Views

Views is your newsletter designed and created with you in mind. So have your say and send us any relevant information you want to share across Epping Forest College students, staff and governors. Find out about upcoming events, trips and get to know what your student union are planning.

A very warm welcome back to you all after your first half term, I hope it was a good one!

Did you know that kindness is directly linked to happiness and health? November is the Kindness Month at Epping Forest College.

During the month of November, we encourage you to take part in the College’s #BelieveInKindness initiative. Getting involved is easy. Think of a random act of kindness. Pick up one of the Think Kind cards from the Reception. Do something nice for someone else and leave the card to encourage them to do the same. Take a photo of the act of kindness you have received and post it to the College Twitter/Instagram/Snapchat or Facebook or send them to Summer North at snorth@efc.ac.uk for inclusion in the VIEWS newsletter next month.

We hope that you take part in this initiative and help make our College and our learning community be a happier healthier place for all. More than anything make yourself feel happier in the world!

To find out more see this link: https://kindnessefc.wordpress.com

For all student reps, I will be running a highly interactive session on Wednesday 9 November 2016 in The Theatre from 10:30 – 11:30 am. Your views and input in this process is of utmost importance so please make Summer North aware if you are unable to attend by emailing snorth@efc.ac.uk. I hope you can make it.

Wish to make a difference to the life of our college, have hot topics to discuss and influence change… then come and have hot dogs and a hot debate on what matters to you with the Me and our Board of Governors. To book into one of the below sessions, please email snorth@efc.ac.uk:

Friday 11 November

3:00 – 4:00 pm

Friday 18 November

10:00 – 11:00 am

Friday 21 November

10:00 – 11:00 am

Wednesday 23 November

10:00 – 11:00 am

Have a good week!

We have counted your votes and elected our new student union team for 2016/17. They will be working very closely with Abdul, Byron and Senior management to make sure all of our student voices are heard and students are represented and senior meetings and decision making processes. The Student union team will be available to listen to your views and take in your input, advice and concerns and pass them over to senior management. The new student union team are:

President - Samuel Weekes

General Secretary - Chantelle Elisa

Events Officer - Sophie Field

2 Governors - Gladys Vargas-Camones & Brad Forsyth

LGBT Officer - Winfred Hakeem

Marketing Officer - Deividas Balciunas

Sports Activator - Jake Hammond

The new student union office is located on the street next to the Base Office. You can pop in and have a chat with any of the union members when they are in the office or alternatively you can email studentunion@efc.ac.uk.

"Peers, I speak for everyone on the Student Union when I say that I am of the high privilege and the distinct honour to serve you as your representative. I want to thank everyone who voted, your partaking in your democratic right means that you have assembled a strong Student Union which I am confident will take us forward as a college. Look out for us as we're hosting some pretty cool events soon.

Samuel"

Email: studentunion@efc.ac.uk
Phone: 0208 502 7213

A diversity showcase for EFC to celebrate and be proud of!!

I am delighted to announce that preparations are underway for our very first Diversity Showcase on Tuesday December 8th during the lunchtime and evening. The college is fortunate to be a family of many many nationalities and cultures. And we want to celebrate this. So we are having a special lunchtime diversity showcase for staff and learners to be proud of who they are, and where they come from.

We would like staff and students to prepare a small display and share their love of their country and culture. On this display there might be a flag from a country of the world, national artefacts, books or items that are significant to you. It would be lovely to see some beautiful national costumes and perhaps your country has a national dish that you would like to share?!… Stalls can be individuals or groups. We have nearly a hundred nationalities in the college and we want the colour and vibrancy of the world to shine out!

There will be a display area for national music and costume displays and we would love you to get involved and encourage your students too. Contact Byron or Abdul in the first instance to book your mini stall and tell us what you want to do.

Remembrance Day (sometimes known informally as Poppy Day) is a memorial day observed in around the world since the end of the first world war to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. We will be observing a 2 minutes silence in remembrance of the fallen at 11am in the reception area. followed by a poem by one of our very own performing arts students.

This year we are planning to create an anti-bullying booth on the street between 14-18th November. There we can share our own stories and experiences of bullying and the challenges we face. Members of the safeguarding and student union team will be on hand to listen and report any cases of bullying taking place in Epping Forest College .