south wales Archives

10 Reasons to attend Mental Health Conference

Posted on September 4, 2019December 17, 2019 by Dawn Evans

Talking Mental Health National Conference takes place on World Mental Health Day

(Thursday 10th October) 10am – 4pm at Cardiff City Stadium.

Here are 10 great reasons to attend:

1. Every year one in four adults, along with one in ten children, will have a mental health issue.

2. These conditions can profoundly affect literally millions of lives, affecting the capability of these individuals to make it through the day, to sustain relationships, and to maintain work.

3. The stigma attached to mental health causes a damaging, albeit ill-informed, attitude, making it more difficult for those affected to pursue help.

4. We can make a difference and contribution by raising awareness

5. The best way to deal with this stigma is through facts and a better understanding of mental health problems. From identifying the causes, pinpointing solutions, and ultimately recognising that we are really dealing with medical issues.

6. Talking Mental Health is a National Conference that will be taking place to help people understand and recognise poor Mental Health and to make a difference.

7. We will have a range of key note speakers, talking about their own personal journeys with Mental Health Conditions, and sharing their recovery stories.

8. There will be a range of companies and services attending on the day, exhibiting how they can support people with a mental health condition.

9. There are plenty of opportunites to network with others and start aconversation about mental health

10. The event will be a day of inspiration, motivation, learning, networking, sharing and positivity around Mental Health

BOOK TICKETS HERE

Time to Talk Day 2018

Posted on January 31, 2018April 18, 2019 by Dawn Evans

On the 1^st February 2018 it is National #TimeToTalk Day. Time to Talk Day is a day designed to encourage the nation to break the silence around mental health problems and the stigma that is consequently attached to it. It’s easy to think that there is no right place to talk about mental health. But, the more we talk about it, the better and healthier life is for all of us. Get involved with Time to Talk Day by having a conversation about mental health and showing that we can all talk about this subject anywhere – in a lift, at the gym or even up a mountain!

Ajuda are avid supporters of mental health campaigns such as Time to Talk – we believe strongly that not only is it important to look after our own mental health, it is important to look out for people around us such as colleagues, family, friends and even strangers.

Why?

A whopping one in four people are affected by mental health problems at some point during their life. This means that right now, one of your friends, colleagues or loved ones is currently affected. Despite how common mental illness is, people are still afraid to talk about it. Unfortunately, this often means that people suffer alone because they are too afraid to speak out about their health problems.Time to Talk day aims to get people talking about mental health and through this, stop the stigma, aid recovery, improve relationships and break down stereotypes regarding something that can affect us all. Together we can stop people from feeling isolated or judged when they are experiencing a mental health problem. Too many people with mental health problems are made to feel isolated, worthless and ashamed. Time to Talk Day is a chance for all of us to be more open about mental health.

How?

This year, on Time to Talk Day, we would like to urge everyone to open the conversation on mental health wherever you are. At Ajuda, we will be sure to have a positive and honest conversation in the office about mental health. We will also be talking about mental health across all our social media platforms throughout the day and joining in the conversation online.

Training

If mental health is something that you are interested in learning more about, Ajuda offer Mental Health Awareness courses. For more information about this please call us on 029 2057 6883.

Useful Resources

For further information about Time To Talk Day please visit www.time-to-change.org.uk

If you are concerned about your own or somebody else’s mental health please visit this page on Mind’s website for information about how to deal with this.

Dawn Evans to talk at The National Education Show

Posted on January 31, 2018April 18, 2019 by Dawn Evans

Dawn Evans is also set to talk at The National Education Show in November 2018. Dawn established Ajuda 10 years ago after her young daughter choked on a sweet. She realised the huge importance of first aid training; if she did not have essential first aid skills, her daughter could have died. After this incidence, Dawn set out to become a qualified first aid trainer and started teaching parents, teachers, creche assistants, schools and colleges first aid skills. First aid and teaching people how easy it is to save a life has become a passion for Dawn.

Ajuda specialises in a variety of health and safety related courses in order to keep schools safe. Ajuda facilitates affordable courses in schools throughout the UK and are specialists in onsite training during school inset days.

At The National Education Show, Dawn will be holding a seminar introducing how to perform CPR and use a defibrillator in a school environment. Parents count on school staff & teachers to keep their children safe – in class, in the halls, and on the athletic fields. By attending Dawn’s seminar, delegates will take a step towards becoming advocates for automated external defibrillators. Delegates will learn, on a basic level, how to protect children and staff from sudden cardiac arrest and potentially death. Being equipped with this life-saving knowledge also ensures that other teachers are protected in the school environment.

During the seminar, Dawn will be showing attendees the basic skills required to save a life, including the use of CPR and the external defibrillator. To book your ticket to attend Dawn’s seminar, please see here.

