All reports originally written by Aimhigher practitioners for the Peninsula Newsletter
Regional "UniTaster" Summer School at UCP Marjon 2009
Report by Lesley Graham.
This summer has seen another round of the Aimhigher Regional summer schools, re branded Unitasters for 2009 running across the peninsula. Here at UCP Marjon we had a hectic week, with much of the feedback from the Year 11's being that more sleep would be their recommendation for next year's programme. On Tuesday, before we headed for the dry ski-slope to throw ourselves down it the students cooked their own dinner based on recipes provided and budgeted for using a set price list. As chief taster this filled me with dread but I was pleasantly surprised and really full by the time we made it the ski centre.
It was important for the Unitaster that the University students had ownership of the work that was delivered, so the work that was undertaken within the subject sessions was designed and delivered by the ambassadors. This meant that the ambassadors had the energy and enthusiasm for the work and the Year 11's could really feel how much the students enjoy their courses.
For the first year at UCP Marjon the academic staff were involved the summer school delivering Masterclasses in Drama in the Community, Outdoor Adventure theory, Media and Education studies.
Wednesday finished on a high after we travelled to Bude to surf, play archer and traverse the North Cornwall coast we returned to campus to prove that Marjon's got Talent in a Karaoke super hero disco! This went off without a hitch owing a massive amount to the energy and confidence shown by the ambassadors who could not be praised enough.
On Thursday the graduates of the Unitaster were then put safely on their trains home.
E-Mentoring
Throughout this year Strand 2 has also been running an e-mentoring scheme with 20 students from Poltair and Humphry Davy schools. This has drawn to a close with a celebration assembly in Poltair and a Campus Tour and Design Event run by Sue Loydell of Strand 3 for the young people of Humphry Davy. The Young people spent the day with their mentors designing and working on the Tremough Campus following a campus tour.
“North Devon Games to Inspire”, July 2009
Report by Claire MacNeil.
As part of this large-scaled youth event in Barnstaple Aimhigher Strand 5 hosted a "Zone" that provided 5 different activities for young people and adults to get involved with. These were:
- Animation.
- ‘Brain Making’.
- Footprints on Canvas / routes to your dreams.
- IDAT inflatable cinema dome.
- Big Brother Diary room.
Each of these activities aimed to encourage participants to think about their dreams and aspirations, the barriers that may exist in their lives, life-skills and opportunities. Although the weather did not hold up all day there were constant queues to visit the iDAT cinema dome and we managed to create over 30 short animation pieces depicting each participant's journeys from where they are at to where they want to be.
We created an 8 foot “head” that participants could “programme” with life-skills and used a 7 foot canvas to consult participants on the "routes to their dreams". It was a great day involving a multi-skilled team of student Ambassadors, professional animators, Plymouth University students and local film makers.
