Case studies
Ravensbourne regularly collects a variety of exciting case studies across a range of subjects, profiling everyone from young mothers pursuing a new career path and mature students returning to study, to graduate successes and industry professionals making use of our facilities to develop new ideas.
Duncan Brown
BA (Hons) Broadcasting (Production)
Duncan graduated BA (Hons) Broadcasting (Production) in 2009. He launched his own business, Mediabugs after being awarded a Creative Enterprise grant from Ravensbourne in early 2009, and now uses Ravensbourne’s business incubation facilities to help support his business.
Duncan had always had an interest in broadcasting, and began studying Film at another university in the South-East. While the course was interesting, he acknowledges it wasn’t for him.
“It was too theory-based for me, so I didn’t enjoy it. I’d heard that Ravensbourne was really into practical hands-on teaching, and it had a really good reputation. The vibe at Ravensbourne is really different – it’s very welcoming and close-knit. The third year of the course is brilliant, because it focuses on making you think about how to be an entrepreneur, how to take charge of your own broadcasting career and how to make the most of opportunities.”
And it was this focus which helped inspire Duncan to launch his own business, connecting current Broadcast students with paid professional work opportunities in the industry. His employment agency, Mediabugs, will put industry professionals needing freelances for junior and assistant jobs in the media in touch with skilled students keen to work on real projects to gain experience.
To help launch Mediabugs, Duncan applied for a £1000 Creative Enterprise Award, an initiative run by Ravensbourne’s Enterprise and Innovation Centre, which works closely with both students and graduates to help them kickstart their careers successfully. He launched in October 2009, having used the award to invest in designing a brand and setting up a website, and he now has over 200 students signed up. Previous placements have included roles as runners, camera operators, graphics and web design.
Duncan also makes use of Ravensbourne’s business incubation facilities, which give him a space to work in and a place to hold meetings, as well as access to broadcast and post-production equipment, software, networking events and workshops for entrepreneurs.
Duncan now works as a freelance cameraman as well as running Mediabugs, and has been part of the crew filming Wimbledon, BBC Proms and Match of the Day, among others.
“If you’ve got your heart set on broadcasting, you can’t be at a better place than Ravensbourne,” he says. “The connections you get are amazing, and its reputation speaks for itself with potential employers.”
Jenny Slater
FdA Fashion Product Innovation
While studying last year for her Diploma in Foundation Studies in Art, Design and Media, Jenny applied for a part-time seamstress job with exclusive clothing designers Ralph & Russo.
“As soon as I got there I felt like I was way out of my league! The walls were covered with photos of their celebrity clients, and I had to do a really complex pattern-cutting exercise to prove I was good enough. I left feeling really gutted, thinking they’d never be interested in me. But a couple of days later they rang to say they really liked my personality, and wanted me for work experience.”
Jenny has since advanced onto designing for their womenswear range and leading their newly-launched menswear range. Jenny is now studying FdA Fashion Product Innovation, and has been guaranteed a job with Ralph & Russo when she completes her course.
“At the moment they design all the dresses for Beyonce, Kelly Brook, Cameron Diaz, and Jessica Alba. They also make dresses for Amanda Holden on Britain’s Got Talent and for Danni Minogue on the X-Factor. Then Simon Cowell and Prince Andrew started asking about a menswear range, so Tamara and Michael, the company owners, asked me to oversee it all!”
Tamara and Michael are also improving Jenny’s business acumen by teaching her about PR and business finances on the side, as well as encouraging her directly in her long-term goal, to set up her own fashion label.
“People say the fashion industry is cruel and catty, but I’ve not seen any of that – maybe I’m just lucky! Tamara and Michael are really nice, always making sure I’m ok, always there if I need to talk about personal stuff. The fact that they’re encouraging me to set up on my own as well shows they want the best for me.”
Jenny is currently studying on the Textiles pathway, and is considering studying for a final year on Ravensbourne’s BA (Hons) Fashion top-up, to turn her diploma into a full degree.
“It’s hard-work doing all this while studying, and nerve-wracking to be putting myself out there as a professional when I’m not even qualified yet! I’m proud of myself that I’ve been able to keep on top of all these things and not get overwhelmed. But you can’t stand back with these things, you’ve just got to jump in.”
Julien Castel
FdSc Broadcast Audio Technology
Julien was born in France and came to England when he was in his 20s. He has two children, aged 2 and 4, with his partner who works full-time. Julien had been working in a sound system company but had always wanted to go back to education, in order to broaden his knowledge and eventually be his own boss.
