Partnership with LCET

Aimhigher works closely in partnership with LCET, a local charity that aims to support young people in Luton to help them meet their full potential by offering a range of initiatives to meet their needs.

One key area of engagement for LCET is supporting young people in care, in particular those aged 16-19 who are due to make the transition to independent living.

Their Therapeutic Director, Lynsey Johnston, sits on the Aimhigher Reach Your Goal Steering Group chaired by Roisin Kendall of the University of Bedfordshire. The steering group was established 5 years ago and brings together professionals from all sectors who work with young people in care. Through this focused partnership working, local organisations and agencies work together to develop a range of opportunities to help inspire, motivate and raise the aspirations of these young people along with helping to develop their life skills.

Following on from the successful Reach Your Goal residentials at Shuttleworth College, where young people in care from across Bedfordshire accessed a range of opportunities to help them develop their independent living skills, LCET recognised that  residentials are not suitable for all young people and developed a similar 6 day non-residential course running over a period of 3 weeks. 

Roisin Kendall and Jane Osborn of Aimhigher both worked as support staff on LCET’s recent 6 day programme in October, together with a social worker from Luton 16+ team and LCET staff. Young people were referred by their social workers and following an informal interview process, 7 boys aged 16-19 and one 19 year old girl were offered places. 

The course content covered a range of topics including budgeting skills, how  to retain a tenancy, sexual health, drug and alcohol awareness, developing assertiveness, housework, next steps, anger management, fire safety in the home and finance. Sessions were informal, fun and interactive and all participants completely involved themselves in the activities and helped develop the groups knowledge further by their individual contributions.

The course culminated in a celebration event on the evening of the final day when the young people were presented with a folder of their work and a certificate to recognise their achievement. Monthly reunion meetings have been planned to offer on-going support and the young people are already looking forward to meeting up again in November.

Feedback from the group has been extremely positive. Seeing their confidence increase over the 3 week period made it a very rewarding experience for all the staff involved and Aimhigher look forward to future partnership working with LCET and other members of the Reach Your Goal Steering Group.

Aimhigher project is picture perfect

The University of Bedfordshire’s Aimhigher team has joined up with the On Track Education Centre in Silsoe for a picture-perfect exhibition in the new Campus Centre in Luton.

The Aimhigher team worked with award-winning photographer Ania Dabrowska to offer a unique, interactive photography project for 14 students from the Centre for Alternative Education.

The students, aged between 13 and 15, were given five days, a camera and editing software to capture images in everyday life that reflected their aspirations and future. Afterwards, the students’ work was turned into a stunning display of artwork.

The exhibition, named Ignition of Life by the students, has been showcased at the On Track Education Centre and Luton Central Library, finishing up at the exhibition space in the University Campus Centre.

The students saw their photographs displayed and also enjoyed an afternoon of interactive activities to encourage self-reflection, raise aspirations and learn about university life.

One student, Nigel, said he “felt excited and impressed that the school’s work was being exhibited at the University.” Ian, a teacher from the Centre, said: "In the time we've spent at the University, the students have been engaged and I can see they've all enjoyed the experience.”

This is the first joint photography project that the Aimhigher team has offered and it has been a resounding success. A quote on one piece of work reads: “I did not want to do anything, just tried to stay out of trouble and not get caught. I now want to be a garden designer.”

Steve Kendall, Associate Dean of the University’s Partnership Office said: “We’re thrilled that this new venture has been such a success. We’re always searching for new, interactive ways to raise aspirations and I think the standard of the artwork produced shows that we’re on the right track.”

Working collaboratively within the area to support young people at risk, enhance their opportunities and widen participation in education, the Ignition of Life project is just part of the University’s community engagement initiative.

Aimhigher works with young people to raise their awareness, achievement and aspirations and to promote accessible routes into Higher Education. The On Track Centre specialises in working with vulnerable young people and students with emotional and behavioural needs.

