Speak out for change case study 1: Warwickshire College
Discussion topics on thought bubbles
Public speaking opportunities through a learner-led conference
About the organisation
Warwickshire College is one of the largest general further and higher education colleges in the UK, providing a wide range of education and training opportunities for individuals and organisations at a local, regional, national and international level at six centres in Warwickshire and Worcestershire.
Introduction to the project
Fifty seven learners with learning difficulties and disabilities (LLDD) were involved in the project, all studying at Entry Level on Skills for Work and Life. Based at four of the College’s sites all were part of it’s ‘New Opportunities’ programme, which also includes provision for essential skills, ESOL, Princes Trust projects and young people at risk of not being in education, training or employment. The project also involved liaison with a local Special School whose students attended the project conference.
Citizenship activities
Citizenship and learner voice
As an introduction to citizenship and the idea of public speaking students were asked to identify the skills they would need to become active in the College Student Association. This was followed by an election for Student Association Representatives for the different tutor groups together with further practice of the skills they needed for the first Student Association meeting and reporting back to their groups.
All students were also involved in identifying members of the the Steering Group that would play a leading part in planning the project’s main public speaking event – a student led conference.
Citizenship themes
Also looking towards this event, students took part in a local programme called “Inspire Me”, run in collaboration with Mencap who facilitated two workshops to help students identify themes and issues they wanted to speak about at the conference. Some focused on their aims at college and how they learn, some wanted to talk about their community outside college and how they feel about it while others opted to speak about “personal choice” as independent young people making decisions.
In discussing themes for presentation at the conference some important citizenship issues emerged along with some clarification of which people and agencies from the community would be most appropriate to invite to the conference to help with the focus on those issues.
One such issue concerned life on the streets of Leamington Spa and in particular lawless behaviour in the local town parks and the question of whether communities should ever take the law into their own hands. On consideration of questions like: “Is it safe to get involved in policing a situation yourself? the categorical response was that we wouldn’t be safe without the police and laws to protect us. Students then decided they should invite a community police officer to their conference.
Similar discussions on issues of personal choice highlighted the need to invite a Community Health Worker to the conference. Students identified questions about smoking areas in the College and the consumption of energy drinks on sale cheaply in the college shop – some arguing this creates difficulties for students who find it hard to regulate how many they purchase in one day and whose behaviour is adversely affected by consuming excessive sugar and caffeine.
Public speaking skills and outcomes
'Developing new skills' sessions to help students develop their confidence and skills for public speaking were held within tutor group sessions and in two specially designed half-day workshops provided by Speakers Trust as part of overall provision from ‘Speak out for change’.
Students greatly enjoyed the development work on public speaking skills. Initially they looked at techniques for good speaking and listening and, using clips from the House of Commons and considering whether politicians showed a good example of how to behave in a public speaking context. They compared these with clips of the UK Youth Parliament’s session in the House of Commons. This also gave them an insight into how citizenship in action gives a democratic voice to the individual.
During the intensive workshops with Speakers Trust students quickly gained confidence, with many of those who had felt they couldn’t contribute eventually taking part with pride and great sense of satisfaction. The benefit of having the workshop before the conference was that it encouraged learners to have a go at something they previously thought beyond them. It raised their aspirations to communicate their ideas publically and focussed them to the techniques they needed for the conference. They enjoyed working to the five point plan and that method of planning and preparation was used subsequently in person centred planning meetings.
Student-led conference – ‘We can…..’
The main public speaking opportunity for project participants was the eventual student led conference with the title “We can....”. This had been carefully planned with considerable input from the student steering group and was a great success with all the LDD students from four different sites coming together for the first time to collaborate on a single project.
Apart from those students running the conference a further 115 people attended - a combination of Warwickshire College students and staff, including senior managers, parents of students taking part, students from a local Special School and representatives from the local police, the local authority and the University of Warwick.
