Hospitality & Food

Work placements can change lives

9th September 2021 by Eluned Watson

Derwen is urging more Shropshire businesses to support us to transform our students’ future employment prospects by offering just an hour or two for a weekly work placement.

Student work placements are a vital part of most of our students’ learning. As students progress from working in our on-site commercial areas, they go on to weekly work placements in the community when they are ready. So, College has been reaching out to Shropshire businesses. We are asking them for just a couple of hours a week to help change the future of a young person with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

It is important that work placements are relevant to students’ learning pathways and future ambitions. Therefore, the college is keen to work with charity shops, designers and printers, theatres, garden nurseries, cafes, restaurants and housekeeping businesses in Shropshire, preferably in or near Oswestry or Telford.

The work experience team are also looking for some specific placements local to Shrewsbury, for students at the college’s Walford-based site. They are particularly keen to hear from Shrewsbury-based florists, gyms, leisure centres and horticulture enterprises.

Just a few hours a week in a work environment provides vital experience for students. This helps them towards employment and a more independent future. Students are supported at all times during their placements by a Derwen College job coach and can be a real asset to a business.

Can you help support life-changing opportunities?

Work experience co-ordinator Abi Baker said:

‘Only 6% of young people with learning difficulties go into work, which is an incredibly disappointing statistic. Derwen College’s mission is to create opportunities for young people who may have special educational needs, but have proved they are able and willing to work. This enables them to enjoy job satisfaction and also to live more independent lives.

“Our external work placement programme offers life changing opportunities for our students to undertake meaningful, real work experience which is relevant to their learning and future career hopes.

“Businesses that we work with also find it a rewarding thing to do. Offering work placements to a person with a learning difficulty promotes diversity and boosts a company’s reputation for being community-minded and inclusive.”

To find out more about how you could help change a young person’s future prospects, please contact Abi Baker on abi.baker@derwen.ac.uk

10 questions with a Hollywood star

30th June 2021 by Eluned Watson

Hollywood actress Caroline Goodall has worked with Robin Williams, Sylvester Stallone and Steven Spielberg. Now, she adds Derwen College students to the list of stars she’s worked with.

As part of a new Digital Skills unit at College, Digital Skills teacher Dave Robinson has launched a series of ’10 Questions With …’ video interviews.

We are thrilled to announce that the first one is with actress Caroline Goodall. Caroline has starred in The Princess Diaries, Hook and Schindler’s List. Her film with Derwen College is now also shot, edited and ready to view.

Students were asked to submit their questions to this fascinating actress, who has 30 years’ worth of remarkable stories to tell.

Caroline was a joy to interview. She also sent each student involved in the project a signed photograph from Hook, in which she played Peter’s wife.

Thank you to Caroline for being so generous with your time and gifts. And, thanks to all the students for their brilliant questions.

We can’t wait to see her new film, The Islander, which will hopefully be out soon.

Each student who took part in the ’10 Questions with Caroline’ project received a signed photograph from her.

What is Digital Skills?

Digital Skills at Derwen College covers: using devices and handling information, being safe and responsible online, transacting, communicating. There is a focus on creating and editing.

Digital Skills is involved with all our learning pathways, and gives students the ability to transform some of their unique and exciting ideas into audio, video and photographic projects for everyone to enjoy.

A slice of life at Gobowen Station Cafe

20th May 2021 by Eluned Watson

The Station Café in Gobowen marked a welcome return to the heart of the community with a bespoke cake that spelled out its very special qualities.

The café, which is run by students from specialist further education provider Derwen College, has reopened to the public. Gobowen Station Café welcomes regulars from the community as well as commuters and day trippers taking the train. The café also provides young adults with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) with work experience, supporting them to learn the skills to work in hospitality after leaving college.

The celebration cake – made by Hospitality & Food staff and students at Derwen College – symbolised the partnership between independent rail agency Severn Dee Travel, the Chester to Shrewsbury Rail Partnership and the College. Each slice spelled out a word that described this unique relationship including: Inclusive, Community, Connections, Opportunities, Independence and Partnership.

Unique partnership

Derwen College Commercial Manager Pete Evans said that the idea for the cake came about during a conversation with Chester Shrewsbury Rail Partnership Community Rail Officer Sheila Dee.

He said: “We were talking about how unique our partnership is. We decided that what we did at the station was very much like a cake as it illustrated so many ingredients being brought together. Gobowen Station Café is a mixture of many things that benefit many people equally and everyone has their slice of the cake.

“I was talking about a metaphorical cake, but Sheila loved the idea, and said “make that cake to celebrate our reopening! We are lucky to have experienced cake baker and decorator Tracey Southern amongst our Hospitality & Food staff. So here we are!”

Severn Dee Travel and Derwen College are excited to welcome back commuters and visitors from the local community from 17^th May. Gobowen Station is much more than simply a train platform, it’s a popular community hub as well.

Sheila Dee explained: “We are blessed that at Gobowen Station we have Severn Dee Travel, a long established rail agency but a not for profit, community-based company which always has had a community ethos. I work for the Community Rail Partnership for the line so to have had this on my patch for all my time in this job has been amazing. This has meant we have been able to develop really deep meaningful relationship with them, as with Derwen College.

“We are thrilled to welcome this wonderful partnership back, and to be able to serve the community once more.”

Derwen College named as finalist for national TES award

3rd May 2021 by Eluned Watson

Derwen College, near Oswestry, in Shropshire, has been shortlisted in the Specialist Provider of the Year category in a prestigious national awards competition.

The specialist further education college, in Gobowen, has been shortlisted in the national 2021 TES Further Education (FE) Awards. The awards recognise the most outstanding institutions from across the entire Further Education sector.

TES head of FE Julia Belutay said: “Further education providers have excelled in what has been a truly challenging year. The amazing individuals, team and institutions on our TES FE Awards shortlist showcase that. Our judges were impressed with the calibre of entries and I want to congratulate everyone who has made the shortlist. It is a brilliant achievement.”

The awards ceremony will be held online, and the winners will be announced on 28th May, 2021.

The TES award follows on from a successful year of achievement. Derwen College was honoured to win Careers Programme in a Special School/College in the UK Career Development Awards. The award was for innovation and for commitment to supporting students into employment. The award focused on the development of a revolutionary new CV Builder app.

‘Strong competition’

Meryl Green, Principal of Derwen College, said that she was thrilled that the college had been shortlisted as one of the top specialist providers in the UK.

She said: “We are absolutely delighted with this nomination which is a reflection of the hard work and commitment of everyone who works here at the college. There is, as always, strong competition, and it’s inspiring to see what colleges are doing for their students. We look forward to finding out if we will be named overall winners in May

“It has been a year of triumphs for the college during some challenging times, and we are honoured to have been recognised by judges who are experts in the field of education.”

Derwen College will be holding its next Virtual Open Day on 26^th June at 10am. Find out more at Derwen College website or register your interest for our Open Day today.

Hospitality & Food

Work placements can change lives

Derwen is urging more Shropshire businesses to support us to transform our students’ future employment prospects by offering just an hour or two for a weekly work placement.

Can you help support life-changing opportunities?