Welcome to the Chameleon Academy, a teaching company that specialises in “Personal and Community Empowerment”.
At Chameleon our mission is to help and encourage people achieve their potential in both the individual and social spheres.
Chameleon Academy is an Open College Network Accredited Training Centre. Learn more;
hameleon Academy Projects
Creating Community Champions
This is an innovative learning opportunity funded by the European Social Fund and supported by the University of Essex and Southend Borough Council.
This learning programme is essentially about personal & community empowerment. It’s about developing the skills, gifts and talents of local people so that they gain the confidence, expertise and motivation to engage with their communities and find their own solutions to the problems they face. It aims to develop leadership skills among local people.
The Chameleon Stressbuster
This three-day workshop gives participants the opportunity to explore a variety of issues and to try out a range of stress reducing techniques. It is packed with information and yet follows the principle that supportive social networks are a frontline defence against stress.
Focus on Diversity
The course is funded by the Learning and Skills Council and the European Social Fund. It explores issues around inclusion and barriers to learning but aims to emphasise the richness of a diverse society. The course looks at current legislation, examples of discrimination, how to overcome barriers and to work towards developing positive practice in relation to diversity and inclusion. Accreditation is offered through NOCN. Students will be asked to include some case study work and this can be related to their own practice or specific interest area.
Becoming a Community Health Educator
Community Health Education was a learning programme supported by Southend Primary Care Trust. The programme aimed at giving learners the knowledge and confidence to signpost people they come into contact with to specialist services if they needed them. Community Health Educators [CHE] act as links between the professionals and service providers on the one hand and the local community on the other. On completion of the course CHE’s will have the opportunity to develop and champion their special interest.
Consulting Communities
Consulting Communities is part of the Learning and Skills Councils “Neighbourhood Capacity Building” specification. The course is built round an Open College Network accredited Unit and aims to give people who work and/or volunteer in the community and voluntary sectors a sound grasp of the methodology for consulting communities and the skills to use that data effectively. We would also be looking at “gap analysis” and “needs analysis”. To consult communities or client groups and develop projects that meet clearly identified need is essential if organisations and/or groups are to develop and grow. It is also essential in the increasingly competitive world of grant applications.
Strategic Management in the Voluntary and Community Sector
Strategic Planning in the community and voluntary sector is above all a process whereby we identify where we are now, where we want to be and how to get there. It gives organisations clarity and direction, a strong sense of purpose enabling scarce resources and be effectively employed. At the end of the course participants would be able to play an active role in their organisations Strategic Management Process because they would have the tools to see where the organisation is now, where it would like to be and what it has to do to get there.
This course like Diversity and Consulting Communities is funded by the European Social Fund and Learning and Skills Council.
Growing Onwards
Is another programme funded by the European Social Fund and the Learning and Skills Council. This training programme is aimed at people recovering from stress and anxiety to depression. Our partner in this project is the Trust Links Growing Together Gardens, a mental health charity.
Expressions
Is part of the Growing Onwards Project where we use multi-media and art as a way of engaging with hard to reach people and giving them an opportunity to give expression to their thoughts and feelings.
Change The Record
Is a learning programme funded by Connexions aimed at the NEET [Not in Education Employment or Training] group of young people. We are presently working with a group of young people referred to us by the Youth Offending Service and the project is going well. Our partner in this project is Trinity Family Centre Westcliff.
MAPping Your Future
Is another programme funded by Connexions targeted at young people at school who need guidance with their education and future career prospects. In this programme we help young people realise their potential through growing self awareness. We use the MBTI, NLP and other tools to aid the process.
Inspirational Engagement
Is a Grundtvig 2 Project with European partners. The aim of this project is to work with organisations across Europe and to develop a toolkit of good practice on how to engage hard to reach communities. We have held meetings in several European countries and hosted one at Southend-on-Sea in June 2007. This project continues until 2009.
Uniting Humanity; Advocacy for Global Citizenship
Here we are participants in a Grundtvig 1 Project led by the Scarman Trust with a host of UK and European partners to raise awareness of global issues and to advocate for global citizenship. We have had very successful meetings in Sweden, Bulgaria and at Dublin and as a result of this project we organised a one-day event on Climate Change on June 7th 2007 at Southend –on-Sea.