Clustered Work Experience
Rashid and Helena have not been enjoying school much since their GCSE courses started in Year 10. They both have considerable natural ability, but are not motivated by the curriculum. Their tutors are concerned that they will lose interest in learning post-16 and miss out on important progression opportunities.
A group of employers in the arts and media are working on a proposal with Connexions WofE to offer work placements to Year 10 students in a range of schools on a ‘cluster’ basis. The aims are:
- to enable employers to support a greater number of placements without undue strain to their resources.
- to provide sector-based, varied, high quality learning opportunities for young people from communities which have had very little direct experience of the arts and media.
Schools are invited to nominate young people for a week´s work experience with this cluster of employers. The project is divided into two programmes, one communications–focused and the other design–focused. Rashid is nominated for the first of these and Helena for the second.
The communications cluster includes a broadcaster, a radio station, a telecommunications company, a local newspaper, and a science and media centre. The core task for the week is to launch a multi-media facility as a new tourist attraction at the science and media centre. The students spend the week based at each of the organisations in turn, developing knowledge and skills in order to fulfil the brief and report their findings.
The design-based programme is led by a local arts centre. It is intended to give an insight into a public arts space and to observe the organisation´s day to day activities through working as a team with the brief to design a new building/space for the arts centre. A professional artist works on the brief with the students.
Both groups are supported and mentored by young people who had taken part in an equivalent project the year before. Rashid and Helena gain real experience of working in a professional team, responding to a brief within a tight deadline and thinking creatively: these are key skills, all essential for working within the arts industry. They finished the week with presentations to the staff and management of the science and media centre, and the arts centre.
With thanks to the following organisations for their help and support:
Arnolfini, @Bristol, BBC, Bristol Evening Post, Bristol Campus, Creative Partnerships, GWR, Orange plc, S–cool, SouthWest Screen. Bedminster Down School, Hartcliffe School, Hengrove School, Monks Park School, Speedwell School, St Bede´s School, Whitefield Fishponds School.