Welcome to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, Lifegate Communities and the West Midlands Open College Partnership page for May to July 2015.

The following candidates are now in Walsall with the college to pursue the dedicated professional programmes of their interest. The programmes are well tailored to meet the developmental needs. Enjoy reading their profiles and focus.

RESEARCH INTEREST Priority theme 1: Governance Priority theme 2: Education Priority theme 3: Public Health Millennium Goal for the Developing Country:- - Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger - Achieve universal primary education - Promote gender equality and empower women - Reduce child mortality - Improve maternal health - Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases.

Background:- Yvette is a community programs manager with; 'Women Without Limits' an NGO in Rwanda who aims to initiate sustainable community focused regeneration projects through entrepreneurship, awareness and training for skills acquisition for a target group; sex workers, youth and young single mothers and the children
Focus:- To provide Yvette and her NGO with tools & training that will enable them initiate sustainable community focused projects; provide women and youth with access to acquisition of sustainable skills, knowledge and awareness of health care standards that will enable them get back into employment through NGO networks and partnering small and medium enterprises (SME's) in Rwanda or enable them eventually become small and growing business owners, so that they can become financially independent and subsequently contribute to the public health, community regeneration and positive development.

Expected Outcome :- The commonwealth scholarship development training would be a new opportunity for Yvette and the NGO to acquire transferable skills and tools to improve the management of the ongoing work of the Rwanda based NGO's in terms of the priority themes above. It is expected that Yvette will undergo training in Entrepreneurship schemes, Community project & Charity development, NGO Management and leadership processes, Health, women and youth development projects; Yvette will be involved in community projects in Walsall and in building synergy with UK Charity Organisation will work alongside the project

RESEARCH INTEREST Priority Theme1: Economic Growth- Youth Employment and Job Creation Priority Theme 2: Education- Youth Development, Skills Development, Learning and Networking Platform Priority Theme 3: Technology- Music and technology, Digital Media Millennium Goal for the Developing Country:- - Eradicating Extreme Poverty and Hunger: - Promote Gender Equality and Empowering Women and Youth - Global Partnership for Development:

Background:- Mr. Tayo is a Project Manager and Youth Coordinator in FBO sectors in his Home country, the main emphasis being on building a robust youth engagement system that will equip the youth as better leaders. The skills and various learning point during the fellowship program will help Mr. Tayo in program design for the youth of the FBO, create a bond of synergy between FBOs in UK and Nigeria, the plan of establishing an “Exchange Youth Annual Programs” with host organization-Lifegate Outreach Centre.

Focus:- Mr. Tayo organization with FBOs youth arms program are planning to develop a transfer project during the fellowship program that will help in promotion the goals of the fellowship program, which is to build a “Robust Youth Engagement System”. Action Plans include: Frame work of various Volunteerism Opportunities and Community Services, Initiatives of promoting cooperate volunteerism of empowering youth via talk-show programs, intercultural music programs (FBOs UK and Nigeria Youths), development of short CPD courses on Youth and Leadership Development, Community Development.

Expected Outcome:- The commonwealth scholarship development training would be a new opportunity for development of skills and capacity to enable ; Vocational Empowerment, Youth Learning and Development for employability, providing source of income (Livelihood); Youth Development via volunteerism (promoting social equity and equality); Building synergy with UK host organization and other relevant organization on youth development schemes for Nigeria and Global Development. He will work with the Lifegate Outreach Centre Youth Coordinator team to study and develop prototype projects, innovation of UK Youth.

RESEARCH INTEREST Priority theme 1: Public Health Priority theme 2: Education Priority theme 3: Economic growth Millennium Development Goals - Reduce child mortality - Improve maternal health - Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases

Background:- Mr. Gabriel Obokon aims to carry out work which reflect on the key agenda
of his home country in promoting maternal and child care (Reducing diarrhea and cholera related child mortality and improving maternal health in Makoko Community in Lagos, Nigeria by Advocacy and Training.
Focus:- Mr. Gabriel’s professional work focuses on child and adolescent health at community levels; and as the Project Health Coordinator working with Nature Cares Resources Center, there is the need for him to learn from UK based charities and health organizations about new techniques of community health management systems as well as various medical innovations in UK for community health.
Expected Outcome:- Mr. Gabriel will have the opportunity to develop his skills and knowledge on the principles, policies, and best practices in UK. Working alongside the teams Mr. Gabriel will have the opportunity to learn the applications of public health monitoring systems which is vital for all community health projects in his home country (Nigeria). The professional skills development will also support his work in the area of child health, adolescent health management and education programs.

Yetunde, who was hosted by Lifegate Outreach Centre, studied at West Midlands Open College: Business Planning for Social Enterprise and NGOs(from the Entrepreneurship Course), Diaspora Management with a bias to the 'Community Links' module.  In the process Yetunde acquired the following transferable skills among many:

1. Ability to grow an organization

2. Ability to fund raise through effective proposal writing  and also using creative ideas in using natural resources and entrepreneurial skills.

3. Ability to link her work with the international community through High Commissions and Embassies.

4. Ability to identify the social gaps and design provisions that can meet the needs of a community focusing on Women and Young people in Nigeria.

Yetunde has since returned to Nigeria to go and implement her skills.

Yinka, from Nigeria focusing on Youth and Sports development, was the latest commonwealth scholar to study at the West Midlands Open College, in From October to January 2017, graduating with an Award in Entrepreneurship and Diaspora Management. More details will be updated soon.

[/pb_text][/pb_column][/pb_row]