Visit our Festive Stall and grab yourself a Christmas Treat
Handmade bath bombs, individually wrapped chocolates and student-designed Christmas cards will all be among the Yuletide goodies on sale at a Festive Stall in Tesco’s Askham Bar branch next Tuesday (December 12th).
York College & University Centre’s General Education students have been busily working with Elf-like diligence to make gifts that would make super stocking fillers for the big day.
Our centre at White Rose Park in Bishopthorpe has been transformed into Santa’s Workshop during recent weeks by the students, who follow a bespoke programme away from campus should they find our main site overwhelming.
The course is delivered in collaboration with charitable organisation The Prince’s Trust and aims to support students to progress onto the main site or into employment following their General Education studies.
At the student’s Festive Stall, shoppers can also expect to see handmade pompoms and crochet gifts and there will be a tombola with Christmas-themed gifts up for grabs.
“I started crocheting about three years ago. It really helped me with my mental health during Lockdown as I struggle with anxiety.
"I started crocheting to keep myself busy, then it became
a hobby and now it is a passion.”
We have been offering bespoke General Education programmes to students for the last 20 years and work with parents, the City of York Council and curriculum areas within the College to identify students who may benefit from less traditional learning styles.
The aim of the course is not only to educate students up to a Level 3 standard, but also to provide opportunities that will enhance their self-esteem and employability skills.
“I absolutely love my role as a tutor. All of us who work in General Education are so passionate about what we do.
“It’s fantastic to see all the students engaging with each other on this project. Some of these students would have previously really struggled to communicate with others, so it’s such a win and it’s amazing to see as a tutor.
“Our General Education course, which is provided in collaboration with The Prince’s Trust, is all about enrichment. We help to prepare young people for adult life as much as we can. The students learn about careers, jobs and CV writing as well as self-development and well-being.
“Our students also have the opportunity to get involved in trips. Some of those we teach have never seen the seaside, some have never even been on a trip before. Experiences like these really add value to a young person’s life and help to improve their confidence.”
The Prince’s Trust was established in 1976 by His Majesty King Charles III and believes that every young person should have the chance to succeed, no matter their background or the challenges they are facing.
They help young people from disadvantaged communities and those facing the greatest adversity by supporting them to build the confidence and skills to live, learn and earn.
The Prince’s Trust courses, resources and other support help people aged 11 to 30 to develop essential life skills, get ready for work and access job opportunities. They support young people to find work because having a job or running a business can lead to a more stable, fulfilling life.
In addition to the Christmas gift making, the students have also taken to work on their newly nurtured sensory garden, which is based just outside of the White Rose Park Clubhouse. When the students and tutors started their work, the space was overgrown with weeds, so they began by clearing the land ready to plant trees and shrubs.
The space now offers a quiet place for students to contemplate while they are working on the garden. Some students have even shown an interest in the possibility of a job in horticulture.
It is also hoped that the sensory garden will attract wildlife into the area, which would have a positive impact on our local environment.
The sensory garden would not have been possible without support from The Skills and Education Group who donated £2,500, The Woodland Trust, who donated 60 trees, and Tesco’s Askham Bar branch, who donated benches and bird feeders.
Opportunities such as these, allow us to work towards a better future in line with The Global Goals for Sustainable Development.
The Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked objectives designed to serve as a "shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future”.
Which of the goals did this project benefit?