The National Education show is an all-day education conference in South Wales that plays host to over 4,000 teachers, 100 companies and 40 professional speakers. Last year, Ajuda ran a competition at the show for attendees to win a life-saving defibrillator for their school. The lucky school that won the competition was Blaenavon Heritage VC Primary School. We are thrilled to announce that this year we will be running the same competition. For more information about our stand please read our exhibitor spotlight here.

Please see here to find out more about Dawn. To book your ticket for Dawn’s seminar please see here.

Dawn Davies to talk at The National Education Show

Posted on January 25, 2018April 18, 2019 by Dawn Evans

One of our fantastic trainers has been selected to speak at the prestigious National Education Show in November.

Dawn Davies, a retired qualified nurse, has a wealth of experience in the field and in the classroom. Dawn will be delivering a seminar on identifying, diagnosing and treating ongoing medical conditions affecting children. Dawn regularly delivers seminars and training to teachers and students regarding medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and anaphylaxis.

Medical conditions are a huge worry for any parent and teacher. During the seminar Dawn will show attendees how to recognise and treat a child or teacher suffering from a variety of medical conditions. Dawn will share her wealth of experience and explain how to keep children safe in the classroom, whilst enjoying their school years with a controlled medical condition.

To book your ticket to attend Dawn’s seminar, please see here.

The National Education Show is an all-day education conference in Wales that plays host to over 4,000 teachers, 100 companies and 40 professional speakers. Last year, Ajuda were sponsors/supporters of the show and exhibited in the upstairs hall. We ran a competition at the show for teachers to win a life-saving defibrillator for their school. We’re thrilled to announce that this year we will be running the same competition. For more information about our stand please read our exhibitor spotlight here.

Facing being made redundant? Training opportunities for you.

Posted on January 8, 2018April 18, 2019 by Dawn Evans

With recent news from local companies such as Brains Brewery of jobs under threat and pending redundancies on the horizon, we have written this blog to signpost accessible opportunities that are available to you here in Wales if you are made redundant.

Being made redundant can be a time of great stress and unease. On the plus side however, it can open up new and exciting opportunities for you – you could be right around the corner from a whole new career change. Is it possible that you might want to retrain or add to your existing skillset?

There are many different routes that you can take when you have been made redundant. Our personal favourite? Retraining!

In fact, one of our trainers received funding to retrain after an injury prevented her to continue her career as a nurse. After taking her training with Ajuda through funding, she became one of our brilliant regular tutors. Receiving funding helped her to develop both her career and as a person.

Been made redundant? How funding from the Welsh Government can help you through your redundancy: ReAct.

The Redundancy Action Scheme (ReAct) is a programme of funding for training provided by the Welsh Government for people facing redundancy who live or work in Wales. If you have been made redundant in the last 3 months and are currently unemployed, or, are currently under notice of redundancy, you will be eligible to ReAct funding. You are entitled to £1,500 worth of training to upskill or retrain to help you become employed. Additional funding can also be accessed to help towards extra costs associated with training such as, travel, accommodation, and childcare. This is only available to you if you have not undertaken any publicly funded training since being made redundant.

Ajuda Ltd specialise in providing training to individuals to increase their employment prospects. Every place of work requires or would highly benefit from employing somebody trained in first aid, fire safety, customer service and more. Furthermore, like our trainer, you could pursue a fulfilling career as a trainer. We offer a full range of accredited training to suit your individual needs. Each training programme can be individually tailored to ensure each individual has the best possible chance of regaining future employment.

If you would like to know more, please contact us on 02920 576 883 or email Daisy on admin@ajuda.org.uk for free advice and further information. You can also pop in to your nearest Careers Wales office for further guidance about the ReAct scheme.

How safe is your building?

Posted on June 21, 2017July 1, 2019 by Dawn Evans

In light of last weeks tragic event in London, we have decided to focus this week’s blog on how to ensure that your building is as fire safe as it can be. Following on from our last blog regarding the importance of Fire Drills in the workplace, we will be highlighting prevention and protection measures that you can take. In a time where many people will be feeling incredibly worried about how to protect their buildings from fire, Ajuda will be offering a 20% discount off any of our in-house and our online Fire Safety courses.

Prevention

Fire prevention is the act of stopping fires from occurring. It is just as important to have a Fire Prevention plan in place as safety measures in the actual event of a fire.

Fire prevention measures may include matters such as:

– The prohibition of smoking on the premises.

– Adequate cleaning of work areas – keeping them clutter free. Bad housekeeping can not only cause a fire and help it spread, it can also hinder safe evacuations, obstruct access to firefighting equipment and obstruct fire exits.

