Continuing our theme of Excellence.....

CAMBRIDGE VISIT 

Philip Howell 

University Senior Lecturer and Fellow of Emmanuel College Philip Howell visited Gibraltar this week to give advice to 6th form students on applying to Universities in the UK. 

As well as a general lecture on the UCAS procedure Phil also gave workshops on applying to Oxbridge and on the importance of a good interview. 

Kusuma is always trying to encourage our young people to strive to be as good as they can be and we hope with visits such as these from Lecturers from Cambridge that it will give students the tools to be accepted into the University of their choice. 

A week of Excellence

CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE 

Trustee Joey Garcia and Chief of Operations Dominique Searle 

This week we have been celebrating Excellence with students past and present and members of the community who have received funding to pursue training.  

We were extremely pleased to celebrate the success of Daya Dewfall a recipient of a Professional Development award, who achieved the degree of Master of Science with Merit in Allergy . It was fantastic to see how people were progressing in their studies and the impact the course had been to them and to the community.

Excellence Scholarships are given out annually to students who are decided to be deserving of such a unique award. It is not only based upon academic merit but is dependent on them applying to a eligible University and demonstrates a commitment to self development and a desire to contribute to the Gibraltar community.

As well as the Kusuma Excellence Scholarships, The Kusuma Trust also provide financial support to those in the community who would like to strive to be better at what they are already participating in, this could be people working in  a specific industry which requires further training or as part of a community group who would like to further their knowledge in a particular area.

To find out more please go to the Kusuma Trust website  

Guests at Excellence reception held at Isolas 

British Sign Language in Gibraltar

BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE IN GIBRALTAR 

Congratulations to all those students who passed their British Sign Language (BSL) Level 2 Certificates. First supported by Gibraltar in October 2011 the group have gone on to produce 54 BSL level 1 standard certificate holders and 10 of these have gone on to pass their Level 2 certificates. 

The Gibraltar hearing Impaired and Tinnitus Association (GHITA) strive to raise awareness of the difficulties faced by people with hearing impairments in day-to day living and to promote and encourage the use of British Sign Language in Gibraltar. Previous to October 2011 there had been no BSL taught on the Rock, with Kusuma's participation the GHITA have been able to organise classes and promote the use of sign language in the hope that we will give our community of hearing impaired the independence and the opportunity to be included into the community. 

BSL students with teacher Colin Thomson

The Kusuma Trust Gibraltar are happy to announce that they will continue to support the GHITA with their BSL initiatives for 2014 where they will be continuing with BSL Level 1 classes. For more information please go to the GHITA website http://ghita.gotdns.org/contact_ghita.html

EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIPS OPEN 1st MAY 2013

If you are a top student applying to a prestigious university you maybe able to apply for one of our Excellence Scholarships.

To find out more about our scholarships and if you are eligible go to the Kusuma Trust website : Excellence 

Applications open from the 1st May until the 31st May 2013.
We will not accept any applications that come in after 5pm 31st May 2013. 

Excellence Awarded

To coincide with this years Gibraltar Careers Fair organised by the Department of Education, Kusuma Trust Gibraltar sponsored three university representatives and a representative from Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) to come and speak to sixth formers from Bayside and Westside Schools.

 Minister Gilbert Licudi, centr, with UK speakers and representatives of the Kusuma Trust .

The Excellence talks are in their fourth year with representatives from the top UK universities.  Imperial University, The University of Oxford and The University of St Andrews were this years participating universities. They delivered a series of talks aimed at encouraging students to aim for excellence and to help them understand the application process of higher education in the UK.

VSO was a  welcomed addition to the talks, promoting volunteering and giving information to students on GAP year opportunities. Susie representative for VSO also discussed the current scheme available for 18-25 year olds from Gibraltar called ICS which is fully funded by the Kusuma Trust.

Sarah Dallas-Ross from St Andrews lecture was particular insightful into the educational system in Scotland which differs slightly from the rest of the UK. This was the first time St Andrews has had a representative come to Gibraltar.