Debate Mate is the talk of the town

There was plenty of debate among mates as the University of Bedfordshire hosted a launch event for high schools in Luton.

The Debate Mate organisation is a national charity which is already working in the big cities of London, Liverpool and Manchester.

Now a partnership between the University, the Hertfordshire Law School, Luton Sixth Form College and Aimhigher Luton has seen the launch of the initiative aimed at Luton schools and colleges.

Young people from all the Luton high schools were invited along with their headteachers and lead debating staff to the launch at the Luton campus on a recent afternoon. It took place in the Lecture Theatre in the new Campus Centre on Thursday, 9 December.

Three students from both Stopsley and Ashcroft were involved in a live debate, This house believes that qualifications equal success.

Other schools at the launch were Putteridge, Lea Manor, Cardinal Newman, Challney Boys, Barnfield Academy South, Barnfield Academy West, The Studio School and Lealands.

A second live debate was performed by some of the mentors who work for the Debate Mate organisation. The mentors, a mixture of international and national debating champions from some of the most prestigious universities in the country, go out to schools to train the students to debate.

Roisin Fulton from Aimhigher Luton said: “Debating is a fantastic and creative tool to inspire verbal intelligence in young people.

“We’re delighted that Debate Mate is coming to Luton and we look forward to entering their national competitions, the final of which is held at the House of Lords.

“It is our hope that every one of the 12 high schools in Luton will be debating by Easter - debating subjects that inspire our young people to greater achievements and to have a better understanding of issues that affect us all.

“Debating is a fantastic vehicle for social mobility and should be available for everyone who wants to give it a try. Our thanks go to the University for allowing us to use its facilities for this launch event.”

Events in the New Year to enable and encourage schools to take part in mainstream debate include a staff training day on Saturday, 8 January, which is again being hosted by the University in its new Lecture Theatre (10am - 4pm).

Teaching staff are among those invited to be trained to set up and run debating clubs in their schools and colleges. For further details on the training, contact Roisin at Roisin.Fulton@luton.gov.uk

Then six Year Ten students in every high school across the town, who are nominated by the schools, will attend the Debate Mate debating club at Luton Sixth Form College every Thursday from 13 January (4.15pm - 5.30pm). This means that up to 72 students will attend the weekly sessions for up to eight weeks where five experienced and skilled mentors will teach them the art of debating.

  http://www.beds.ac.uk/news/2010/dec/101222-debating

Social Worker of the Year

The excitement builds, the winners will shortly be announced the lights are dimmed and the winner of outstanding social worker of 2010 is Martin Hill.  Martin received his award at the prestigious Children and Young People Now Awards in Westminster on the 18th of November.

The awards night communicated the national achievements of our unsung heroes, by celebrating the work they do to allow children and young people to achieve.  Martin was awarded the title of outstanding social worker for his collaborative work with Aimhigher Bedfordshire and University of Bedfordshire. 

Social workers should always go the extra mile for young people in care and over the past five years Martin Hill has continually demonstrated this by supporting the University’s Reach Your Goal programme.  Young people in care have traditionally been under represented in higher education our aim is to help decrease this gap by offering students the opportunity to take part in events and activities which demonstrate they can be future graduates. Martin has been a part of staff team who help s to make young peoples dream a reality.  

Over the past 5 years we have ran residential summer schools in confidence raising for Years 10 / 11 and independent living for years 12 /13.  Martin has attended all 7 residential summer schools helping out young people in care.  He has always gone the extra mile by taking part in all activities from tractor driving to kayaking.  He has been a shoulder for students to turn to when things have become too much and emotionally he has followed every students inquiries up so he gets the answers to personal life questions and issues they have struggled to resolve.  

Chantelle Westwood first met Martin on a Reach Your Goal/Aimhigher residential when she was 14, he then went on to become her social worker when she moved over to the 16plus team in Luton..  Chantelle is now 19 living independently and currently completing a BTEC in Health and Social Care with a view of going to University.