“Coming back to education when you’re older than most other students was quite difficult in the beginning. I think the first time introducing myself to the class was the hardest thing. You say, ‘I’m Julien, I’m 32, I have 2 children’, and everyone turns to look at you in surprise. You feel really different at first. But it got easier quickly, and
now I feel just like anyone else on the course. I’ve made friends, and my age isn’t an issue.”
The language barrier sometimes presents a problem for Julien, but not always in the way he expects. “The course is just right for me, and I’m learning a lot, especially on the technical side. But now I find I can’t understand the technical language in French – I always have to read it in English. If I try in French it doesn’t make any sense!”
When Julien isn’t at college, he looks after his two young children. “It can be hard financially, as all your money goes towards childcare, but I’ve had help from Student Support when I needed it. Recently they gave me a £650 grant, which really helped. Obviously you’re not super-rich, but it gives you room to breathe.”
He would advise other adult learners to make the leap back into education – but he recommends preparation. “It’s not that hard if you prepare first. I planned about a year ahead, I took evening classes to get myself up to speed and teach myself how to do homework again. My biggest piece of advice would be: don’t be afraid to ask for help, especially financial. It never hurts to ask, and it takes the pressure off, leaving you free to concentrate on your studies.”
Jaikay
BA (Hons) Content Creation And Broadcast
As a child Jaikay suffered abuse with little help from Social Services. She was frequently in trouble at school, which quickly escalated from detentions to suspensions. She was expelled from her FE level course when she was arrested for possession of an imitation handgun.
In 2004, Jaikay was instructed by her local Youth Offending Team to take part in a creative apprenticeship, where she became interested in the behind-the scenes aspects of broadcasting. She went on to study a BTEC National Certificate in Media Moving Image, but was unable to finish her BTEC National Diploma due to continuing difficulties. She became involved with drugs, and in 2006 was sent to prison after committing a series of offences. After her release, she attended a local college, then applied for Ravensbourne and was accepted on probation. She has now passed her probation and is on her second year Level 3 of the course.
At Ravensbourne, with help from Student Support and a college-appointed counsellor, Jaikay was diagnosed with Dyslexia and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). As a result of this, Jaikay learned that a condition she had had from birth, Neurofibromatosis – a genetic disorder causing the growth of benign tumours – is often linked to learning disabilities.
“I feel my condition wasn’t properly followed up,” she says. “No-one bothered to look at my school reports and think that maybe that might be the problem, that there might be some other reason why I wasn’t doing well in school.”
These days, Jaikay continues to see a counsellor when needed and regularly has guidance from the Dyslexia Support Tutor, Mary Hutton.
“Ravensbourne has offered me so much support, and I’m really grateful. Writing isn’t my strong point – it really freaks me out! Mary helps me a lot to break my work down, bit by bit, into clear manageable pieces. Overcoming that barrier to write my dissertation feels like my biggest achievement so far. It’s amazing to think I could be back in prison by now, but instead I’m here, working hard.”
Jaikay still finds it difficult to put her past behind her, fearing that her previous convictions will discourage potential employers.
“Last year I wanted to travel to Australia to get a job, because I’d wanted to visit there for years. But they denied me entry to the country, stating that I have ‘no regard for the law’. But that’s not who I am now – I never want to be that person again. I know my past is my own responsibility, but I’m just trying to make a new start and get on with my life. I worry my past will always be an obstacle.”
Now Jaikay has ambitions to work as a film-maker, creating factual documentaries on the types of issues that affected her throughout her life. She plans to gain more experience in the industry and eventually start her own production company. While studying at Ravensbourne she’s interviewed Labour politician Tony Benn, House of Lords member Bill Morris, and Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague.
Warren Roache
BA (Hons) Content Development and Production
Warren grew up in Brixton, South London. He served his first 18-month prison sentence at 15 years old, and for the next 5 years he was regularly in and out of prison. He then applied for a course at Ravensbourne, and now has a job in production with plans to start his own company, writing, producing and directing.
Like many teenagers, bored by school and with no clear direction, Warren and his friends felt that the easiest way to earn money was through crime. “After 2 or 3 times in prison, you think: that’s it, that’s your life. All your mates are doing the same thing, both in and out of prison you’re surrounded by people who are into crime and drugs, and they have the right contacts to get you more jobs. It’s like a college community in a way, but you’re all helping each other do the wrong thing instead.”
