Adele Cleaver trained as a playworker in Birmingham back in 2010. She calls herself “a nomadic Brummie” who after dabbling in playful adventures and community work in Leeds, London and Birmingham and Ghana, Portugal, Brazil, Uganda and Kenya now resides in Bournemouth on the south coast of England with her 4-year-old daughter and husband. In … Continue reading Questions to a playworker…
Meriden in the pandemic
Trustee Ali Wood describes how Meriden Adventure Playground, in Chelmsley Wood in the West Midlands, is managing to continue its vital work through the Covid crisis Like all other playgrounds, we had to close during the lockdown. We furloughed most of the staff but kept two on to stay in touch with the community and … Continue reading Meriden in the pandemic
Level 2 Apprenticeship in Playwork
by Gill GamesChair of the Playwork Trailblazer Apprenticeship Group Over three years ago now, a group of playwork employers began the journey to build a new Trailblazer Apprenticeship for Playworkers. Probably if those involved had realised the size of the mountain (actually that should be mountains) in front of them, this journey might never have … Continue reading Level 2 Apprenticeship in Playwork
Researching playfulness on the streets during lockdown
By Alison Stenning and Wendy Russell A bit of background This research is part of a larger project that Alison was working on, funded by a Leverhulme Research Fellowship, focused on how organised street play sessions using the Playing Out model were remaking relationships between people and places on the street. Fieldwork on this project … Continue reading Researching playfulness on the streets during lockdown
‘Come into play’ in Torbay
As one of our local organisations said ‘We may be all in the same storm at the moment, but we are not in the same boat’. Children and young people have lost so much, and in the places we work large numbers of them are on free school meals, with no access to the internet … Continue reading ‘Come into play’ in Torbay
Playwork in the North East steps up to the Covid challenge
Jackie Boldon, a new trustee of the Playwork Foundation, describes some of the different ways that organisations in the North East have responded to children’s need and right to play in Newcastle and North Tyneside: Elswick Lamp Post Play Project Playworkers from Play in Newcastle ran multiple projects across Newcastle in different school and community … Continue reading Playwork in the North East steps up to the Covid challenge
Editorial
A challenging year On behalf of the Playwork Foundation Board of Trustees, we are writing to all our members with a brief overview of recent Playwork Foundation developments and some of our plans for the future. As we’re sure you will agree, it has been an incredibly challenging year with a very unexpected pandemic, several … Continue reading Editorial
An Exceptional Summer at Pitsmoor
Julia Sexton reflects on an extraordinary period for staff and children at Pitsmoor Adventure Playground, where she is a trustee. In Rising to the Covid Challenge I described how staff at Pitsmoor Adventure Playground had responded to the challenge of keeping the relational space of the adventure playground alive and well whilst the physical space … Continue reading An Exceptional Summer at Pitsmoor
Playwork in Progress – new session announced
Online: 31 August, 2 - 3 pm Following the success of the first Playwork in Progress online reflective practice session, we’re back with the 2nd session on Monday 31st August, 2 – 3pm. This is a chance for playworkers from across the UK (and, who knows, beyond!) to come together and share their experiences of playwork in this … Continue reading Playwork in Progress – new session announced
Government publishes guidance on opening up holiday and after-school provision
The Government has published detailed guidance on opening up holiday play schemes and after-school provision in England. Guidance for providers can be found here. Guidance for parents and carers can be found here. Photo: Meriden Adventure Playground