Kibble Admin, Author at Kibble: Specialist services & support for young people facing adversity
Posted: June 25, 2025

Discover the career journey of Senior Early Years Practitioner Angelina, whose studies at the University of the West of Scotland are funded by Kibble.

Kibble opened Puddle Lane children’s nursery for all families in Renfrewshire, Glasgow and beyond. With a 175-year-old history in child development, our commitment to introduce new services led us to expand and offer high quality, affordable childcare to neighbouring families with an exclusive discount to our staff team. Angelina is one of the experienced Senior Early Years Practitioners at Puddle Lane and her commitment to delivering an outstanding childcare service made her a suitable candidate for Kibble’s Further Study Programme. Angelina is now on track to qualify with a BA (Hons) degree in Early Learning and Childcare from the University of the West of Scotland, funded by Kibble.

Angelina is motivated to be the best Senior Early Years Practitioner she can be by the children. Every morning the little ones run inside, excitedly greeting Angelina with echoes of “morning Lena” and immediately start chatting about what activities they’ll get up to that day. Angelina and her colleagues wholeheartedly agree it is a privilege to be part of the children’s lives, and they strive to deliver outstanding childcare.

Puddle Lane is a happy place to spend time and is a standout childcare service. There are indoor open plan playroom and large gardens, a soft play area, and a dedicated lunch room. The nursery operates as a social enterprise and reinvests into the service, ensuring ongoing development.

Angelina decided to apply for Kibble’s Further Study Programme and qualify in Early Learning and Childcare with the University of the West of Scotland alongside her job at Puddle Lane. The decision to move forward with a university degree while working, demonstrates her commitment to shaping an enriching learning environment for those in the important earliest stages of life.

Angelina shares the motivation behind continuing her studies while working as a Senior Early Years Practitioner: “I absolutely love my job at Puddle Lane and the best thing about working in early years is spending time with the children.”

She acknowledges the big responsibility of balancing university and work: “Yes, studying while working is a massive commitment, but I thoroughly enjoy learning. I have always been studious and being able to gain an even greater understanding of childhood is very valuable to me.”

Angelina is beginning to visualise what having the degree will mean to her: “I can bring new learnings straight into my job at the nursery. To officially have a degree and apply my academic knowledge to help children develop and thrive will be so rewarding.”

Angelina is a friendly and familiar face to the children and families of Puddle Lane. Her organisational skills paired with her creative flair leads to big artistic projects for the little ones to get involved in. Previous arts and crafts activities have involved designed a Halloween Haunted House and photo booth as well as building hand-crafted life-size snowmen.

Watch our video of Senior Early Years Practitioner Angelina

Visit Puddle Lane’s website to find out more about the outstanding children’s nursery in Hillington, or head to Kibble’s recruitment website to join a staff team, dedicated to shaping the world in which children grow up.

Posted: June 17, 2025

Talented young musicians at Kibble’s Goudie Academy were honoured to welcome composer-pianist Brad Kella to their classroom. The 2024 winner of Channel 4’s The Piano took time out of his busy schedule, supporting Gary Barlow’s latest tour, to share his story with young people and inspire their musical journey.

Accompanied by tour manager Luigi, Brad shared his story with young people before performing an incredible piano medley, listening to pupils’ performances and joining in with the harmonies. In his trademark style, Brad took his audience on a journey from classical music to jazz with a Simpson’s melody seamlessly woven in. Some of the pupils have only recently discovered their love and aptitude for music, encouraged by dedicated tuition from Goudie Academy teachers, instructors and creative music partners who widen opportunities and offer immersive learning experiences.

Brad’s Journey to Fame

Brad explained that his interest in playing piano was sparked by his school music teacher who introduced him to playing piano, and recognised his natural aptitude. Keen to nurture his interest, foster parents Eve and Frank bought Brad a keyboard which he practised on for hours each day within his bedroom. As a teenager, Brad was embarrassed to share his new-found hobby with his friends and classmates for fear he may be ridiculed. Many of his friends would be out playing football when Brad would be at home playing piano and composing music. For Brad, the piano was, and continues to remain, a vehicle of expressing emotion when it wasn’t always easy to vocalise. Brad would also enjoy playing piano in public spaces such as train stations and shopping centres, drawing in passers-by with his music.

Brad shared with pupils how hard it can be to appear in front of crowds of people. This was something one pupil related to, sharing that when he performed with Kibble band ‘The Kosmonauts’ at Paisley’s ‘The Bungalow’, he felt sick to stomach with nerves. He didn’t think he was able to do it, but the atmosphere, excitement and encouragement of his bandmates led him out onto that stage and he felt on top of the world!  

