Part-time youth and community degree is making all the difference
UNIVERSITY of Wales Trinity Saint David’s (UWTSD) link and collaboration work with Monkton School’s ‘Launch Adult Learning’ project is “going from strength to strength” following the introduction of the university’s part-time BA Youth and Community degree there this year.
‘Launch Adult Learning’ is an exciting project based in the community of Monkton, Pembrokeshire which provides relevant training and courses for adult learners.
The project was initially developed by Shelley Morris, headteacher at Monkton Priory Community Primary School, in September 2012.
Since then positive partnerships have been created with various institutions and organisations which includes UWTSD.
Since the university started to offer its degree provision within the community of Monkton in 2011 locals have had an opportunity to study for a foundation degree in Inclusive Education delivered through outreach at Monkton School.
As a result of this initial success, this has now led to an opportunity for students to study for a further year in order to gain a BA in Inclusive Education.
Following UWTSD’s successful contribution to the ‘Launch Learning’ project through the BA Inclusive Education degree programme, the university has now had an opportunity to further expand its provision in the area.
Since the beginning of this year, UWTSD is providing an opportunity for local people to study a part-time BA degree in Youth and Community Work.
One of those who has signed up for this exciting part-time degree course is Sue Lines who is also the project manager at Monkton’s Tanyard Youth project.
Sue Lines said: “Being able to study for the BA in Youth and Community work part-time has enabled me to continue in my full-time role at work while learning new skills to help me do a better job.
“Running a youth project requires commitment and understanding, and since my background is entirely different, the BA course is enabling me to re-skill and support staff, volunteers and young people much better.
“The lecturers from UWTSD who come to teach us in Monkton have been a breath of fresh air; they provide a varied curriculum which is very interesting, often inspiring and always thought-provoking.
“They have made the learning challenging, but lots of fun, and as we approach the end of our first year we are all looking forward to what is ahead.”
As well as working towards gaining a degree, Sue Lines has also gained new staff at the Tanyard Youth project as a result of the fellow students she’s met through the BA Youth and Community Work course.
In the last few months, Sue has provided two of her fellow students with work placement opportunities at the Tanyard Youth project.
The Tanyard Youth project was first formed in the late 1990s and offers an extensive variety of recreational activities including arts and crafts, sports and games, healthy cooking, music, drama and filmmaking and the chance to achieve a Duke of Edinburgh award.
Among other things, the Tanyard also offers practical advice and help with job applications, IT skills, revision and homework and an opportunity for the 250 active members to develop important life skills that will help them in the future.
Sue added: “I’m studying with three other mature students, and have been able to provide workbased study placements for two of them at our youth project. This is great, as we can study together locally, do group work together and practice our youth work skills at the centre outside of our normal working hours.”
BA Youth and Community Work programme director Angharad Lewis commented:“There is no doubt that the university’s work and provision in Monkton are going from strength to strength.
“Following the success of the BA Inclusive Education degree programme, we’re proud to have the opportunity this year to offer the parttime BA Youth and Community Work degree as part of the ‘Launch Learning’ project.
“In the 2016-2017 academic year, the BA Youth and Community Work programme underwent major modification to enable the team to deliver the part-time programme in the community of Monkton.
“The first cohort of students enrolled in September 2017 and so far the course has been going extremely well.
“Overall the Monkton ‘Launch’ project has successfully engaged more than 1,000 learners, with the majority of these people living in the local community.
“Many students have achieved promotion in their workplace and have gained employment as a direct result of their training.
“UWTSD delivery has also benefited provision and outcomes for pupils at the school in terms of upskilling many of the school’s LSAs and establishing pupils’ parents as positive role models re-engaging in education opportunities.
“As a university, we’re proud to be a part of the initiative in Monkton and to see its vision of community learning – in the community, for the community – becoming a reality is fantastic.
“We’re extremely pleased to see that some of our students have gained work-based study placements at the Tanyard over the last few months which has come as a result of the contacts Sue has made following her decision to enrol on the course this year.
“We are also pleased that three of our graduates have gained employment at the Tanyard within the last year, and these youth workers now play a role in supporting our students at Monkton as fieldwork supervisors.
“We’re very much looking forward to continuing our work in the area – we really do feel a part of the community now.”
■ If you are interested in attending or for further information please contact angharad.lewis@uwtsd.ac.uk