Albert Isola trustee of the Kusuma Trust also gave a short talk explaining the Excellence Scholarships on offer to students,  in order to  "help students achieve excellence" the trust offers the opportunity for students to compete for a number of discretionary scholarships to encourage young people to study medicine, technology and business related subjects at top universities.

This drive for excellence was highlighted at the talks when Kusuma gave an award to Sophia Lombard, a Westside student who scored the highest information Computer Technology mark in the whole of Europe.

Sophia Lombard presented with her prize by Trustee Albert Isola from the Kusuma Trust

Sophia was presented by Albert Isola with a Galaxy Note as a token of acknowledgement for her success.

Applications for the next academic year 2013/14 will commence on May 1st 2013.
For more information on volunteering with VSO -ICS or the Excellence Scholarships go to the Kusuma Trust website www.kusumatrust.gi 

Real World War II Enigma Machine in Gibraltar

Cambridge Mathematics Outreach Programme 

The Cambridge Maths Outreach team for the second year running will be conducting a series of workshops in Bayside and Westside School which will involve students tackling problem solving in situations where mathematics can be applied. 

One of the most popular parts of the outreach programme  is THE ENIGMA PROJECT where the team do a presentation of the history and mathematics of codes and code breaking including a demonstration of a genuine World War II enigma machine. Later the students are able to become code breakers themselves being thrust into the exotic world of Cryptography. 

Presenter James Grimes with the authentic Enigma machine

The team will also be delivering three other workshops designed to help students apply mathematical thinking and communication processes in a range of situations.

Our young students are not the only ones who will have their analytical and mathematical skills put to the test 2013 will also see the introduction of a session dedicated to Westside and Bayside teachers to get their mathematical inspirational and problem solving into over drive. We hope that they will find it as inspiring as their students. 

Science Road Show

The Science outreach team from the British Science Museum have been performing a series of experiments throughout the week aimed at encouraging the learning of Science based subjects. A week worth of shows have been organised for all First year primary students and year 8 and 9 Secondary School children,. The shows have been an incredible hit with Children and teachers alike.

The trust hopes that with events such as Science Week and its equally popular Maths Road show they will excite children in science and math subjects, and perhaps to even inspire them to consider it as a career, all of the shows are based on the curriculum so it is also another way to support the fantastic jobs that the teachers are already doing in schools but making it more interactive and accessible .

We are only two days into the shows so keep up with the blog as we will be posting even more on the crazy experiments that the outreach team will be doing in Gibraltar......

Supporting Professional Development

Giving Grants in Support of Professional Development 

Kusuma Trust Gibraltar is dedicated to the training and support of professional development where it can be of benefit to the applicant and the community at large. Our next deadline for applications are the 6th November 2012. 

CASE STUDY: Supporting PAAMOA through Professional Development 

Kusuma Trust Gibraltar have given  Simone and Alison from the Physical Activities Association for Mature Older Adults Charity the opportunity to study Pilates as a means of helping the older community in Gibraltar. 

Pilates is a physical activities programme based on the exercises developed by Joseph Pilates (1880-1967). Modern Pilates has adapted these exercises to confirm with up-to-date research from the world of physiotherapy and sport science. It differs from many other types of exercise programmes as it focuses both on strengthening weak muscles and stretching tight areas (often in the same exercise). The essence of the programme is on precision, not repetition or momentum. It addresses trunk stability, shoulder stabilisation, maintenance of good posture and spinal curves along with the correct use of muscles. It is suitable as a rehabilitation programme after injury or operation.

Theory of Pilates 

PAAMOA is the Physical Activities Association for Mature Older Adults. They organise exactly what their name suggest and offer in conjunction with the GSLA an extensive programme of classes. Alison and myself already give aerobics classes on their behalf in the stadium and the small pool. The committee felt it would be hugely beneficial to also offer Modern Pilates classes. 

Modern Pilates for the senior population in Gibraltar would increase their mobility, improve their quality of life and greatly reduce the risk of injury from falls. PAAMOA asked Alison and myself if we were willing to undergo training to become Modern Pilates instructors and with the financial help of Kusuma Trust it has been made possible!

