Amanda Stark is just one of the many learners with Building Futures East who is reaping the benefits of our courses. Amanda has recently completed her NCFE Level 1 for IT Users qualification and has already put her new found digital skills into action. Amanda explains…

‘In my spare time I am a volunteer secretary for my local community. We are a non-profit organisation who raise funds in various ways to develop and improve our community. For the last six years I have been responsible for the paperwork, creating newsletters and leaflets etc.  Before I completed this course I had very few computer skills which limited me to basic tools on Word. My previous newsletters have always been very basic but now I can create much better designs and more interesting letters and leaflets using a variety of new skills which I have developed during this course.’

It isn’t just the community organisation that have benefited from Amanda’s new skills either. At home she is also feeling a lot more confident:

‘This course has been very beneficial for me, not just for my career prospects and community work, but also with my children. In the past I had avoided homework tasks with my kids because I didn’t feel that I had the confidence or the skills needed to help them. Even using the Internet to carry out a basic search was a task I found quite difficult.  But lately, I have been showing them skills that I have learnt on my course which is having a positive ‘snowball effect’ on different parts of my life.’

The course is just one of the many Building Futures East is running in partnership with local Sure Start Centres. Amanda’s Level 1 IT course ran from the Ouseburn Community Centre and she is now looking forward to progressing even further.

‘I can’t wait to start my upcoming level 2 course. My tutor was very patient and approachable. The relaxed informal learning environment has made learning easier; I believe this is because you feel more at ease when asking for help. Also one of the most important elements of the past 9 weeks has been the childcare that has allowed me the time to attend the course. Without the childcare I would not have been able to complete this course. Thank you Building Futures East!’