Seashells Children and Families Centre
One of our aims is to provide information to people about other local organisations based within the community
These organisations work to support local people and would be very pleased to hear from you.
Computer Skills
St. Georges Computer & Resource Centre
The Sheerness Community Learning Centre was opened to enable the members of the community to learn about computers or to enhance their computer skills. The centre has 10 PCs all with windows XP and Microsoft Office.
All of the machines are linked to the Internet. Members can also use a variety of other programs such as Mavis Beacon's Typing Tutor and Encarta World Atlas.
There are training manuals and worksheets. Members can use these manuals and sheets to enhance their skills or use internet based packages. Members can learn at their own pace in a relaxed, friendly and completely informal environment.
The Centre is staffed by a team of experienced volunteers and they are always on hand to offer advice and guidance on computer use.
Annual membership is £4, computer use is 30p per hour, printing and photocopying is extra. There are free courses available, including ECDL.
Open: Tuesday to Thursday 9am - 5pm.
For more information phone 01795 661598 or visit www.clcshe.eclipse.co.uk/sclc.html
Family Support
Home Start
Home-Start volunteers visit families regularly, in their own homes, usually once a week for between two and four hours.
The visits are flexible and the volunteer and family together decide when the visits should take place and how the time will be spent.
Sometimes a parent may want someone to listen, someone to talk to about their concerns or problems or even just someone with whom to share an adult conversation! At another time they may want some more practical support such as help to play with the children or to get the family to the shops. Volunteers are not babysitters or home helps so any practical help is given as a friend would. For more information phone 01795 429007 or Jen at Sheerness Children & Families Centre on 01795 667070.
Fun
StarQuest
Come along and learn dance, singing, drama, and cheerleading. Teaching 2 - 16 year olds pre school children 10:00 - 11:00 am at the Sheppey Little Theatre on Saturdays. For more information phone 01634 847022/400177.
Health
Sheerness Child Health Clinic
The clinic is a great place to check on a baby's progress, buy formula milk or exchange tokens if needed and ask for information and advice about your baby. The clinic is run by Sheerness Health Visitors and runs alongside Bubba Club at Seahells. Just drop into Seashells, Tuesdays 9.30am-12 noon
Sheppey Community Hospital
Plover Rd, Off Barton Hill Drive, Minster. Minor Injuries Unit open from 9:00am - 9:00pm. Their number is 01795 879100.
Housing Services
Housing Aid & Advice
Housing Aid & Advice provide a service to the communities offering help and advice with a range of housing issues including housing benefits and Council Tax.
Housing Aid also provide drop in sessions at Seashells, Sheerness Children & Families centre; to find out the next sessions, please phone 889233.
Swale Housing Association
Swale Housing Association has been the main provider of quality homes for social housing tenants in the borough of Swale in Kent. For general enquiries call them on 01795 434343.
Information & Guidance
Kent's Children and Families Information Service
Kent's Children's Information Service provides high quality information to parents/carers throughout Kent, offer up-to-date comprehensive, accurate and impartial information and guidance about childcare, training and other relevant childcare issues.
The Children's Information Service works mainly with parents and other carers, but the service is available to anyone who requires information or advice about childcare for children under the age of fourteen. Kent CFIS is open Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm - please phone free on 08000 32 32 30.
Learn New Skills
Sheppey College
Sheppey College is the Island’s own Further Education College. It is a satellite of Canterbury College and offers many of the courses you would expect to find at a larger college in a modern friendly adult learning environment, yet it is small with a caring atmosphere.
Along with a personal tutor for every student, Sheppey College has a dedicated officer to ensure that students have access to the support that they require during the time that they are enrolled on a course/s. This support covers:
- Travel
- Childcare
- Finance and Money Matters
- Benefit Advice
- Health Concerns
- Accommodation and Housing Issues
- Awards for Further Education
- Learner Support Awards
- Academic Support
- Personal, Confidential Advice and Guidance.
Skills Plus Sheerness
Skills Plus Sheerness is based at 109 High Street Sheerness. Run by Kent Adult Education, the centre provides free accessible courses in Numeracy and Literacy for adults over the age of 19 at dates and times to suit the individual. Each course is tailored to the individual and mostly on a 1:1 basis.
There are also a limited number of computer courses for the absolute beginner on Fridays.
To book a course or find out more, phone the Skills Plus centre on 01795 662173.
The Island Partnership
The aim of the organisation is to help those who are unemployed gain the training, confidence and guidance they need to help them achieve employment.
The programme is available to those who have been unemployed for six months or more, live within the Swale area, and are aged between 25 and 63 years.
The Island Partnership
The Old Library
44 Trinity Road
Sheerness
Kent
ME12 2PF
Phone: 01795 596700
Open: Monday - Friday 9am - 5.30pm.
People entering the programme are offered up to twelve months of support and appropriate training. This is geared to individual needs and related to attaining future employment. The training sessions are under 16 hours per week and therefore do not affect benefits.
Local Government
Swale Borough Council
General enquiries concerning housing and homelessness. Swale online is your community online with news, local weather, whats on, updates of what is happening in swale, and much more. Alternatively you can call them on 01795 421163.
Local Services
Fire Brigade
For advice on fire safety. For non-emergency calls contact them on 01622 692121.
KCA Services in the Community
KCA aims to provide high quality, accessible, flexible and innovative services that will significantly reduce the harms and costs arising from the use of alcohol, prescribed and non-prescribed drugs and other substances
KCA is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. KCA was established in 1975 and has grown steadily over the years to become the largest provider of community drug and alcohol services in Kent. It employs nearly 200 staff, 160 of whom are paid, with the remainder being volunteers at service bases across the County. The projected annual turnover for 2002-2003 is in excess of 4 million pounds.
Swale Mediation Service
Swale Mediation Service is a free impartial service for the Swale community to help resolve disputes between neighbours. Swale Mediation is a registered charity, No 1052669 and are based at:
Phoenix House,
Central Avenue
Sittingbourne
Kennt
ME10 4BX
Telephone: 01795 471415
For more information, phone or e-mail: swalemediation@tiscali.co.uk
Swale Police
Provide helpful advice about crime prevention and household security. for non-emergency calls contact them on 01795 477055.
Relate
Relate offers advice, relationship counselling, sex therapy, workshops, mediation, consultations and support face-to-face, by phone and through this website.
Sheerness Library
Offers lending library for books, CDs and videos for hire, current and back issues of magazines and newspapers, details of courses and training, activities for babies and young children, lists of doctors and community groups and free internet access. For more information you can call them on 01795 662618 or alternatively pop in and see them.
Parenting
Positive Parenting Network
Medway Positive Parenting Network provides easy access to a wide range of local family support agencies providing help with such issues as: health, disability, education, counselling, behaviour, bereavement, careers, recreation, and much more.
Medway ppn is internet-based and allows you to find out what local services are available to help you with your particular needs, and to ask questions of trained professionals without even having to disclose your identity. Information is available to users 24 hours a day, seven days a week.