In an attempt to break himself out of the cycle, Warren got a job as a cleaner while in prison. However, after being caught with a mobile phone smuggled in for him by a prison warden, Warren lost the job. He tried again, applying to work on the prison radio station – and this proved to be the turning point.
Overseen by Radio for Development and London Metropolitan University, the project is dedicated to helping offenders currently in prison. The show gave Warren a taste for radio, and after doing voiceovers and short dramas at the station, he began putting forward his ideas on how to make the show more exciting. Warren soon began training for his BTEC National Award in Media (Radio), which he completed in 9 months.
“Even when I was doing the BTEC, I still didn’t really think it was possible for me to do this. For me and my mates growing up, we all thought uni – or any kind of education – was out of our reach. There’s a stigma attached to these things – you’re not bright enough for it, or quick enough, or not from the right background. You don’t think you’re good enough, or that people will judge you. But finding something I loved doing changed my mind, and it gave me confidence. Doors opened for me doing the BTEC, I started to learn about the media and what the industry is like.
“I learnt from lots of people – there was also an ex-journalist in prison who taught me a lot about writing. I’d write stories and program ideas, and I’d get feedback from the BTEC staff. They’d teach me how to use some techniques, and you learn how to put an idea together, how to communicate it in the right way. You learn to adapt the way you write and communicate, depending on whether you’re writing or speaking, and who your audience is. You learn skills you don’t even know you’re learning.”
“While doing the BTEC, I started running programs, writing dramas an documentaries for the show on prison life and shows about the latest music. People around the prison started talking about my programs, saying how much they liked them. It gave me a real buzz. Then the staff submitted one of my dramas to Radio 4, and I ended up winning a BBC award for it. It really woke me up. It was like I was being praised for something I thought I didn’t have.”
Inspired by his BTEC, on his release from prison Warren decided to apply to Ravensbourne for a broadcasting course and was accepted. However, still struggling for money, Warren was caught selling stolen jewellery just a few days before he was due to start the course. He found himself once again back in prison.
“I thought I blew it. I used to think, ‘When I start uni, I’ll stop breaking the law.’ But it doesn’t work that way. When I got out of prison that time, I told myself that if I committed another crime, I wouldn’t even go home again. I’d be so angry at myself, I wouldn’t even want to face my mum and sister.
“After a while, I decided to apply to Ravensbourne again. I went in for my interview, and the tutor gave me another chance. You wonder how you’re going to get on with all these different people at uni. At first I hid everything about my past, because you think people will judge you. But once you make friends, you relax. You realise you have a lot to offer people because you’ve had different life experience and can come at things from a different perspective than they may be used to.
“It wasn’t easy for me getting used to staying in and doing work, researching and writing, when what you really want to do is go out with your mates. You have to train yourself to do that. The hardest thing was learning to be patient. With myself, with the way some people treated me, with having no money. I had to break away from all my old mates, because they’d just try to drag me back into it. They think you think you’re better than them because you’re going to uni. I had loads of arguments and physical fights with them.
“When I had to sign on to the dole, it was just my mum, sister and me living on a pittance for 10 months. It put even more strain on our relationship. It would have been so easy to ring my mates to get me illegal work. But what I’m doing now isn’t about money, it’s about doing something you love. It wasn’t the easiest thing for me – I bought my first computer a year ago and I’m still learning how to use it. But once you do something like this, it changes your life.
“For my Final Project I’m doing a documentary on the prison system, telling the story from criminal’s side. I want to show people what it’s like to grow up the way I did and why some people commit crime. You have too much time, nothing to do, and you don’t feel a part of anything. So you get into crime, and when you get back out of prison, you’re on a high – you want to go clubbing, see your mates, get drunk – and it’s really easy to fall back into crime. I want to raise awareness of these issues and open people’s eyes.”
Warren has been working in a small production company, and once he completes his course, he plans to continue his career by gaining experience as a researcher or production assistant. His ultimate goal is to run his own independent company, making documentaries and dramas for TV and film. Another ambition for Warren is to open a community centre for youths who need focus in their lives. As well as a traditional community centre with group activities and social support, it will also act as a hub to introduce youngsters to career opportunities with guest speakers from the creative industries – and inspired by Warren’s first experience in a broadcast studio, it would also have a local radio show.
