Community Work
The College is a member of the Go Higher West Yorkshire partnership, which includes twelve other West Yorkshire colleges and universities offering a vast array of different courses, subjects, qualifications and modes of study. The partnership aims to help with access to and preparation for higher education.
Go Higher
Go Higher West Yorkshire has a focus on working with people within the Leeds City Region who don’t usually apply to do a degree or find that they struggle to complete a degree. These groups tend to include: Looked-After Young People and Care Leavers, Mature and part-time students, young carers, and HE students from non-traditional backgrounds and low participation neighbourhoods.
The University Centre’s Widening Participation activity includes:
- Providing small and flexible teaching and learning that supports students to return to study for a degree. Many students are working around employment, family life or other responsibilities.
- Running Access to HE courses – enabling mature students to progress to a degree course.
- Helping to address the decline in Mature student numbers nationally – around 70% of University Centre HE students are Mature.
- Teaching students who wouldn’t normally enrol on a degree course. For example, around half of the students are from the lowest participation neighbourhoods.
- Signing up to the collaborative Care Leaver Covenant – which outlines the support available to care leavers who want to do a degree at the University Centre.
The College is an active member of the GHWY Access & Participation Strategy Group (APSG), while also having representation on the GHWY Board and the Business Engagement Planning Group (BEPG).
The
Uni Connect Project
As part of the GHWY partnership, The University Centre is working with young people and their parents and school teachers in Ovenden and throughout Calderdale, both in their school settings and within the community.
Uni Connect is a centrally funded national initiative to raise aspiration among young people to progress to a degree. The project is aimed at those young people who have the academic ability to progress to higher education but decide not to apply.
Recent Projects include:
- “Home Pride” art project – celebrating the local area through art
- Escape Room: Cracking the code at Calderdale College – Students have been solving clues against the clock with a new Maths and English escape room initiative.
- West Yorkshire to West End Collaborative Taster Day – 90 Uni Connect students took part in two workshops in acting and dancing. They also had the unique opportunity of watching degree students perform.
- Design your Future – Calderdale’s virtual school were invited to an evening for local young people in care and carers, highlighting the support and the different routes available. It also included a creative art taster session with the University Centre.
- Lockdown Weekly Challenge
- HE Roadshow – a two–day event in Wakefield offering free HE advice, careers interviews and entertainment
Progression Module
Congratulations to all the Level 3 Sport and Arts and Design students who successfully completed the Progression Module Light. The Module is being delivered through the Uni Connect Project with University Centre Calderdale College students.
The Module is a short online course developed during the pandemic to help students preparing for higher education and employment. It guides them through researching, choosing and applying for a University Course, Degree Apprenticeship or a job. It develops key skills in critical thinking, research, evaluation, interview skills and presentation skills.
The students worked really hard through this difficult year to complete the module and were awarded a certificate from University Centre Calderdale College.
Danielle Baker, L3 Sport tutor, said “The students enjoyed it and some have been able to put it on their CV and mentioned it on their personal statements when applying to University. It has been a positive course!”
If you are interested in finding out more about completing the Progression Module then please contact kirsty.sanderson@calderdale.ac.uk
University Centre Partners
CHESS 2018 Results
91% agree that: My course has provided me with opportunities to explore ideas or concepts in depths.
89% agree that: The skills I have developed during my time in Higher Education will be useful for my future career.
NSS 2018 Results
90% agree that: The course is intellectually stimulating.
86% agree that: I feel part of a community of staff and students. My course has challenged me to achieve my best work. Staff value students’ views and opinions about the course.
CHESS 2018 Results
82% agree that: My learning has benefited from modules that are informed by current research. Staff are good at explaining things.
80% agree that: I have been able to explore academic interests with other students. I have had the right opportunities to work with other students as part of my course.
NSS 2018 Results
81% agree that: My course has provided me with opportunities to explore ideas or concepts in depth and to bring information and ideas together from different topics.