Going from theory to practice 

On 12th October we flew to Leeds for the first of six weekends of the course. We had already worked through six weeks of home study material, which we revised on the first day of the course. The whole weekend was about Anatomy and Physiology theory, so mainly muscles, where they come from and go into and what they do, and the Nervous System and Circulatory System (we now know where the bicuspid valve is!) Also some on nutrition and a big part on the different energy systems we use. We noticed we had retained more info from the home study than we thought we had, so went into the exam on the second day fairly confident. And look what happened, we passed it!

(Simone Redman a current recipient of the Kusuma professional development grant) 

  

To apply for a grant please go to the Kusuma Website for more information  Kusuma Trust Professional Development

The Movember Campaign and the Kusuma Trust

Kusuma Trust to coincide with the Movember campaign and as part of our commitment to the Prostate Cancer Support Group Gibraltar have committed substantial funds for a new scanner and probe to be used in the GHA. We hope in doing this more men in Gibraltar will feel comfortable in going for regular check ups and be happy in the knowledge that not only will they be getting the best possible care provided by the Gibraltar Health Authority they will also be provided with the newest and most comfortable equipment. 

MOVEMBER 

Movember is responsible for the the sudden increase of the "mo" or moustaches seen on many a man's face during the month of November. The aim of which is to raise funds and awareness of Prostate Cancer. Originally started in Australia 1999 the craze of raising awareness and funds of men's health during the month of November and with the growing of a moustache spread across the world and has for the last few years been a prominent place in the Gibraltar social calendar......

RULES OF BECOMING A MO BRO (as given on the Movember site) 

1. Once registered at movember www.mobro.co/gibraltar each mo bro must begin the 1st of MOVEMBER with a clean shaven face.

2. For the entirety of November each Mo bro must grow and groom a moustache

3. There is to be no joining of the mo to [one's] sideburns. (That's considered a beard)

4. There is to be no joining of the handlebars to [one's] chin. (That's considered a goatee)

5. Each mo bro must conduct himself like a true country gentleman. 

DO YOUR PART AND BECOME A MO BRO....or pass on the message of promoting men's health ! 

To find out more about prostate cancer support group gibraltar : http://www.pcsg.gi/

Volunteer Abroad

VSO-ICS "The secret to changing the world is you" 

Kusuma Trust Gibraltar has come together with the internationally renowned VSO, the worlds leading independent developmental organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries.  Kusuma currently offer the young people of Gibraltar the opportunity to partake in the VSO -ICS scheme, which is a youth programme aimed at 18-25 year olds, no previous experience is necessary or special qualifications needed. 

Through the VSO -ICS scheme the Kusuma Trust hope to give young people in Gibraltar the chance to experience a completely different culture in a duel impact approach which we hope will build international understanding, share skills and allow young people to contribute in a positive way. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO 

Gibraltar Junior Chess Festival 2012

The Gibraltar Junior Chess Festival sponsored by the Kusuma Trust and supported by the Gibraltar Sports and Leisure Authority was held  the weekend of the 17th August 2012. With 81 participants the tournament comprised of 37 unders 12's and 37 under 16's. Countries represented at the tournament included Gibraltar, UK, Hungary, Portugal and Spain. The festival encourages chess playing and promotes healthy competition and critical thinking in our youth but it is also a  fantastic way to build friendships and improve cross cultural relationships. 

Organiser Brian O'Callaghan with Chess Players 

The festival also included a fantastic educational opportunity for our young people to attend Master-classes. Presented by renowned Grandmasters such as Pia Crambling and Juan Bellon provides a  unique experience in itself. English International Master Jovanka Houska and Stuart Conquest both lead workshops and were were both at hand to help the young chess players improve their chess skills and being active promoters of chess .

Building Relationships within the Charity Sector

Charity Tea Party 

13th September 2012 Kusuma Trust will be hosting a tea party for those in working within the charity sector. Ministers Cortes, Minster Lucidi and the newly appointed charity commissioner Lewis Baglietto have confirmed their attendance presenting a fantastic opportunity for them to meet with  local charities in an informal environment. 

For more information on this event or if you are from a local Charity and would like to attend please feel free to contact me angela.almeida@kusumatrust.gi

Kusuma Olympian Georgina

18 year old Georgina Cassar is creating history, she received the first ever Kusuma Excellence Sports Scholarship and you may have heard she is also part of Great Britain's first ever Olympic Rhythmic Gymnastics Squad. 