Brad’s remarkable journey to fame came with many challenges. Having grown up in foster care from the age of seven, his passion at school was music. He started playing piano at the age of 14 and within two months had achieved Grade 8.  This was all accomplished despite not being able to read sheet music – Brad’s abilities were truly unique and from the heart. After leaving school he struggled to find work, and found himself homeless by the age of 18. When he got the opportunity to audition for The Piano, he was living in a hostel with his girlfriend and young daughter. A scout for the programme heard him playing and asked him to audition, and the rest as they say is history.

Referring to the pressures of fame, Brad said: “People didn’t leave me alone at the start and I didn’t feel like I could be myself.”  He quickly realised you have to be true to yourself: “There’s always people who try to bring you down, especially on social media platforms, and you can’t let them get into your head. 

“Music is medicine, pick-up a guitar, be happy – don’t let negativity ruin it. This is your energy that you carry around for the rest of your life”.

Music is universal, there are so many different types from different parts of the world but it’s one language.  You can play anywhere in the world and people understand it.”

Inspired by their visitor, Brad was treated to a screening of The Kosmonauts’ performing Screaming Out Loud before listening to our young musicians singing and jamming on the piano to songs from Lewis Capaldi and The Cranberries.

Anything is Possible

After a morning of musical creativity, it was time for Brad and Luigi to move on to their next tour destination, but not before Brad offered some final words of encouragement:

“Anyone in this room, anyone in this world, can do anything. I’m not scared at all to fail, I’m more scared to say I didn’t try.” 

Speaking of his visit to Kibble Brad commented “While I was up in Glasgow, I visited Kibble. It was the most I’ve smiled in a long time. The children genuinely melted my heart. The love and passion for music streamed throughout the classroom. I shared my story with kids and let them know anything was possible in life. Whether your care experienced or come from a family with not a lot of money you can still achieve anything. The children listened so intently to what I had to say and were a credit to their school the way they behaved. Kibble will always hold a special place in my heart.

We are very grateful to Brad and Luigi for visiting Kibble, the memories made will stay with our young people and staff for a very long time.

Brad Kella (centre), with Kibble Education team Jackie Swan and Laura Cairns.

Posted: June 11, 2025

A group of playful, four-legged pups spent the day with our young people who are now certain they want a career working with animals.

The Skills Academy invited Paws for Progress to deliver its interactive Personal Development Programme. The dog-assisted learning programme seemed the right fit for youngsters preparing to enter the world of work. The experience brought a confidence boost and reset to students busy navigating application forms, going for interviews and starting a new job. During the session, young people were so focused and concentrated on bonding with the animals that they didn’t realise how much they were learning and could apply to their job search.

Paws for Progress tailored lessons to the group, designing the class around animal-related careers, as our academy students were in the middle of deciding what career or industry they’d like to pursue.

The session helped young people understand how dogs think and how that knowledge can lead to meaningful work in the real world. Topics included dog communication, how dogs learn and caring for dogs. Along with engaging activities such as dog sports, scent work, canine first aid, assistance dog training and exploring animal-related careers.

Young people thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the animals. Highlights included designing obstacle courses, learning how dogs use their sense of smell in working roles, practising canine first aid with stuffed dogs and understanding the tasks performed by assistance dogs.

Now, it’s time to work towards waking up everyday in a rewarding job role that involves caring for animals. The students were delighted to receive a certificate from Paws for Progress to add to their CV, marking their experience.

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Young people pursuing a career in construction took part in sustainability training delivered by The Verdancy Group.

Young people hoping to one day have a career in construction can gain the necessary qualifications and experience at The Skills Academy. Alongside the set timetable with familiar instructors, the academy welcomes external businesses to host workshops. Students speak directly with professionals and potential future employers, giving them a deeper insight into the industry they are interested in.  

The Verdancy Group, which delivers sustainability training and guidance to organisations, came along to teach our construction students how to consider the environment when completing building projects. The practical session involved tutorials, group tasks and technical training on topics spanning heat loss and ventilation.

Students saw for first-hand the difference that sustainable approaches can have on energy efficiency. Retrofitting buildings with improved green technologies helps control indoor temperatures and lowers energy bills. Plus, proper insulation creates a healthier living space, maintaining property value. The training motivated the future developers to state their preference would be to design and build in ways that strives to minimise the carbon footprint.

Questions from young people were answered by real-world consultants. The genuine enthusiasm that the experts had about the growing importance of sustainability in construction energised young people to caring about the environment too.

As the academy students continue working towards a career in construction, their understanding of building sustainably, adds a competitive edge to their CV in an increasingly eco-conscious field.

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Youngsters, who are working towards their SQA qualification in construction, built a wooden workshop, using a power saw to repurpose leftover timber.

