Free IT lessons and after-school clubs are set to be rolled out in Beaumont Leys over the coming months after a former housing office is transformed into a centre for education and community.
DMU students Rakesh Modhvadiya and Jas Shota, who study Information and Communication Technology BSc (Hons) joined Cooke e-learning as IT Technicians
De Montfort University Leicester (DMU)'s #DMUlocal team have teamed up with The Cooke E-Learning Foundation to run dozens of free projects to help residents come together and learn new skills.
The Foundation has secured the lease for the offices at Home Farm for the next five years, and is already looking to use DMU students’ skills and expertise to have a positive impact in the area.
Martin Buchanan, CEO of Cooke E-Learning, said: “This centre is right where we want to be, bringing us back to our original roots and helping those who need it the most. We have a lot of work to do at Home Farm and we hope to gain the trust and support of local residents to make the area a better place to live and help people to empower themselves through education.”
Cooke E-Learning has been in Beaumont Leys for more than 10 years but began working with DMU last year, when student volunteers helped a youth club remain open through #DMUlocal, the university’s community outreach initiative.
Following Leicester City Council’s relocation of housing services to a nearby library, Home Farm will become a hub of #DMUlocal activity, ensuring everyone in Beaumont Leys can benefit from dozens of projects to support education, health and regeneration.
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People will also have the opportunity to put forward their own ideas for new projects and receive support from The Cooke E-Learning Foundation.
Martin continued: “Beaumont Leys needs more community-minded people to help stand up for the rights of local residents and to develop services that are not currently available or may be shortly unavailable. If there are people in Beaumont Leys that have ideas about setting up their own group please get in touch and we will do our best to get you on the right path.”
#DMUlocal works with hard-to-reach communities across Leicester with more than 2,700 volunteering opportunities taking place each year.
Sam Wright, Public Engagement Officer at #DMUlocal, said: “Working with The Cooke E-Learning Foundation at Home Farm gives our student volunteers a fantastic opportunity to make a difference in the community in Beaumont Leys. Established projects around IT, education and more will give both young people and adults new ways to develop skills and share ideas to benefit the area.”
For more information about Cooke E-Learning and Home Farm, contact Martin on 0116 2128491.
Posted on Friday 8 September 2017