Special needs groups receive £30,000 award
By Rachael Doeg on Thursday, 10th May 2001.
A HAVERHILL charity which helps pupils with special educational needs has received £30,000 from the Department of Education and Employment.
The funding is part of a £4 million package to support organisations helping pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and their families.
The £30,000 grant was applied for by the Haverhill Advocacy and Mentoring Service, a partnership made up of different voluntary groups and statutory bodies in Haverhill.
Along with schools, the groups include Community Education, the Haverhill and District Volunteer Centre, NCH Family Centre, the Haverhill Schools Initiative, Social Services and Suffolk Constabulary.
Members of the mentoring service are delighted to have received the full amount requested by the charity.
Steve Watts, director of the Haverhill Schools Initiative, said: "I'm tremendously excited about the award, and I think it's great how much value the Government attach to projects such as ours.
"I believe our project will now benefit significant numbers of pupils from Haverhill."
He added he was "thrilled" the Haverhill Advocacy and Mentoring Service was mentioned in a speech in the House of Commons by Schools Minister Jacqui Smith to illustrate what was being done to cater for pupils with special educational needs.
The money will go towards employing a project co-ordinator for the advocacy and mentoring service, who will support parents and volunteers working with pupils.
Volunteers are currently being sought to act as mentors for children with SEN for extra support.
The aim is to be someone the children can talk to freely and be at ease with about their problems and aspirations, and who will be able to offer encouragement on the importance of learning.
Anyone interested in spending one hour every two weeks as a mentor should contact the Haverhill and District Volunteer Centre on (01440) 708444.
The £30,000 grant was awarded from the DfEE's SEN Small Programmes Fund.
The funding is part of a £4 million package to support organisations helping pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and their families.
The £30,000 grant was applied for by the Haverhill Advocacy and Mentoring Service, a partnership made up of different voluntary groups and statutory bodies in Haverhill.
Along with schools, the groups include Community Education, the Haverhill and District Volunteer Centre, NCH Family Centre, the Haverhill Schools Initiative, Social Services and Suffolk Constabulary.
Members of the mentoring service are delighted to have received the full amount requested by the charity.
Steve Watts, director of the Haverhill Schools Initiative, said: "I'm tremendously excited about the award, and I think it's great how much value the Government attach to projects such as ours.
"I believe our project will now benefit significant numbers of pupils from Haverhill."
He added he was "thrilled" the Haverhill Advocacy and Mentoring Service was mentioned in a speech in the House of Commons by Schools Minister Jacqui Smith to illustrate what was being done to cater for pupils with special educational needs.
The money will go towards employing a project co-ordinator for the advocacy and mentoring service, who will support parents and volunteers working with pupils.
Volunteers are currently being sought to act as mentors for children with SEN for extra support.
The aim is to be someone the children can talk to freely and be at ease with about their problems and aspirations, and who will be able to offer encouragement on the importance of learning.
Anyone interested in spending one hour every two weeks as a mentor should contact the Haverhill and District Volunteer Centre on (01440) 708444.
The £30,000 grant was awarded from the DfEE's SEN Small Programmes Fund.
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