The summer holidays seem to be flying by. Schools will be open again in just over a week. It’s been a hot, dry summer so far and I know lots of local attractions have been packed during the break.
Some young people won’t be going back to school of course, having picked up their exam results recently. Last week was A-Levels, this week is the turn of GCSE results. Congratulations to everyone who got the reward for their hard work yesterday. If you didn’t quite get what you were hoping for then don’t worry, there are still plenty of options open to you. We’re running a number of late application support drop-in sessions where you can get help and advice on next steps if you aren’t sure what to do next. All the details are here.
Our Employment and Skills team have secured funding from two national programmes – Connect to Work and Youth Guarantee Trailblazer, which together will bring nearly £1m worth of support to help get Solihull residents into employment. There’s more detail about the programmes here, but I will say it’s brilliant to see these programmes on offer. The team already do great work, and this will only enhance what they can achieve for the people of Solihull.
I’m immensely proud to see us launch Solihull’s first ever cultural strategy this week. It’s a bold new plan to boost the borough’s cultural profile, widen access to culture, and attract investment and opportunities. Culture has the power to drive growth, foster connections, and enhance lives, so it’s something we can all get excited about. We’re launching a new cross-sector culture partnership group as part of the strategy and are looking for individuals to join the board. You can find more details about the group and how to apply for a role on our website.
Earlier this week I visited the new Buddy Bench in Malvern Park. Sponsored by our environmental partners Veolia, it’s a place for anyone who needs support, and has a QR code that directs to a comprehensive directory of mental health support resources. It will also support Solihull’s Walking and Talking groups, who use the parks regularly on their walks which promote good mental health and wellbeing.
There’s a men’s group and women’s one, I’ve been to see both in action and I can definitely recommend it if you’re looking for that little helping hand or just a good chat. You’ll be able to spot the bench, there’s a distinctive green stripe across it, it’s a dead giveaway. The walk leaders will be able to use it to chat to people one on one and help new people feel that bit more comfortable turning up the first time. It’s a great addition, so thanks to Veolia and thanks to those organising the groups, you’re real pillars of our community.
Sunday is Ukraine Independence Day. I wish our Ukrainian residents, friends and communities well as they mark this day as a celebration of freedom, culture and resilience. The news has been dominated this week by peace talks in various forms, and whilst it is still too early to know whether they will bring an end to Russia’s invasion, I hope that at least some progress has been made towards that goal.
This week has seen the launch of a domestic abuse marketing campaign, which will run until the end of November. The “Solihull stands together against domestic abuse” campaign will run across both social media and outdoor spaces, highlighting the forms domestic abuse can take and where people can go to for local advice and support. Take a look at our social channels for campaign posts. There’s lots of useful information on the council website at solihull.gov.uk/domestic-abuse.
We’ll be running some free emergency first aid training for young people at our excellent Family Hubs in September. Street Doctors focuses on what to do if someone is bleeding or unconscious. Knowing this kind of thing can save lives, so please do come along or let your children know about them if you live nearby, they could learn something incredibly important.
Finally, I just want to wish you all a lovely bank holiday, the weather is looking pretty good but hopefully it’ll brighten up even more so we can all really make the most of it. My column is taking a break next week, so I’ll be back with you in September.
Thanks for reading,
Karen