The event was run and managed by the students with speeches, presentations and activities going on throughout the day. Students also took responsibility in advance for developing tools to help reflection and evaluation of the skills they may have developed throughout the process, including: speaking and listening, following instruction, working to deadlines, problem solving, public speaking, conduct, flexibility, creativity, organisational skills, team work, motivation and enthusiasm.
On the day other important auxiliary tasks were undertaken that gave students a chance to be involved - including a small team who went around the event throughout the day recording activity through stills and video photography. Transferring footage to the computer, they built a photo story presentation as they went along and were then able to present this in a plenary session at the end of the day.
Links with qualifications
The students involved were undertaking units for a City and Guilds, NPTC qualification in Skills for Work and Life at Entry Level. The work done in the Speak out for Change Project has helped the students focus on, and collect some high quality evidence for, a unit called “Developing Self” in which they consider their personal skills and how to develop and progress through setting goals and targets for personal development.
Learners’ reactions and individual achievements
One student who suffered from acute anxiety before the event about being out of his known comfort zone, meeting new people and taking part in public speaking managed to attend and stay to enjoy the event. He was very pleased with his own personal achievement and very enthusiastic about the event.
The ‘We can….’ conference sticks in the students’ memories and they wanted to do something like it again. This type of active, real life event, proved to be an excellent example of transformational learning for them.
And, another chance for public speaking did come within a few months of the first conference for many students in the project group. They played a leading part in a conference about developments in LLDD education, hosted at Warwickshire College in partnership with a specialist FE college and a Special School. Many students had developed their skills further and led the day with confidence and bravery. Student A (who had been keen to participate in the ‘We Can….’ event but on the day was too nervous to speak) stepped in at the last minute and led a Forum Theatre piece acted by the students, stopping the action, asking the opinions of the 150 strong audience, considering their points and then restarting the action including new directions and outcomes. Student B was the MC for the afternoon and introduced speakers and rounded up discussion and question time. Student C has developed a skill that she first attempted in the ‘We Can….’ conference and used again as a student ambassador in leading workshops and facilitating activities for some quite difficult groups.
Lessons and legacies
There is a strong feeling at the college that this project has offered students a significant connexion with society and the world around them. Staff have said that the changes to students and their attitude to getting involved in their college community have improved very noticeably. The expectations of students are raised – for example, previously they had no knowledge of how, or why they should be represented within the Student Association. Now they now have that expectation and are motivated to take part.
Bringing all the four sites of LDD learners together was very beneficial. Some students have said they would like to do more inter-site activities and enjoyed working with different people and making new friends. Also in terms of raising horizons, the school students attending had an opportunity to experience the surroundings, learning environment and type of learner voice activities that the college can offer - improving opportunities to make a smooth transition from school to college it they decide to do a college course in future.
In terms of recognition for the project within the college there are also encouraging signs. Senior managers who attended have been highly encouraging and have supported the continuation of learner-led conferences and events – contributing to a raised awareness of the benefits and need for Citizenship and innovative projects within the curriculum for Foundation Learning and more widely. Furthermore, staff have been asked to showcase their work on this project as “shared best practice” with other tutors from different departments as part of the quality improvement process within the college.
At the end of year student presentation evening for the whole college the project manager spoke about what the Speak out for change students had achieved. After hearing about the amazing success of the two conferences parents approached her, saying they could not believe what their young people had been doing. A vital lesson for the staff here was that it is as important to raise the expectations and aspirations of the parents as it is for the young people. Without their backing and belief in their children they will not develop the confidence to go out and take their place in society.
Project resources
Project contact
Romy Dixon, Project Manager:
rdixon@warkscol.ac.uk
About the organisation
Warwickshire College is one of the largest general further and higher education colleges in the UK, providing a wide range of education and training opportunities for individuals and organisations at a local, regional, national and international level at six centres in Warwickshire and Worcestershire.