Gibraltarian Georgina, received the Kusuma Excellence Sports Scholarship in recognition of the excellence, determination and hard work that is needed to make an Olympic standard squad. 

The squad have trained incredibly hard for the last year and we have been addicted to the roller-coaster struggle which saw Georgina and the Team compete to be accepted to represent GB at the Games.

We wish Georgina and her team the best of luck in the upcoming events, Gibraltar will be glued to the television all hoping to bring home Gold. Medal or no medal Georgina has achieved so much and we at Kusuma Gibraltar are extremely proud to have Georgina as one of our Kusuma Excellence beneficiaries. 

The Rhythmic Gymnastics competition will be held in the Wembley Arena from the 9th -12th August 2012.

Law Enforcement Torch Run

 Law Enforcement Torch Run 2011

The Law Enforcement Torch Run took place on the 3rd July 2012,  raising much needed funds on behalf of the Special Olympics Gibraltar, this has become a welcomed yearly event in the Gibraltar calendar . Next year the Special Olympics Gibraltar will be travelling to The Republic of Korea to participate in the World Winter Games and the monies raised by the Torch Run will go towards supporting this venture. We wish all the young Olympians well in their competition and are proud to be part of this great initiative.

To find out more about the Special Olympics Gibraltar http://www.specialolympicsgibraltar.org/

Excellence on the Rock

The deadline for our Excellence Scholarships and our Professional Development scheme have now closed.  The Excellence Scholarships are designed to encourage our young people to seek excellence and strive to go to the top of their field in a top institution. Our Excellence scheme focused on promoting the sciences's, medicine, technology and certain business related subjects, we now also include one performing/fine arts award , one sports award and one humanities award.
The response this year is incredible, Kusuma receiving the highest amount of applications than ever before. The quality of students are high and it is inspiring to see how the youth in Gibraltar are flourishing.
Equally impressive are those who have applied for a Professional Development grant, which tries to provide support for those who wish to further their learning and wish to contribute their skills to our community.
Interviews are due to be held next week and Kusuma wish them all the best !

Jordan Picardo is last years Performing /Fine Arts Scholar
studying dance at the English National Ballet

Charity Training

Directory of Social Change back on the Rock

Over the weekend the Kusuma Trust in conjunction with the Directory of Social Change provided a series of training and support for local charities. Our last such event was held in November 2011 and it was inspiring to see how far many of our local charities had come in this time and that the sessions had gone some way in supporting and giving the charities tools to develop themselves.

The weekend centred on facilitated open sessions where groups could discuss what they as a charitable organisation have been experiencing, struggling with and how they can over come these obstacles, workshops and our popular one to one sessions. Whilst past sessions had purposely been quite generic these were more focused and structured so that the charities came away feeling they had an action plan.

Trainer Noam in an open session. 

The weekend was also a great way to launch our resources area at our offices at 3 Bell Lane, Gibraltar, where we house a small resources centre specifically for charitable organisations. Titles include volunteer retention, fundraising strategies, budgeting and developing your organisation. We also have rooms where charities can come and meet if they do not have a premises and can use our technical facilities should they not have access to a printer or computer. If you are a local charity that would like to use our resource centre please feel free to contact me.

A great way to network, talk to people in the charity sector in Gibraltar and gain useful relevant information from three experienced trainers. if you are interested in taking part in the next charity training day please contact me or look on the website for the next date.

www.kusumatrust.gi

Europa Point -The Kusuma Promenade

Europa Point , a set on Flickr.

Directory of Social Change

Directory of Social Change , a set on Flickr.

The Kusuma Promenade

The Kusuma Promenade 

The much awaited Kusuma Promenade was formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo on the 29th May 2012. The safely railed Kusuma Promenade runs above the western cliff top of Europa Point round to the southern plateaux overlooking the Trinity light house. 

This plaque is the first for the Chief Minister to unveil since taking office in December 2011. The area with its  fantastic views across Africa and playground has become a safe hub for family and visitors alike.