improve opportunities for skills' development for people of all ages living and working on the Marsh. This event is a stepping stone towards a longer term aim to develop a dedicated skills centre for the area to encourage the principle of 'learning for life'."
Victoria Lawrence, of The Education People, said: "We are really excited to be organising this event in partnership with so many great organisations. Skills development is so important and we are keen to showcase the variety of opportunities out there, as well as the great support services available. We are hoping this event will bring fun and informative experiences to all involved."
Romney Marsh Inspires runs from 3.30pm to 5.30pm and although it is free, anyone wishing to attend is asked to register here: https://bit.ly/3xx7PTz.
The Romney Marsh Partnership (RMP) was formed to develop and lead the delivery of a Romney Marsh Socio-Economic Plan. This is an economic strategy targeted at mitigating the negative consequences of the defueling and decommissioning of the local nuclear power stations (Dungeness A and B), and in recognition of the area's historic economic reliance on the nuclear sector.
The Education People is a one-stop shop for education services, supporting the full age range from early years to young adults. Its mission is to support early years and childcare settings, schools and colleges, to improve learning, wellbeing and children's development in Kent and beyond.
Social Enterprise Kent has been working for more than 35 years to improve lives and support the communities of Kent. As a Community Interest Company (CIC) everything it does is aimed at maximising positive social impact through employability support, social prescribing, social enterprise support and a comprehensive range of training courses.
Date published: 30 June 2022