Students raise profile of unique partnership project
The Me2U project, led by Cumnock Academy, is a unique partnership with Jobcentre Plus, Vibrant Communities and Ayrshire College, that helps to change the lives of local people.
The award-winning project provides people who have are unemployed with an opportunity to gain SQA qualifications, while carrying out voluntary work placement over an eight week period within a school setting. This can be in areas such as kitchens, classroom assistants, IT support, janitorial and cleaning.
The project is unique to East Ayrshire and is an innovative blend of work placement activity and college study that is complemented and supported by delivering employability units in such a way that is supportive, with a positive outcome for the individual.
As part of their ‘Working with Others’ unit, the students recently organised a drama-based event, to raise the profile of the course in the local area.
Guests were not only entertained by the performance but had the opportunity to talk to the participants and learn more about what the Me2U course was all about and what the learners had gained from it.
Nicola Corson, Ayrshire College Essential Skills Lecturer said “The whole event was a testament to how much the learners had grown in confidence over the course as many of them had never been involved in any drama or performance before and were really stepping out of their comfort zones to perform in front of a room full of strangers.”
Fraser Lennox, Communities Team Leader at Ayrshire College said “This course is the result of a fantastic piece of partnership working. 73% of participants have moved on to permanent employment, while others have moved onto other training courses including full-time college courses. The success of the course is the result of a blend of student learning, work experience and hard work from the participants.”
5 November 2019
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