New community playworkers project

MAP is delighted to have sourced funding to run a small pilot community playworkers project in 2012, which will entail six or seven outdoor play sessions in each of three areas – Woodburn, Mayfield and Gorebridge. The pilot will also involve engagement with children, families, the wider community and other agencies/organisations. The aim is to learn what works and what doesn’t and evaluate some of the benefits of the project.

The project will use the ‘play rangers’ model of delivery(for example see this Scottish Government news announcement – www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/01/play18012012.

For more information please visit the project section of the website.

MAP is currently recruiting sessional community playworkers to deliver the play sessions. The closing date is Thursday 23rd February 2012. To request an application pack, please call MAP on 01875 823 846.

Community consultation

MAP will soon be running community consultations in Mayfield, Gorebridge and Penicuik, with support from an Investing in Ideas grant. The aim of the consultations is to investigate community need for play projects and further develop play project models including MAP’s community playworkers project. The process will help establish what services are required and any practical decisions around venues and days and times of play sessions.

Play accolades for MAP

MAP is delighted to have received two accolades in 2011.

MAP’s Free2Play project was honoured with an international award – the Right to Play Award – in early July.

The Right to Play Awards are distributed by the International Play Association (IPA), an international organisation working to protect and promote children’s right to play worldwide.

MAP’s Free2Play project works across Midlothian to provide assistance on children’s play to groups such as out of school clubs, playschemes and other community based projects. For example, this could include training and practical support to try out new ideas. The aim is to develop play opportunities to ensure that children can ‘free play’ – make up their own games and use their imagination. The project also runs summer playschemes across Midlothian and an annual play conference. The presentation of the award was based on the positive evaluation results the project has received which were submitted to IPA.

At the Nancy Ovens Play Awards ceremony in September 2011, MAP was presented with a commendation. The certificate states ‘The Nancy Ovens Trust commends the Free2Play project for its promotion and support of the need to recognise and provide enriching play opportunities no matter where children play, and for their provision of innovative holiday playschemes in communities throughout Midlothian.’