News

Adult Learners Week 2005, which runs May 21-27, is a national initiative to encourage people to learn at work. During that week the Borough of Poole's Personnel and Training team have arranged a series of events providing the opportunity for Council staff to learn something new.

One of the events being arranged is 'Back To The Floor' for senior managers. The aim of this exercise is for managers to undertake the delivery of a front line service enabling them to experience a range of situations encountered by their staff and meet service users. It is also an excellent opportunity to spend time with staff who are responsible for the service delivery on a daily basis.

Among the senior managers taking part in 'Back to the Floor' are Chief Executive John McBride who is going to support service users travelling by bus to Seaview Day Centre and Policy Director Bernie Topham who will be patrolling the streets with a Parking Attendant from Transportation Services.

Cllr Neil Sorton, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Resources, Borough of Poole, said: "Borough staff are the Council's greatest asset and Adult Learners Week is a chance to allow everyone the opportunity to learn something new. From the Chief Executive to frontline staff there is always the option to try something different in our lives."

Other senior managers taking part in Back to the Floor include Head of Legal & Democratic Services Tim Martin who will be spending time with the Registrars registering births, deaths and marriages and Head of Communications & Tourism Graham Shaw who will be assisting members of the public in Poole Tourism's Welcome Centre at Poole Quay.

Other events in Adult Learners Week include shadowing a senior member of staff for the day; courses to learn new skills including IT, British Sign Language and calligraphy; guided walks of Poole Park and talks on local history.