Students raise money for Children in Need

Students studying the Vocational Studies Entry Level 3 in Hair and Beauty set up a stall to raise money for Children in Need on Friday 18 November.

The kind hearted students gave up their time to sell raffle tickets and cupcakes to fellow students and staff members outside the Food Hall.

The money raised will be added to the grand total raised across college by staff and students.

Pictured: Vocation Studies Entry Level 3 in Hair and Beauty student Ronnie Frost manning the Children in Need stall.

Students speak out for change

Students from Newcastle-under-Lyme College (NULC) are among those from only eight colleges nationally to be taking part in a project designed to boost their skills in public speaking.

NULC is part of the Speak out for change - public speaking for active citizenship – scheme, delivered by the LSN,  Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) and supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

A total of nine students from the College’s Foundation Studies department are taking part in the project, which will see them get the opportunity to speak publically at a range of events organised by the College.

The group includes entry level students who may not have achieved their full potential at school, as well as those with autism and other learning difficulties from the College’s Life Skills and Employment Training course. 

Students recently took part in a workshop with Jennifer Mackay from the Speakers Trust and this week put their questions to the MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, Paul Farrelly. The College invited Paul along to meet the students and offer guidance and advice in public speaking.  The students were then offered the opportunity to question Paul.

The two year pilot scheme aims to promote inclusivity and enable the youngsters to develop and practice their public speaking skills through a blend of relevant and stimulating real world experiences.

MP Paul Farrelly said: “This is a really good project; it’s fabulous to meet such enthusiastic students.  In life confidence is half the battle and this is exactly the sort of work we should be doing with young people to prepare them for life.”

Lorraine Myers, Foundation Studies lecturer, said: “The students involved are finding the whole scheme very inspirational. I’ve already seen a change in their confidence and they are beginning to believe in themselves.”

She continued: “One of the students is now considering joining the Students’ Union, where they will get the opportunity to speak on behalf of all students. This was not a consideration until he engaged in this project and started to believe in himself.”

Alice Wooldridge aged 18 from Stoke said: “I’ve enjoyed talking to Paul today and he’s taught us to be yourself which gives you confidence.  My confidence in public speaking is growing already and in the future I would like to go into acting, so this type of project will help me with my career goals.”

The ultimate goal for the students is to speak publically at a presentation evening to be held in the New Year.

To  find out more about the range of entry level and Level 1 courses on offer at NULC, contact the College Information Point on 01782 254254 or email info@nulc.ac.uk

Students help to build water well

Last academic year, a large group of Foundation students at NULC raised money for charity by organising and running an Equality and Diversity day. All the proceeds from the enterprise groups, raffles and games that were held on the day were used to fund the building of a water well in a small village called Kompong Khleang in Cambodia, where clean, drinking water is limited.

NULC need your ideas

Would you like to get involved with the design of the new NULC 2012-2013 full-time prospectus?  Would you like to see your ideas to come to life?  We need your help to find out what worked and what didn’t, what you liked and what you didn’t!  As we start to research design and content for the new prospectus we would love to hear your views, because you are the people that matter.

If you haven’t already had a look at the current NULC full-time prospectus then take a look by clicking this link and then downloading the ‘Full-time prospectus 11-12’... http://www.nulc.ac.uk/pages/global/downloads.aspx

Then once you've had a flick through it, simply follow the link below and fill in the survey to share your views with us...http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LGN3YNP

NULC do 'something funny for money'

If there's one thing that NULC staff and students like to do its ‘something funny for money’ in aid of Comic Relief.  NULC was a hub of activity on Friday 18 March with fancy dress, bake sales, waxing and the most talked about event of the day, the NULC FlashMob.

Dance Lecturer Faye Matthews rounded up her troupes which included students, staff and even a member of the senior management team.  Then headed to the new Sainsbury’s store in Newcastle-under-Lyme, where they wowed the crowds and are now rapidly becoming an online phenomenon.

Other activities taking place throughout the day included a fancy dress competition which resulted in a monkey and pirates roaming the corridors!  A yummy bake sale organised by Early Years students, Fun Run by Sports Performance and Excellence students, leg waxing in the Transform Salon.  As well as various fund raising efforts by Learner Services, Starbucks staff and the Students’ Union.

The money is still being counted but so far NULC have managed to raise over £500.00, which is a fantastic amount.  Thank you to everyone who took part and did ‘something funny for money’.

To see all the photos and videos from the day visit our Facebook gallery at www.facebook.com/NewcastleULymeCol and give us a ‘Like’.

Students get Fit for Finance with national Building Society

A group of 30 Foundation Studies students from NULC took part in an interactive workshop to help them learn more about the value of managing their finances, led by Britannia Building Society through its community Fit4Finance scheme.