Make Happen partnered with the University of Essex this year to host three campus visits at their Colchester campus. This collaboration gave over 160 students from 5 schools in Essex the chance to explore educational pathways through activities hosted at the higher education institution.
A visit to any university campus is a valuable experience for a young person to have as it provides much needed context on what higher education is and helps students make informed decisions about their future.
The programme is designed to provide students with as much exposure to university life as possible. Learners can envision themselves as students at the university during an ambassador led campus tour, they get the opportunity to discover new subjects during workshops hosted by postgraduate students, and they can ask current university students questions on their experiences – from how much their accommodation costs to what’s their favourite restaurant on campus!
This year, the collaboration between teams has made way for Make Happen to pilot a new work experience themed workshop, encouraging students to think about university as not just a learning environment but also as a workplace. Students were given a realistic experience workplace roles by simulating how the Student Union (SU) team supports and represents students. We challenged learners to think like members of the SU and tackle scenarios that require valuable employability skills such as problem-solving, communication and decision-making. This new workshop not only gives students exposure to new work environment but also helps schools in achieving Gatsby benchmarks.
By combining our efforts with the University of Essex Outreach Team, we’ve been able to maximise the number of students that can access these experiences with larger visits. In coordinating our offers of activity to schools we both work with, schools are provided a more cohesive offer, we avoid duplication and increase our impact on young people. The power in collaborating with our partners is that we can support each other in bridging any gaps and offer the best possible experience to our students and schools.
By Emily Barter, Outreach Assistant at Make Happen