Construction Instructor Craig is an experienced joiner who mentors young people interested in learning a trade. Craig motivates the aspiring apprentices to get involved in a wide range of development projects, becoming confident in using different tools safely, taking measurements, and building pieces into place. He wants young people to take pride in what they are working on and makes the time to share the purpose and function of the build. By being interested from the start, young people are more likely to pay close attention to detail throughout the manual process and realise the reward in watching their progression be the reason for a visible transformation.

The Skills Academy is Kibble’s education and training centre that helps young people prepare for the world of work. Pupils who may not have enjoyed going to school before, now have the opportunity to try a new learning environment. Within the academy, there are dedicated areas for each subject. There’s our car garage for mechanics, greenhouses for gardening, and a large open-plan space to build, bricklay and operate machinery for construction.

An essential part of being a joiner is woodwork, and when teaching, pieces of wood need to be cut with power saws. To help contain the dust, an enclosed workshop within the shared space would be useful, and the opportunity to build one happened when a previous project had leftover timber. Immediately, Craig envisioned a plan for a wooden structure, big enough to house the large power saw and cut wood.

Instructor Craig and the students worked together and an an impressive structure is beginning to take shape within the construction site at The Skills Academy in Hillington.

Craig explained the thought required: “A lot of work went into the build, and there are still stages to go through before it becomes a workable area. All the slats of timber had to be cut to the exact brick size of 200mm x 70mm for the brick-slip look.”

“I really try to use my imagination to set up fun and valuable projects that young people will buy into. I know myself how much more enjoyable it is to complete a project you can visualise.”

“I want them to stay committed and see the project through, even with all the ups and downs that come with being a teenager figuring out their path. Hopefully they’ll learn a bigger life lesson and prove to themselves that they can finish what they start – even if life gets complicated.”

Kibble is striving to become more environmentally conscious and The Skills Academy has a dedicated Green Skills and Sustainability Instructor. Recycling materials in our lessons is one way we incorporate sustainability.

Through practical projects and a commitment to sustainable practices, these young people are not only building their skills but also shaping a brighter future for themselves and the community.

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Young people repurposed their leftover coffee beans to grow mushrooms in a shift to become more sustainable. The academy is proactively finding ways to reuse products and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, which damages the environment.  

The job market is increasingly demanding workers be able to fill vacancies in sectors related to sustainability and green skills. The majority of businesses are striving to find ways to adapt and become more environmentally-friendly, which has led to the UK’s green economy to be valued in the billions. Young people share the ambition of taking better care of the world around them and show genuine interest in learning about horticulture and taking part in lessons that involve fun practical projects.

The Skills Academy is determined to equip young people with an understanding of how to care for the planet’s future, providing a strong foundation that could potentially be applied to industries like renewable energy, low-carbon technologies and waste management, where job creation is growing rapidly.

Instructors and students are encouraging one another to consider green skills and sustainability in everyday life at the academy. When restocking the barista training supplies for making café-style coffees, youngsters decided to turn the outdated coffee beans into a sustainability project.

Youngsters worked alongside Sustainability and Green Skills Instructor, Joe, to grow mushrooms from the old coffee. Joe explained the scientific process: “A clear container was used for us to see the mycelium colonise the old coffee grounds before sprouting the mushrooms.”

The class discussed how growing mushrooms could become a profitable business – selling the produce to restaurants and cafes that focus on farm-to-table dining; farmers’ markets and factories that manufacture mushrooms to be bought in supermarkets. The lesson successfully inspired young people to think of all the ways different waste products could be reused creatively.

Seeing the coffee beans grow into mushrooms had the youngsters in awe: “You have to see it to believe it! It was cool to actually see a mushroom form in front of us. Normally, fungi live underground but we got to watch it grow.”

As the warmer weather (hopefully) approaches, The Skills Academy is keen to try new and exciting biodiversity projects in the garden.

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Young people visited Scottish Leather Group to find out how the biggest leather maker in the United Kingdom has found ways to consider people and the planet within their business operations.

Students who attend The Skills Academy have a growing interest in the world around them. Now, more than ever, young people contemplate the consequences of climate change and want to know how to help stop global warming.

Scottish Leather Group has meticulously worked towards lowering their carbon emissions to create the lowest carbon intensity leather in the world and become an example to other industry leaders across every sector to factor in the environment. A visit to see their business processes in action was an ideal field trip for environmentally-driven students.

Young people saw for themselves how a career in design, manufacturing and engineering has the power to find sustainable solutions that can help protect the environment and benefit future generations.

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Pupils are motivated to make a positive difference to the environment and their efforts have been recognised once again as Kibble’s secondary school has retained the Eco Schools Green Flag Award.

