Influencing the Cultural and Creative scene in Yorkshire

Skyblue's MD is delighted to have been asked to join the York and North Yorkshire Cultural Partnership in the summer of 2010. Alan Graver says: "It's a privilege to be asked to join this group as we would really like to see the city and county take bold and ambitious strides to develop the cultural and creative sectors. This role complements other work Skyblue supports including the regional Paralympics-inspired skills working group; and York Gold group which aims to develop a meaningful legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We want to be at the heart of these innovations and developments in coming years and making valuable contributions where we can."

 

Regional Heritage Tourism Volunteer Mapping Study

How many volunteers work in the heritage tourism sector? What roles do they fulfil? What is their value and contribution to the sector? These and other questions will be put to over 100 heritage tourism venues in the North West region by Skyblue's research team on behalf of the North West Heritage Tourism Steering Group. The report will lead to practical solutions for supporting heritage organisations with volunteer recruitment, management, retention and training and development issues. By developing even more highly skilled volunteers in certain roles it is hoped that the quality of experience for visitors to heritage attractions will continuously improve.

 

North Yorkshire Aquatics Strategy

The Amateur Swimming Association and North Yorkshire Sport have asked Skyblue to lead a project with all 8 local authorities across the county (Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Craven, Selby, Ryedale, Scarborough and York) to produce a strategy and local plans that will help develop aquatics provision, quality and choice between 2010 and 2013. The plans will seek to raise participation rates in not only swimming but other aquatics disciplines such as diving, synchro, disability, masters and water polo in the next 3 years. The strategy and local plans will be published in late 2010.

 

Leading Education Trust commissions Trail-blazing International Research

The Council for British Teachers has commissioned Skyblue to find out what lasting educational benefits can be created by mega events such as Olympic and Paralympic Games, Football World Cups and Commonwealth Games. The research team will be reviewing 26 mega events since 1992 to inform its report and good practice guide due for publication in late 2010.

 

Skyblue to Evaluate UK-wide Nuclear Skills Passport Innovation

The Nuclear Skills Passport is a system which offers all nuclear organisations instant secure web access to information on the nuclear skills base, offering a detailed overview of the training completed by their workforce as well as contracting organisations. It will bring about significant benefits to the wider industry and Skyblue has been asked to independently evaluate its final critical piloting stage as it prepares for national sector roll out in the UK in 2010. Recommendations will be presented to the National Skills Academy for Nuclear and Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in the summer.

 

60,000 Images and Counting!

Destination Yorkshire has appointed Skyblue to develop the region’s first photographic stills image library for the purposes of promoting Yorkshire on the world stage. So far over 60,000 images have been retrieved and reviewed for their suitability for inclusion. The project is extremely creative in nature but also requiring a range of other professional disciplines and project management skills from legal and marketing through to technical, research and partnership negotiation.