She said "Martin is my social worker he is very understanding he has always got an answer to all my questions and if he does not know the answer he finds it out for me.  He is committed to his job, a situation happened to me and I felt I could not speak to anyone about it except Martin, we have a trust thing.  He helped me overcome this and is setting up counselling.


Martin is really funny and he really cares about his clients.  He helped me with my move to my new flat and is always checking up that I am ok.  He is laid back but professional at the same time, he makes you feel really comfortable, I feel I can be myself as he accepts me for I am and does not judge me.  I feel really privileged to have Martin as my social workers because makes me feel worthwhile like someone cares for me".

On behalf of the whole team we would like to congratulate Martin on this great achievement.

Well done!

Get Boys Reading Achievement Evening

'Get Boys Reading' Achievement Evening was held at St Thomas More Upper School on Thursday 18 November. This event was designed to recognise the achievements of young boys who ‘Can Read’ but ‘Don’t Read’. Each pupil had managed to successfully complete a reading programme within their respective schools, enabling them to increase their reading scores in the classroom.

David Lewis, who is the Advisory Support Teacher for Ethnic Minority and Traveller Support at the Bedford Borough Council organised an inspiring evening of presentations and awards. Two of our student associates Adeola and Sean were instrumental in organising the awards certificates for the final presentation ceremony.
There was a larger than expected turnout on the night, with parents and pupils queuing at the entrance to the main hall. Guest speakers delivered a range of motivational presentations and BBC journalists, Dotun Adebayo delivered passionately about the value of reading. Aimhigher were also given an opportunity to present an aspirational speech about the merits of further and higher education.

At the end of the session, parents, pupils, guest speakers and academic professionals were treated to a Caribbean style buffet, which was vey welcomed and tasty. This social activity allowed people to mingle and network, which has resulted the prospect of developing collaborative projects in some of the Aimhigher targeted schools in Bedford.

Ignition of life Photography exhibition in Luton Library and UoB Campus Centre

Ignition of life is a collaboration between Aimhigher, University of Bedfordshire and On Track centre of alternative education. Ten teenagers worked with an award winning artist, Ania Dabrowska and her team to use photography as a way to reflect on their life, aspirations and their future. Every day students went out with cameras in their hands, to capture aspects of life that usually remain unseen to other people. Working individually during the morning, the young people shared their images with the rest of the group in the afternoon, discussing why a particular shot was taken and what it signifies. Apart from learning new skills of like handling a camera and understanding photography more, ten boys and girls used this time to learn more about themselves and people around them, creative self-expression, hope and ambition.

Aimhigher initiative works with young people to raise their awareness, achievement and aspirations and to promote accessible routes into Higher Education.

Participatory photography "places the medium of the camera into the hands of learners to democratize the image-making dynamic and give them the power to show and speak their own realities" (Journal of transformative education)

NHS Expedition - 13th October 2010

What kind of jobs are there in the NHS?  What career would suit me?  How do I become a healthcare professional in the future?  These are just some questions young people had when they attended the NHS Careers Expedition held on the L&D Hospital. 

Over 250 students from Bedfordshire in Years 9-13 attended the event which kicked off with a dynamic, fast paced performance called ‘Pathways to Healthcare’ from Impact Universal.  The performance was based on a story of a school student who decides to bunk off school for the day only to find himself in hospital (due to having no aspirations) he then explores all areas of the hospital from radiography to maternity meeting healthcare professionals on the way.  The students and staff were engaged from the beginning with the core messages that there are many numbers of careers from volunteering to becoming consultant available for young people.

After the performance students then went to the comet centre to meet the ‘real life’ healthcare professionals who were there to represent the hospital.  Students had the chance to speak to junior doctors, midwifes, student nurses, physiotherapists and many more to find out about entry routes, highs and lows of the job and much more.

The event was a great success with future event planned for 2011, so if your school is interested in attending sign up quick as places are limited. To find out more about the performance from Impact Universal contact Roisin Kendall (aimhigher@beds.ac.uk)