Gower College Swansea Music Technology student Lorna Rees recently delivered a talk to Birchgrove Comprehensive pupils as part of the new Kick Start Programme.
The aim of the event was to give the pupils an insight into what they can expect when they make the transition from school to college.
“My time at college has been lovely and talking to them about it was a great experience,” says Lorna, who herself is a former pupil of Birchgrove. “I'm currently studying A Levels in English Language, Music and Music Technology – subjects that have helped my songwriting ability improve and given me opportunities to perform.”
This event was organised by the college’s Enterprise Officer Lucy Turtle, who added: “Lorna is fantastic role model and has recently been offered a place at BIMM Brighton (Brighton Institute of Modern Music), after which she aspires to work professionally in the music industry.”
Lorna will continue to support Birchgrove pupils at an upcoming enterprise event – ‘By Young People For Young People’ – at the Gorseinon campus.
As part of the A Level Health and Social Care qualification and Kick Start Programme, students are required to research factors that affect the health of a specific target group. Stalls will be set up at the event to provide information on the effects of alcohol, smoking and drug use.
“The purpose of this event is to demonstrate to students the effects that smoking, drinking and using drugs have not only on the body but on the individual’s relationships with others. Students will also be get help and advice if they need it,” adds Lucy.
The Kick Start Programme is a new initiative developed by Gower College Swansea and aimed at Key Stage 4 students from across Swansea who enrol at college to complete a BTEC in Vocational Studies. This course enables them to study a range of different pathways and gives them the opportunity to discover an area of interest that they could pursue on leaving school.
There are currently six schools taking part in the programme with each group following a bespoke course tailored to their needs e.g. forensic science, plumbing, hair and beauty, printmaking, sound recording, enterprise, catering and engineering.