Councillor Rosie Clarke
with local teenage parents at an informal event at
Bury Library on Friday 19 October.
There were baby massage demonstrations (on dolls) and a short,
fun presentation from the Suffolk Real Nappy network. Early Years
Librarian Jo Dixon promoted Bookstart packs and activities and
there were laptops with "Techno Tots" drawing software for the
toddlers. Parents were given a promotional pack containing oil
suitable for baby massaging, a glove puppet suitable for babies and
toddlers plus other stationery items.
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This is a celebration of the project to help teenaged parents (and
those who may perhaps be at some risk of becoming teenaged parents)
to use UK Online in Suffolk Libraries. UK online will pay any
travel expenses plus childcare while teenaged parents are in the
libraries improving their IT skills and networking with other
teenaged parents. Sessions aim at increasing the teenagers'
confidence and encouraging them to use the internet in a positive
and more specific way, rather than just spend time in general chat
rooms and instant messaging. A blog may be set up that could be
used to exchange information and decrease the social and
geographical isolation experienced by some of the girls.
Councillor Rosie Clarke said:
"This could be a great chance to
involve young people in using the internet in a very positive way.
For those people in rural areas particularly, the internet can be a
great way to keep in touch, and to find out about what services are
available. If this scheme develops fully, I hope that there will be
much friendship and swapping experience and ideas between people
who find themselves in similar situations. That can make life so
much easier practically, and sometimes much less
stressful!".