Summer Challenge

19 Sept 08

Ravensbourne Gets Challenging with Summer Taster Days

While schools are winding down ready for the holidays, Ravensbourne is gearing up for its annual Summer Challenge – a range of taster sessions covering fashion, broadcasting, paper engineering, life drawing, and more. “Some students leave school at the end of Year 11 without enquiring about Further or Higher Education, so we want to get them before that and make them see how much fun a creative course can be at a HE college like Ravensbourne,” says Ian Cownley, Diversity Project Co-ordinator.

The programme is run in partnership with Aimhigher, a government initiative designed to improve access to Higher Education for under-represented groups such as minorities, disabled or mature students. Summer Challenge invites students at Year 10 and above from schools throughout the London area to try out their chosen subject in a practical creative environment. Student Ambassadors from Ravensbourne work with the students to give them career advice and an insight into studying at Higher Education, while helping them complete an exciting project for their portfolios.

“The aim is to give students a clear progression route into Higher Education,” says Ian. “We offer regular careers advice throughout the year with taster days and tours, or by visiting schools for talks, open days, portfolio sessions and interview techniques.”

“It’s about opening up opportunities, and also about ensuring that your body of students is reflective of society,” says Tessa Read, Consortium Co-ordinator for Arts Aimhigher. “I visit colleges and universities to oversee the work that takes place and ensure they’re targeting the right students. Some young people feel they don’t have the access to education or the support of their family. Our aim is to break down those barriers.” Tessa adds, “I also enjoy seeing how the programmes develop – Ian usually comes up with wacky ideas, like last year’s Dig, where the students set up an archaeological excavation area and filmed a Sci-Fi docudrama.”

During this year’s Summer Challenge, Ravensbourne’s press officer was invited to be a fly on the wall as groups of students from local schools took over the college’s broadcast studio to direct, film and host a half-hour arts magazine show. Ian and a team of student ambassadors are on hand to show them how to use the equipment.

“Traditionally the female students are much more shy about volunteering to do the techie jobs, like operating the cameras,” says Ian. “To get around that I usually show the boys the sound desk and control rooms before I show them the cameras. Since it’s very hands-on and involves pushing a lot of buttons, they jump at the chance to do that, so the girls get the chance to work in the studio.” He smiles mischievously. “It teaches the boys not to be so impatient, and gives the girls more confidence.”

Charles Darwin School and Coopers Technology College, both in Kent, each had two days at the Summer Challenge. Marie Hurding, a tutor at Charles Darwin, brought students from Dance, Drama, and Media to participate. “One student had recently switched from Media to Dance and is now having second thoughts, and another who thought she had always wanted to be a midwife is thinking she’d now like to work in the media instead,” says Marie. “We could never give our students access to this kind of equipment and experience at Charles Darwin, so having this collaboration with Ravensbourne is amazing.”

Coopers Technology College chose fifteen Year 12 Media students to take part, having visited Ravensbourne’s annual event Rave on Air, a day of live programs filmed by Broadcasting students and featuring work from all other courses, including a catwalk show from Fashion and Animation shorts between programs. Broadcast over Freeview, Rave on Air is supported by BBC Outside Broadcast trucks and BBC technicians, as well as CIS, who provided cameras for use in the marquees. “Coopers are planning to expand their media department, so the Head of Media was keen for us to visit other colleges and see what they offer. Ravensbourne have a lot of portable equipment, so there’s a good opportunity for collaboration,” says Emma Neophytou, Media tutor. “The Summer Challenge was exactly what the students had hoped it would be. You can talk to them about working in a broadcast studio but they can’t fully grasp it until they see for themselves. It’s renewed their enthusiasm for media, and some students are even asking how to apply at Ravensbourne next year.”

Ian is keen for more schools to get involved with Summer Challenge, but that can be problematical. “It’s difficult to get schools north of the river to participate, because we seem so far away. Now that we’re moving next door to one of the most popular live entertainment venues, in a very diverse area of London, we will get the opportunity to widen participation even further.”

In 2010, Ravensbourne will be relocating to a purpose-built college beside the O2 at Greenwich Peninsula. This new location will allow Ravensbourne to enrich its current links with industry in London, giving its students even bigger and better opportunities to develop their creativity and make contacts. Imagined as a community learning hub, its proximity to London will enable the college to reach a wider audience.

“It will be a whole new building with a different broadcast studio so we may have to change the way we work,” says Ian, “but we can really get out there and start engaging students from all four points of the compass more effectively. Part of the goal is to break into new areas of London and show them that there’s a place for everybody in Higher Education, no matter what your background is.”