Training Page

The Sobriety project aims to provide an informal environment using the waterways and the Museum collection as a resource to break down barriers and encourage learning for disadvantaged people. The project is affiliated with Sheffield Hallam University to deliver Open College Network credits and also affiliated with the National Community Boats Association to deliver boat handling courses.
Click here for NCBA information

All students are fully integrated and unaware of labels and categories which boosts confidence, offers anonymity and breaks down traditional learning and socialising barriers.

The training has to be funded mainly from external bodies and means that courses and training are dependant on the success of finding suitable funding from Charitable Trusts and Government sources. This means that not all training is sustainable and that courses change dependant on funds.

The Yorkshire Waterways Museum has developed a blueprint for 'women only' boat handling courses which is currently funded by Learning Skills Council Humberside but finishes at the end of March 2005. It has been funded by various organisations over the past few years and new funds will be sought to continue this innovative and popular course that offers transferable and non traditional skills to women.

Waterways Work for Women
Based around the local waterways, this course aims to help women:
•Gain new skills to improve their prospects in the labour market
•Build confidence through team work
•Experience new and exciting adventures
•Meet new friends in a relaxed atmosphere
•Gain qualifications to work in what is a predominantly male orientated workforce

Who is currently eligible?

•Women from Hull and the East Riding
•Women who are unemployed or under employed.
•Women who are aged between 25 and 65 years old.
Click here to find out about this course

Other Courses currently available at the Museum are:

Work with Local Open Prisons
This work is funded by Charitable Foundations and aims to provide a dignified environment for re-settling prisoners to undertake training and purposeful volunteering. The programme is managed by a full time Prisons Works Co- ordinator who is funded by John Paul Getty Jr Trust and TheTudor Trust. The programme engages men from Moorlands Open Prison and women from Askham Grange Open Prison near York.

Building Bridges
This is funded by The Big Lottery and is a Healthy Living Centre partnership initiative.

Click here for leaflet.

The Sobriety Project is one of the partners in Building Bridges, which is part funded by New Opportunities fund under the Healthy Living Centres initiative. The network of linked projects collectively addresses issues of rural isolation, social exclusion and education, which impact negatively on the health of people living in Goole and Howdenshire.The Sobriety Project is one of the partners in Building Bridges, which is part funded by New Opportunities fund under the Healthy Living Centres initiative. The network of linked projects collectively addresses issues of rural isolation, social exclusion and education, which impact negatively on the health of people living in Goole and Howdenshire.
Click here for leaflet
Click here for Contact

British Trust For Conservation Volunteers

During 2005 The Yorkshire Waterways Museum is developing a Community garden that can be used, worked in and enjoyed by the whole community and is wheel chair accessible. The programme of work centres around a volunteering scheme to encourage training and community involvement in the creation and management of the garden, whilst enabling visitors to enjoy an open space with full accessibility. The garden will produce herbs, flowers and vegetables for the Museum Cafe and special plant sale days will also be organised throughout the year. The volunteers are trained in Practical gardening accredited by OCN and also are offered Health and Safety and First Aid courses. The garden has transformed since the scheme began and is enabling wheelchair users to participate in the garden management with wide paths and raised beds.

Volunteers

The Museum relies on volunteers for help and has a training programme in place to provide the neccesary skills. It is an enjoyable way to use up spare time, share talent and experience and to meet new friends in a friendly professional environment. Volunteers are always needed for boat skippering and crewing, the Community Garden, the Nature Trail, and for Museum Front of House help.

If you interested in finding out more about the volunteering scheme
Click here for contacts

New Deal

This programme is a Job Centre initiative aiming to engage young people who are long term unemployed and help them become more employable through training, job search skills and confidence building. Much of their work is undertaken on the Nature Trail and Community garden. They are also offered an opportunity to learn boat handling skills and undertake voluntary crewing for group visits, this provides a confidence boost towards employment.

The Nature Trail
Towpath / Canalside Nature Trail

Where is it ?
The Trail starts directly outside the Museum gates and runs eastwards through the picnic site, under the railway and along a strip of land between the Dutch River and the Aire & Calder Navigation towards Rawcliffe Bridge.

Why a nature trail here ?
The land itself was derelict for many years and had been used to dump dredgings from the canal. Abandonment has led over the years to it becoming populated by a big variety of fauna and flora. The main habitats are pond and reed bed, scrub and grassland with small areas of copse and woodland.

Where do we go ?
To see the Trail’s mixed habitats at their best follow the canal towpath up to the stone drainage culvert (about 1700 metres or roughly a mile), and return along the informal pathway to be found on the right. Also take advantage of the new viewing platform on the pond and take a loser look at a freshwater aquatic environment. Perhaps take a break at the stoned picnic area on the other side of the railway with its meadowland plants and specially planted coppice hedge.

What can we see ?
As well as an extensive range of common and not so common grasses and wild flowers such as orchids, we also have some rare and beautiful birds notably barn owls, kingfishers and reed buntings. Look out also for herons that fish the ponds. If you are very lucky you may see a great crested newt, another protected species.

During the summer months 17 species of butterfly can be seen as well as six spotted burnet moths and the dramatic cannibal moth in the grassland areas. Dragon flies and damsel flies can be seen around the pond on hot days hunting for smaller insects. There is always something interesting and exciting to be seen on the Trail whatever the season.

Why is the Trail important ?
The Trail is an outdoor classroom, an oasis of wildlife in the midst of an area that is industrialised and intensively farmed. It is a refuge for plants, birds, insects and other animals which make up a complex food chain. We can investigate the way plants and animals live together and learn how man can either damage or enhance the environment. The study of this is called ecology.

And finally…
The area is sensitive. Much time and effort goes into managing it for your enjoyment so please take your litter home and keep your dog under control and clean up after it. Don’t make too much noise.
Click here for Nature Trail Information
Click here for Nature Trail risk Assessment

Global Pathways
This is funded by Global Grants and aims to assist adults with learing difficulties and mental health issues towards employability.
The students will attend the course for a year and undertake a pick and mix menu of Open College Network Credits to include crafts and textiles, practical gardening, environmental studies, boat handling, customer care and Museum skills. The students are also able to gain a Certificate of General Skills based on attendance, personal presentation, time keeping and distance travelled. The course runs until then end of 2005 and is currently very popular. Many of the participants gain self esteem, confidence and social skills and move onto the volunteering programme.
Click here to contact us

Widening Participation
Funded by YMLAC
Click here to visit YMLAC Website

This programme runs until April 2005 and aims to increase accessibilty to the collection by non typical Museum visitors and provide them with relevant OCN credits in Customer Care, Museum Skills, Health and safety and First Aid and leads into to Museum guiding and purposeful volunteering. It has been popular with the Open Prisons, unemployed young people and volunteers referred by Boothferry CVS.

Action For Employment

The Yorkshire Waterways Museum has developed a good relationship with this Job Centre scheme aiming to get long term unemployed people over 25 years old back into work through training and work experience. The students undertake NVQ courses whilst on the programme and use the Museum as their 'real work place.' This year one of the placements was offered a staff posiiton at the Museum after a year of training and suceeded in gaining a Level 2 NVQ in Business Adminisration. Most participants move into full or part time jobs in the area. The Museum has three students on placement throughout the year and is proud of the successes that students have achieved.

.Thorne
Click here for full details of training in Thorne Click here to see Waterstart training boat in Thorne

Selby

Click here for details of training in Selby