Introduction to the project
Fifty seven learners with learning difficulties and disabilities (LLDD) were involved in the project, all studying at Entry Level on Skills for Work and Life. Based at four of the College’s sites all were part of it’s ‘New Opportunities’ programme, which also includes provision for essential skills, ESOL, Princes Trust projects and young people at risk of not being in education, training or employment. The project also involved liaison with a local Special School whose students attended the project conference.
Citizenship activities
Citizenship and learner voice
As an introduction to citizenship and the idea of public speaking students were asked to identify the skills they would need to become active in the College Student Association. This was followed by an election for Student Association Representatives for the different tutor groups together with further practice of the skills they needed for the first Student Association meeting and reporting back to their groups.
All students were also involved in identifying members of the the Steering Group that would play a leading part in planning the project’s main public speaking event – a student led conference.
Citizenship themes
Also looking towards this event, students took part in a local programme called “Inspire Me”, run in collaboration with Mencap who facilitated two workshops to help students identify themes and issues they wanted to speak about at the conference. Some focused on their aims at college and how they learn, some wanted to talk about their community outside college and how they feel about it while others opted to speak about “personal choice” as independent young people making decisions.
In discussing themes for presentation at the conference some important citizenship issues emerged along with some clarification of which people and agencies from the community would be most appropriate to invite to the conference to help with the focus on those issues.
One such issue concerned life on the streets of Leamington Spa and in particular lawless behaviour in the local town parks and the question of whether communities should ever take the law into their own hands. On consideration of questions like: “Is it safe to get involved in policing a situation yourself? the categorical response was that we wouldn’t be safe without the police and laws to protect us. Students then decided they should invite a community police officer to their conference.
Similar discussions on issues of personal choice highlighted the need to invite a Community Health Worker to the conference. Students identified questions about smoking areas in the College and the consumption of energy drinks on sale cheaply in the college shop – some arguing this creates difficulties for students who find it hard to regulate how many they purchase in one day and whose behaviour is adversely affected by consuming excessive sugar and caffeine.
Public speaking skills and outcomes
'Developing new skills' sessions to help students develop their confidence and skills for public speaking were held within tutor group sessions and in two specially designed half-day workshops provided by Speakers Trust as part of overall provision from ‘Speak out for change’.
Students greatly enjoyed the development work on public speaking skills. Initially they looked at techniques for good speaking and listening and, using clips from the House of Commons and considering whether politicians showed a good example of how to behave in a public speaking context. They compared these with clips of the UK Youth Parliament’s session in the House of Commons. This also gave them an insight into how citizenship in action gives a democratic voice to the individual.
During the intensive workshops with Speakers Trust students quickly gained confidence, with many of those who had felt they couldn’t contribute eventually taking part with pride and great sense of satisfaction. The benefit of having the workshop before the conference was that it encouraged learners to have a go at something they previously thought beyond them. It raised their aspirations to communicate their ideas publically and focussed them to the techniques they needed for the conference. They enjoyed working to the five point plan and that method of planning and preparation was used subsequently in person centred planning meetings.
Student-led conference – ‘We can…..’
The main public speaking opportunity for project participants was the eventual student led conference with the title “We can....”. This had been carefully planned with considerable input from the student steering group and was a great success with all the LDD students from four different sites coming together for the first time to collaborate on a single project.
Apart from those students running the conference a further 115 people attended - a combination of Warwickshire College students and staff, including senior managers, parents of students taking part, students from a local Special School and representatives from the local police, the local authority and the University of Warwick.
The event was run and managed by the students with speeches, presentations and activities going on throughout the day. Students also took responsibility in advance for developing tools to help reflection and evaluation of the skills they may have developed throughout the process, including: speaking and listening, following instruction, working to deadlines, problem solving, public speaking, conduct, flexibility, creativity, organisational skills, team work, motivation and enthusiasm.