Throughout the year, pupils and staff work hard to consider the planet. The school strives to factor sustainability into lessons, fun activities and practical projects. We want to do what we can to make sure the world is a healthy place for people to grow-up in and not take for granted cleaner air, green open spaces and fresh water.

Action was taken to make our school a more environmentally friendly place to be and exceed the standards expected of an Eco School with the Green Flag Award. We are always on the lookout for opportunities to recycle, reuse and reduce waste.

Read on to discover some of the highlights from us making our school a more environmentally friendly place to be.

We’ve built a wormery to recycle food waste from the home economics classes and reduce the amount heading to landfill sites.

Christmas Fayre items were made from recycled materials by our talented pupils.

Pupils are learning to grow a whole range of tasty food including potatoes, blueberries and tomatoes. Our herb garden has sprouted with sage and lemon thyme.

Teachers are taking their first steps in bee-keeping and plans are underway for young people to learn about bee-keeping and producing honey. A social enterprise project can be set-up to sell the bee products.

The health and wellbeing of kids and adults has been thought of too with events for Mental Health Week, walking challenges and more.

Moving forward, we will continue with even more valuable projects and try to influence more people to join us in living more sustainably.

Posted: May 2, 2025

Last weekend (Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th April), teams of Kibble walkers donned their finest tartan attire and joined thousands of enthusiastic walkers taking on the Mighty Glasgow KiltWalk.

As well as counting the steps, the teams were making the steps count! One team were raising money to help transform the lives of children, young people and families across Kibble, with the other raising money for Classrooms for Malawi in memory of a dear friend and colleague, Ruby Whitelaw, who was a strong advocate for the charity. Enthusiasm and excitement were brimming as the walkers eagerly waited to cross over the start line to the fanfare of bagpipes, a live DJ and the roar of the crowd.

Making a Difference

As the walk continued along Glasgow and the West’s finest industrial landmarks and scenic canal routes, the atmosphere was palpable as thousands of walkers stepped forward to collectively raise over £3m for charity.

Even the dreich weather couldn’t dampen spirits as thousands walked in the name of charities close to their heart and in memory of loved ones. Along the route, neighbours cheered on, held banners and even offered refreshments to the 19,000 walkers who paraded past their doorstep. For the pedigree companions who joined the walk, there was even dedicated pit stops offering dog treats and water. Community bands also lined the route to encourage the walkers as they passed. It was a day where community spirit and kindness were in abundance.

In memory of Ruby, walkers from Kibble pooled efforts with Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ), who collectively raised over £6000 for Classrooms for Malawi! Continuing Ruby’s incredible legacy, funds will support the advancement of education in Malawi, building classrooms alongside the local community to enhance the learning environment, education and opportunities.

An Honour to be Part of

For all walkers, it was an honour to be part of the weekend’s events, raising funds to support others in our communities. As the Balloch marina came into view and we made our way to the finish line, jubilant with cheering spectators, we were filled with pride at what had been achieved. The sore feet and weary legs were worth it when we saw the support of others and the party atmosphere that awaited.

A hugely inspirational and emotional two days, and a joy to be part of. We’d like to say a massive well done to everyone who took part in KiltWalk 2025, to everyone who supported the walkers, and to the organisers who put on another incredible event. 

See you at the start line in 2026!

Posted: April 29, 2025

You can become a Child and Youth Care Worker – we welcome applicants of all ages and life experiences.

Applications are now open for our 12-month training programme, which provides full training for those wanting to start a rewarding career in child and youth care. Whether you are looking for a new job or a complete career change, you can transfer your existing skills into motivating young people to think positively. As a Trainee, you’ll spend three days each week in on-the-job training within our residential children’s houses, one day in the classroom, and one day studying independently.

Join our current staff who began as Trainees and have since qualified as Child and Youth Care Workers. Many have progressed to become Senior Practitioners, Service Managers and Operations Managers.

Meet Julie Ann who always wanted a career working with kids. Once her own children grew up, she applied to Career Start at age 50. Julie Ann left retail to start a new job, pursuing her lifelong dream of helping children.

Ryan, a former Landscaper, wanted a career change and knew from coaching his son’s football team he could encourage young people to believe in themselves.

Lola changed careers from the hospitality industry, and with support from Kibble, is now an Acting Operations Manager. Her story is an example of the rewarding career you can have if you match our drive to help young people.

If you want to inspire children to reach their potential, Lola encourages you to apply as she says: “The essential requirement is the aspiration to support young people and provide them with a better chance at life – if you have that, Kibble will work with you to make sure you have the skills and experience to become the best carer possible.”

Follow in the Footsteps of Julie Ann, Ryan and Lola

Learn more about Career Start