– Avoiding the use of portable heaters and coolers.

– Preventing the accumulation of easily ignitable rubbish or paper.

– Regular risk assessments.

– Put in place security provisions that may help to reduce the risk of an arson attack.

– Positioning of heat sources to prevent contact with combustible material such as paper.

– Regular maintenance programmes of electrical equipment and wiring.

– Positioning of heaters and other machinery so that ventilators aren’t obstructed.

– Report electrical hazards.

– Never block sprinklers, firefighting equipment or emergency exits. Observe clearances when stacking materials.

– Ensure at least one person in the building is trained in how to use a fire extinguisher correctly.

Basically, fire prevention is focused on the principle of keeping fuel sources and ignition sources separate. If something creates heat, keep things that burn away from it.

Protection

Fire protection can save lives and minimise the amount of damage when a fire does occur. Some fire measures are built into a property whereas others can be introduced later (sometimes as a result of a fire risk assessment). There are two types of fire protection measures, either active or passive controls:

An Active Control Measure requires an action by somebody or something (e.g automated system) when a fire is detected. Examples include:

– Fire alarm systems

– Smoke detectors

– Emergency lighting

– Sprinkler systems

– Fire extinguishers, blankets and hoses

A Passive Control Measure are usually physical features that have been designed to make a building safer. Examples include:

– Compartmentation (e.g. fire-resistant walls, ceilings and doors to restrict fires from spreading)

– Fire exits

– Multiple escape routes and refuges

– Clear signage and emergency lighting

If you would like to take advantage of our current discounts please click here for our online training portal and here for our in-house fire safety course.

ReAct funding for redundancy in Wales

Posted on March 21, 2016 by Dawn Evans

The Redundancy Action Scheme (ReAct) is a programme of funding for training provided by the Welsh Government for people facing redundancy who live or work in Wales. If you have been made redundant in the last 3 months and are currently unemployed, or, are currently under notice of redundancy, you will be eligible to ReAct funding. You are entitled to £1,500 worth of training to upskill or retrain in order to help you become employed. Additional funding can also be accessed to help towards extra costs associated with training such as, travel, accommodation, and childcare. This is only available to you if you have not undertaken any publicly funded training since being made redundant.

Ajuda Ltd specialise in providing training to individuals to increase their employment prospects. Every place of work requires or would highly benefit from employing somebody trained in first aid, fire safety, customer service and more. We offer a full range of accredited training to suit your individual needs. Each training programme can be individually tailored to ensure the individual has the best possible chance of regaining future employment.

If you would like more information, please contact Ruth or Dawn at Ajuda on 02920 576 883 or email dawn@ajuda.org.uk for free advice and more information about the ReAct scheme. You can also pop in to your nearest Careers Wales office for guidance.

International Women’s Day

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Dawn Evans

8th March 2016 – International Women’s Day is a day for celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women all around the globe.

‘ “The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights,” says world-renowned feminist, journalist and social and political activist Gloria Steinem. International Women’s Day is all about celebration, reflection, advocacy, and action – whatever that looks like globally at a local level. But one thing is for sure, International Women’s Day has been occurring for over a century – and is growing annually from strength to strength.’ www.internationalwomensday.com

Ajuda Limited is led by founder and managing director Dawn Evans. Since forming Ajuda Limited in October 2009, Dawn and her team have trained over 40,000 students in a variety of vocational qualifications such as First Aid, Health and Safety and Fire Safety to name a few. Dawn’s daughter, Beth, choked as a child. This impassioned Dawn as it highlighted to her the importance of learning first aid skills. Had she not had the training, her daughter may have died. Ajuda really are educating people to save lives, and this fact alone makes Dawn’s hard work worthwhile.
In March 2015 Dawn was announced as one of the most inspirational people in Wales, being awarded the Educator award at the Inspire Wales Awards. In September 2015 she was nominated as a finalist for Female Entrepreneur of the year at the South Wales Business Awards. Most recently, Dawn was invited to St. James Palace where she had the opportunity to talk to HRH Prince Phillip about the extensive first aid training that Ajuda carries out.

HRH Prince Phillip and me

Proud to be recognised with the Investors in People Award, Ajuda is a community-focused company. Ajuda aims to make a really positive difference to individuals, teams and organisations alike. In addition to her role as Managing Director of Ajuda, Dawn is a role model for the Welsh Government Big Ideas Program. This involves delivering presentations on entrepreneurship, where she takes the time to share her experiences with students age 13 upwards in order to inspire confidence and motivation, encouraging them to consider launching their own company in the future. Dawn is incredibly passionate about this work and is a business mentor for The Prince’s Trust – a role in which she mentors young individuals who are about to start their journey into entrepreneurship.
Dawn set up Heartstart Cardiff in partnership with the British Heart Foundation in 2014. Heartstart is a scheme where Dawn and her trainers work on a voluntary basis providing first aid training free to local school children. The British Heart Foundation nominated Dawn for a Heart Hero Award to celebrate her fundraising and contribution to the BHF – she was announced as the winner of this award in 2015.

