The West Midlands Employers Network.  Sign up to the West Midlands Employers network and keep up to date with training opportunities, important announcements and receive support. 

SkillsActive – Find out about the partnership SkillsActive has with the nine regional playwork centres across the UK: http://www.skillsactive.com/playwork/arounduk/westmidlands/playwork.

Get SkillsActive! Get involved! Build your organisation with a skilled and motivated workforce.  SkillsActive Membership starts from £25*.  Be part of the organisation that is leading the way in raising skills standards, ensuring a highly skilled and motivated workforce.  Visit www.skillsactive.com/get-involved or call 0207 632 2000.*All prices are plus VAT and capped at £250 plus VAT.

Playday 2008 The date for this year’s campaign is 6 August and the title is ‘Give us a Go!’. Get Organised! Guide is now available.  The guide contains tips and ideas to help you plan your Playday celebration.  From choosing a location to getting publicity or ideas for the day. Download from www.playday.org.uk.

SkillsActive publish diploma magazine for young people – A recent poll at a School’s Science Conference found that 86 per cent of 14-18 year-olds would like to know more about the new Diploma in Society, Health and Development (SHD) being launched in September this year.  And, at SkillsActive we’re on the case.  For more information visit www.skillsactive.com/SHD or email diplomas@skillsactive.com for a copy of the magazine.

SkillsActive recognises the success of the NVQ in playwork – SkillsActive presented an award to a playworker in order to commemorate passing the 100,000^th NVQ milestone across the active leisure and learning sector since the qualifications began around 15 years ago.  Richard Dorrance, chief executive of CACHE, the awarding body that delivers the Playwork NVQ commented that NVQs have raised the value of the playwork brand and have provided first hand evidence of the strong professionalism of playworkers.  Further info and photos from Jessica Benson, tel. 020 7632 2000, email Jessica.benson@skillsactive.com.

Common Threads – Summer newsletter now available from www.commonthreads.org.uk.  Website updated with lots of new training and publications, including: Training for Play Rangers, Summer Playscheme Training for Playworkers.

Common Threads - New resources for National Playday https://217.206.147.100/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.commonthreads.org.uk/.

Children’s Play Update – Latest edition now available to download from Children’s Play Information Service website: http://www.ncb.org.uk/Page.asp?sve=782.

Kids NDD –The National Inclusive Play Network E-bulletin latest edition now available.  To subscribe email rachel.scott@kids.org.uk or go to www.kids.org.uk.  

Playcare News and information for early years and childcare providers from Worcestershire County Council – latest edition, now out.  See website www.earlyyearsandchildcare.org.uk contact Julie Stevenson, email JStevenson@worcestershire.gov.uk to subscribe.

Kids NDD list of publications, including ‘Inclusion by Design: A Guide to creating accessible play and childcare environments’ launched on 26 February, available  from www.kids.org.uk.  Contact publications.ndd@kids.org.uk.

Common Threads – Latest edition of Playwords, the unique independent magazine for everybody working in children's play, now available to download from http://www.commonthreads.org.uk/default.aspx.

The West Midlands Regional Observatory – Latest E-bulletin now available from http://www.wmro.org/standardTemplate.aspx/Home/RDIN/WMROEbulletinMarch2008. The E-bulletin, aims to provide a quick overview of research activity within the West Midlands with contributions from members of the Regional Data and Intelligence Network.

Play Abstracts and Play Conferences & Events publications now downloadable from www.ncb.org.uk/Page.asp?originx_6060dk_4877163064945g21f_200710112519t.

The National Inclusive Play Network E-bulletin is now available.  Contact Rachel Scott rachel.scott@kids.org.uk to subscribe.

Play in the West Midlands Newsletter – Latest issue from Play England is now available to download from www.playengland.org.uk/westmidlands  publications link.