The opportunity sees the University’s Collaborative Projects and Arts and Culture teams mentoring students to develop and be paid to deliver digital materials and pre-recorded workshops. These digital resources will cover topics in each student’s specialised fields and used for local secondary school engagement.

This project will support Bedfordshire students in developing their employability and pedagogical skills which will help to enhance their formal studies. It will also raise the aspirations of local young people in a Covid-secure way to engage pupils with topics relating to the creative arts and industries.

Anna Savvolglou, a third year Performing Arts student, said: "Being someone who dreams of doing exactly this as a career, to be given this opportunity makes me feel extremely lucky. I cannot wait to work on this project and to see people’s reaction. This will help me go further." 

Samuel Anderton, a third year student studying Theatre and Professional Practice, explained: "This opportunity with the university is my first role in a professional capacity. Creating workshops on a chosen subject, especially in the current climate, requires me to think creatively and develop my video making skills, experience with workshops and audience engagement.

“It has also shown me the different avenues of work I could explore in the coming years, aside from the typical career choices in the arts."

Nyasha Foya, a third year Media Production student, added: "I believe that in learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn. I am a university student learning and it brings me so much joy to pour out my knowledge to the younger generation.

“I know that teaching these workshops is going to help me learn and develop both media and life skills. My goal is to be a part-time lecturer so I know that this experience will benefit me and help me acquire the skills needed to achieve my goals and more." 

The topics that the students will be covering in the workshops include:

• Informing and educating young people about music, including teaching basic elements, concepts and writing/composing music
• Supporting young people to consider how to set up, film and edit music video scenes, with an aim to achieve a colourful cinematic look (e.g. using a technique called ‘Sasa’)
• Considering the ways in which drama and dance techniques can promote healthy mental health and mindfulness in non-creative subject areas
• Sharing ways of creating self-made short films, including equipping young people with entry level skills and knowledge to be able to use film to express themselves or promote constructive debate on social issues affecting them

Dr Jane Carr, Head of School of Media and Performance, said: "I am so pleased that we can offer this opportunity to students, recent alumni and local schools.

“Developing understanding of how young people from a wide range of backgrounds can contribute to the cultural life of our society is key to our work in the School of Media and Performance. 

“It is wonderful to work together with the Centre for Academic Partnerships towards this shared goal. Our students make very special work that draws on their life experiences. I am sure they will inspire other young people."

The opportunity has been made possible by the University’s Centre for Academic Partnerships. It has unified two projects – Aspire Higher, funded by The Office for Students, which aims to increase the number of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds into higher education, and the Luton Cultural Education Partnership (LCEP) project, funded by Royal Opera House Bridge, which aims to strengthen strategic partnerships that work together to unite and improve cultural education for children and young people in the local area.

Once created, the resources by the students will be made available for public access on the Aspire Higher website, as well as on the Arts and Culture LCEP resources.