On the day other important auxiliary tasks were undertaken that gave students a chance to be involved - including a small team who went around the event throughout the day recording activity through stills and video photography. Transferring footage to the computer, they built a photo story presentation as they went along and were then able to present this in a plenary session at the end of the day.
Links with qualifications
The students involved were undertaking units for a City and Guilds, NPTC qualification in Skills for Work and Life at Entry Level. The work done in the Speak out for Change Project has helped the students focus on, and collect some high quality evidence for, a unit called “Developing Self” in which they consider their personal skills and how to develop and progress through setting goals and targets for personal development.
Learners’ reactions and individual achievements
One student who suffered from acute anxiety before the event about being out of his known comfort zone, meeting new people and taking part in public speaking managed to attend and stay to enjoy the event. He was very pleased with his own personal achievement and very enthusiastic about the event.
The ‘We can….’ conference sticks in the students’ memories and they wanted to do something like it again. This type of active, real life event, proved to be an excellent example of transformational learning for them.
And, another chance for public speaking did come within a few months of the first conference for many students in the project group. They played a leading part in a conference about developments in LLDD education, hosted at Warwickshire College in partnership with a specialist FE college and a Special School. Many students had developed their skills further and led the day with confidence and bravery. Student A (who had been keen to participate in the ‘We Can….’ event but on the day was too nervous to speak) stepped in at the last minute and led a Forum Theatre piece acted by the students, stopping the action, asking the opinions of the 150 strong audience, considering their points and then restarting the action including new directions and outcomes. Student B was the MC for the afternoon and introduced speakers and rounded up discussion and question time. Student C has developed a skill that she first attempted in the ‘We Can….’ conference and used again as a student ambassador in leading workshops and facilitating activities for some quite difficult groups.
Lessons and legacies
There is a strong feeling at the college that this project has offered students a significant connexion with society and the world around them. Staff have said that the changes to students and their attitude to getting involved in their college community have improved very noticeably. The expectations of students are raised – for example, previously they had no knowledge of how, or why they should be represented within the Student Association. Now they now have that expectation and are motivated to take part.
Bringing all the four sites of LDD learners together was very beneficial. Some students have said they would like to do more inter-site activities and enjoyed working with different people and making new friends. Also in terms of raising horizons, the school students attending had an opportunity to experience the surroundings, learning environment and type of learner voice activities that the college can offer - improving opportunities to make a smooth transition from school to college it they decide to do a college course in future.
In terms of recognition for the project within the college there are also encouraging signs. Senior managers who attended have been highly encouraging and have supported the continuation of learner-led conferences and events – contributing to a raised awareness of the benefits and need for Citizenship and innovative projects within the curriculum for Foundation Learning and more widely. Furthermore, staff have been asked to showcase their work on this project as “shared best practice” with other tutors from different departments as part of the quality improvement process within the college.
At the end of year student presentation evening for the whole college the project manager spoke about what the Speak out for change students had achieved. After hearing about the amazing success of the two conferences parents approached her, saying they could not believe what their young people had been doing. A vital lesson for the staff here was that it is as important to raise the expectations and aspirations of the parents as it is for the young people. Without their backing and belief in their children they will not develop the confidence to go out and take their place in society.
Project resources
- Introducing the ‘learner voice’: Illustrates the range of practical and kinaesthetic materials developed to cater for the diverse needs of the groups of learners involved in the project. These include visual resources to help the students plan their project and map progress and also to identify the skills they needed for public speaking.
- Debating and public speaking skills: Describes the process during tutorials where students were encouraged to take part in short discussions on issues in the news or which may be of concern to them in their local community and identifies YouTube clips of scenes in Parliament and a UK Youth Parliament session in the House of Commons chamber.
- “How to” guide to putting on a learner led event: The project manager has drawn on the experience of the Warwickshire College project to draw together this detailed and very helpful guide.
Project contact
Romy Dixon, Project Manager:
rdixon@warkscol.ac.uk