Three of our University Centre Alumni students have been granted funding to open and run a youth club for children in the Brinnington area.
Between them, our students have completed our Working with Children and Young People Foundation Degree and BA (Hons) Childhood Studies Degree, and due to high demand for youth centres within the area they decided to use their degree’s and work towards opening a Youth Club.
The students are currently looking to raise funds for arts and crafts materials, sports equipment and cooking utensils to support them to provide activities for the children who attend the sessions.
We spoke to student Carol Leach about her experience studying at Stockport College, and how her degree has helped to shape the recent Youth Club project:
Hi Carol! First of all, why did you choose to study at Stockport College?
I chose the college as it was a close distance to home, and they had a university campus within the college.
What course did you study and why did you decide to study this course?
I started with the foundation degree, Working with Children and Young People. I then went on to do a top in Childhood Studies at Level 6, gaining a BA Honours degree. Everyone who has been involved in the Youth Club project studied this course as we all have an interest in working with Children and Young People and the degree could help further our careers.
Did you complete a placement as part of your course? Has this helped inspire opening a Youth Club?
Placements included a PRU school, primary school, children’s homes and youth work.
The Youth Club idea was thought of by Katie Myott and I, we attained the funding via Rtime (a charity working with the youth of today). This led to asking Andrea Quinn to come on board with the help of running the project, and that’s what created the community youth team that’s supporting the new
Byouth in Brinnington.
Tell us more about the Youth Club project…
We created a gofundme page via Facebook and managed to raise £265. This will go on to funding different projects for the children and towards the rent and upkeep of the building. Morrisons and Tesco regularly donate food and drink items for the children to snack on whilst there. We have only been open for four weeks and whilst this is a great success so far we will be continuing to look for further funding to make sure it remains a success.
You can view the group gofundme page here.
What was your favourite part of studying the course?
The course overall was at times testing, but very enjoyable and rewarding. Crime was a good topic and fits in well with the youth club project. We went on a trip to the Old Bailey in London to experience a real-life trial in child crime.
What are your next steps now you have finished the course?
We all have jobs and the course has helped better our progress and promote our future
careers within the childhood sector.
How did you find the traveling and location to the college?
Commuting was okay as the college was very close to home and we only attended class one day a week, having sat placements the other four days of the week.
Have there been any hurdles you have faced that the college has helped with?
Yes, one of us is dyslexic and the support services proofread every assignment to make sure
they didn’t lose marks within their work. Learner support was amazing as they helped go over the assignments and put into plain understanding what would be classed as academic speech.
Would you recommend the college to family or friends?
Yes they were helpful, friendly and overall supportive.
If you were to give advice to someone who is thinking of studying your course, what would you say?
Don’t give up, even when you think you can’t go on. Coming from somebody who’s
been on the other side, you will be the proudest person alive when your loved ones see you
in your hat and gown! Nothing is impossible when you put your mind to it.
If you would like to donate items to the Youth Club, please email amanda.vardy@tcg.ac.uk.