AoC London Member's Bulletin - Issue 124

1. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin
9 November 2012 – Issue 124
Dear Colleagues
London Apprenticeships
As one of AoC London’s top priorities we are working with the National Apprenticeship
Service (NAS) and the Mayor’s office to grow and promote Apprenticeships across the capital.
Our shared focus is on:
• increasing the number of employers employing apprentices
• increasing the number of young people starting on apprenticeships
• increasing high quality apprenticeships
• increasing advanced and higher level apprenticeships
• broadening access to the Apprenticeships
AoC London Business Development Managers’ Network is advancing the cause at its meeting
on Wednesday 14 November with Apprenticeships as a key item of business. Together with
the contribution of the Marketing Committee, this will inform our action planning with NAS
and the Mayor’s Office. If Members wish to further add input and ideas please let Judith
Smyth know.
Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE): Update from NAS
You will also be aware of the recent changes to the eligibility rules for AGE – 16-24 which
enables the offer to be made to a much broader group of employers (See Apprenticeships Grant
for Employers document attached for further details).
Collaborative Working
Two AoC London Region collaborative events were held on Thursday 8 November.
An ESOL Workshop at City Hall, organised in conjunction with the GLA, JobCentrePlus (JCP)
and the Skills Funding Agency, brought a number of College ESOL managers and JCP advisers
together. The theme was “Building on best practice for supporting people into work” and
outcomes of the workshop will be included in a report by the facilitators, SHM ltd. For further
information please contact Judith Smyth.
London Councils, EFA, NATSPEC, and AoC London organised a joint event addressing the
changing policy in relation to High Need Students. The outcomes of “Funding for High Need
Students – making it work for young people in London” will inform a meeting between AoC
London and the EFA scheduled for the end of November. For further information please
contact me.
Colleges Week 2012
Colleges Week 2012 will take place from 11-18 November and this year it’s all about
employability and work readiness. It will be a little different from previous years – Colleges

2. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 9 November 2012
and stakeholders will be provided with new research, collateral and toolkits to complement and
build on existing communications and marketing plans. It will be also focus on making young
people aware of the wide range of options available to them post GCSE, and encouraging them
to get into a College and find out what it can do for them.
Have a good Colleges Week 2012!
Best wishes
Caroline Neville
CALLS FOR ACTION
Inclusive and Active 2 –Growing Inclusive Sport within Your College
Inclusive and Active 2, the five year strategy that aims to create disability equality in sport, is
turning this idea into a reality. Developed by the Greater London Authority (GLA), NHS London
and Interactive, the strategy aims to:
• Change attitudes and raise awareness of sport for disabled people
• Ensure the disability sector has a key role in promoting and delivering inclusive
opportunities
• Improve and increase inclusive activity
• Make more people active
• Increase training and employment opportunities for disabled people
• Promote disability equality in sport amongst all sectors
To achieve these aims Interactive wants to work with Colleges to create an organisation-specific
'Inclusive and Active 2' action plan, comprising of a series of targeted outcomes that will result
in disabled students being able to access sport and physical activity opportunities of their
choice at the level of their choice. By becoming one of over 80 adopted organisations you will be
given expert advice on how to develop more accessible opportunities for your disabled
students, resources and guidance on how to engage with the local disabled community, access
to a network of adopted organisations including National Governing Bodies of Sport, local
authorities, disability organisations, local sport and leisure providers and access to online
disability Equality training for staff and volunteers that support delivery of sport and physical
activity.
Please encourage and support your students to access the opportunities of their choice, at the
level of their choice in the venue of their choice and get in touch with Laura Davies,
Relationship Manager at Interactive.
LONDON NEWS
London Colleges news
Bromley College students show off their entrepreneurial spirit
The College's Level 3 BTEC Business students worked together in groups to develop a business
start-up idea, company website and advert, before presenting their ideas to a panel of College
Page 2 of 5

3. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 9 November 2012
directors. The first round saw six groups present their business ideas, which ranged from a
clothing recycling business to protective motorcycle clothing
and a drinks stand company.
After a busy morning of presentations, questions and
deliberations on Friday 26 October, the panel of judges chose
The Last Stand as the winning team. Aimed at the events
and festivals market, the drinks stand company would be
available to hire, serving a range of hot, cold and alcoholic
and non-alcoholic cocktails and drinks to the public.
Bromley College picture
The group of five winning students devised their company idea and then filmed their own
promotional advert for YouTube, set up their website and created a presentation to wow the
judges. They impressed the judges with their well thought out business plan, excellent research
and complementary samples. The winning group will now go onto the final of the Market
Maker Entrepreneurship competition, where they will compete against 20 finalists from 18
other Colleges at the Institute of Directors in London on Monday 12 November.
To read the full story please visit the London Colleges website.
GLA news
How will the Mayor deliver his Olympic legacy goals?
London's anti-gangs strategy needs beefing-up, says Assembly
UPCOMING EVENTS
AoC London Network Events and Dates for the Diary
• AoC London Heads of Sport Network, Monday 12 November.
• AoC London Business Development Managers Network, Wednesday 14 November.
• AoC Annual Conference and Exhibition 2012, 20-22 November.
• AoC London Marketing committee meeting/workshop, 27 November.
• AoC London Procurement Network, 28 November.
• AoC London Marketing Managers Network, 4 December
• AoC London Regional Committee, 6 December
• AoC London MPs Reception, 11 December
AoC Create News
Fully owned by the Association of Colleges, AoC Create is our commercial subsidiary, offering
a range of services for Colleges, including training, consultancy, events and recruitment
services. All income AoC Create generates is reinvested in the sector, providing additional
value for members.
Page 3 of 5

4. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 9 November 2012
Please click here for their 2012-13 Events and Training Calendar which is packed with highly
topical events, training and workshops. The Create team will be at this month’s Annual
Conference and Exhibition at stand 56, and would love to see you there.
Next Wednesday (14th November 2012) AoC Create are hosting a
Workplace Investigations workshop in central London. The
programme has been designed with members of the AoC
employment team and developed based on feedback from member
Colleges, so delegates can be assured that the content will be
relevant, informative and thought-provoking.
The team are pleased that Darren Newman will again be delivering
the workshop. With 20 years' experience of advising, writing and lecturing on employment law,
Darren has a breadth and depth of expertise that is hard to match; he is also a familiar face in
the sector delivering AoC Create training and speaking at national events. AoC Create are able
on this occasion to offer a limited term discount of 30% for a second booking so please contact
the team direct to discuss packages available, or for any other enquiries.
For more information and to book online please visit our recently refreshed website.
GET A LINE ON AOC LONDON REGION MEETINGS
Recent meetings
Date Meetings/Events
7 November South Thames College visit (EB)
7 November Meeting with Paul Wakeling, Principal, Havering Sixth Form College (CN)
8 November ESOL workshop event (AoC/SFA/GLA/JCP) at City Hall (JS)
8 November AoC London Finance Directors’ Network (EB)
8 November London Councils/EFA/NATSPEC/AoC High Needs Students workshop (CN)
8 November Meeting with Julie Naldrett, Chair of Business Development Network (CN)
8 November GLA Part–Time jobs campaign event (JS)
9 November AoC Directors Strategy Meeting (CN)
Future meetings
Date Meetings/Events
12 November AoC London Heads of Sport Network, Eversheds (JS)
12 November Higher Educational Funding Council for England Workshop (CN)
13 November Excellence Awards event at Barking & Dagenham College (JS)
14 November London Consultative Group at the Institute of Education, University of London (CN)
14 November AoC London Business Development Managers’ meeting (CN, JS)
15 November New models of engagement for Colleges and the Financial Services sector Event (JS)
15 November Meeting with Maria Thompson, Principal Havering College of FE and HE (CN)
15 November ‘Havering Asks Event’, Havering College of FE and HE (CN)
16 November The Skills Show, NEC Birmingham (EB)
16 November Linking London HE in FE Meeting (JS)
20 November AoC Annual Conference & Exhibition, Birmingham (CN, JS, EB)
Page 4 of 5

5. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 9 November 2012
21 November AoC Annual Conference & Exhibition, Birmingham (CN, JS)
22 November AoC Annual Conference & Exhibition, Birmingham (CN, JS)
23 November Skills London 2012 Event (JS, EB)
If you like to get more information about the AoCLR attended recent and future
meetings/events please contact Etha Taylor, AoC London Region Team Administrator.
CONTACTS
If you wish to contact the AoC London office to give feedback on this Bulletin, to request
additional information where we have offered it, or to provide suggested content for future
issues, please email Evelina Bagusyte.
Caroline Neville Judith Smyth
Regional Director Deputy Director
caroline.neville@aoc.co.uk judith.smyth@aoc.co.uk
Evelina Bagusyte Etha Taylor
Regional Co-ordinator Team Administrator
evelina.bagusyte@aoc.co.uk etha.taylor@aoc.co.uk
Page 5 of 5