Ajuda celebrates strong, successful women not only today, but every day. From an office run by women, Ajuda acknowledges the importance of strong, female figures.

Happy International Women’s Day everybody!

A busy day in the life of Ajuda’s founder Dawn Evans

Posted on February 12, 2016 by Dawn Evans

Dawn Evans who founded Ajuda in October 2009 is a very busy lady. Her days can be taken up with training students, delivering presentations, winning awards, volunteering and many more exciting activities. Today, Thursday 11^th February, I am shadowing Dawn for the day to see what she gets up to.

11am

We start the day by attending Fire Station 21 in Aberbargoed at an award ceremony for an employability programme where our trainers made up part of the delivery team. The ‘Station 21’ programme has taught the young people involved many essential life skills to prepare them for the working world; teamwork, communication, interview skills, CV building, support for each other, confidence and resilience have been the cornerstones of the programme for the students, as well as giving them the opportunity to gain accredited qualifications in Food Safety, Fire Safety, Manual Handling and Customer Service. The accredited qualifications were taught by a team of professional tutors from Ajuda, led by Head tutor Tom Collins. The young adults who have taken part in this programme have learnt how to put out a fire as a team which has helped them to highly develop a lot of the aforementioned integral skills.

It was really fantastic to see so many young people engaging with the programme with their spirits high and their confidence boosted. It is a very worthy cause and one that Ajuda is thrilled to be a part of – having already signed up to offer more training in future programmes. The programme was supported by the Welsh Government, Communities First, Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations (GAVO), Department of Work and Pensions and Job Centre Plus.

12:30pm

Next, we have a scenic drive through the valleys on route to Swansea. Dawn is due to give a speech for IOSH at the Tower Hotel at 2.00pm so it’s a tight squeeze to say the least. Luckily we arrive with time to spare for lunch so we tuck in to the delicious buffet on offer!

2pm

Dawn delivers a brilliant 45-minute presentation about Health and Safety in the fitness industry. She highlights the importance of things that often get overlooked; or, at least, don’t get as much attention as they should be getting. The implementation of defibrillators, and ensuring that staff are trained to use one in gyms and sports centres is a hot topic amongst the guests, and something that everyone agreed is essential. The audience were also very interested in insurance in the unfortunate event of an accident at the gym. The delegates debated amongst themselves whilst Dawn inputted her expert opinion, remaining collected and poised throughout. After answering many audience questions it’s time to rush off to destination number 3.

4.30pm

Our final stop is the stunning Cardiff Castle. Ajuda are sponsoring the Introbiz Business Networking event for the evening. Introbiz is a fantastic independent business network that hosts weekly networking events and is run by Tracey and Paul Smolinski. After some tea, biscuits and networking, Dawn talks to the attendees about Ajuda, and the benefits to selecting the correct Health & Safety training for their company. Dawn also highlighted the achievements that Ajuda has achieved so far. After Dawn’s speech it’s time to find our table. We sit amongst other business folk – from accountants to events managers (we were very interested in zip lining!) and there was a lot of business card exchanging and chatting. It was very enjoyable and laidback – a brilliant way to meet other like-minded people in business.

6.30pm

It’s time to go home! What an excellent and insightful day. I’m already thoroughly enjoying my time working at Ajuda and am looking forward to what’s coming next!

Ajuda launches new website for 2016

Posted on January 3, 2016 by Dawn Evans

Welcome to our new website.

Ajuda Limited has started the new year with the release of our brand new website. after many meetings, long hours of development and numerous amendments we hope you like our new look as much as we do. We have not only improved the look and feel of our site though, we hope you will find that information of the many courses we run at Ajuda is much easier to access.

Alongside a much improved User experience, we have also upgraded our on-line booking system allows our customers to book courses as much as 3 months in advance quickly and easily. Customers can browse all courses by clicking the Training tab on the Menu bar on the homepage, select the course they wish to attend and select the date required. Simple!

We have also added our very popular On-line Training Portal to this site, a simple, convenient and cost effective way to add additional training to your skills at a time and pace that suits you. These courses are multi-module so you can pause the training at the end of each and return to the course from the next module, all these courses can be tried for free before you purchase, simply register and follow the on line instructions. Find out more about our online training portal.

So feel free to have a browse, we will be updating you all via this Blog on the exciting year we have ahead. We hope you enjoy the website, we would love to hear your feedback.

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