Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) was awarded £50,000 for year 1 of a Summer Schools project, which have proved to be hugely beneficial to the young people who take part in them. Summer schools provided by Universities can raise aspirations, inspire talent and change lives.
BGU, working in partnership with the LiNCHigher UniConnect project, will provide two summer schools each year for the next three years. Each summer school will be three days (two nights) duration. Accommodation, meals and activities will be provided at BGU while activities and experiences will also be provided by partners at Lincoln City Community Foundation and the University of Lincoln.
Each summer school will aim to raise aspirations of the young people attending. They will be informed about higher education routes including university, college, apprenticeships, T-levels and online courses. They will be given lectures and take part in practical demonstrations of current courses at University. They will meet current students and those who have had a university education and gone on to succeed in their professional lives. The focus of the schools will be to engage the students and encourage them to fulfil their potential, in whatever field that might be.
To take part in the event, each young person must agree to give 30 hours of their time to a voluntary or charitable organisation in the Theddlethorpe area during the course of the following academic year. This time will be given at times mutually convenient for both students and organisation, but will be given freely. It is hoped this interaction will help build community spirt and improve inter-generational understanding.
LiNCHigher will monitor the volunteering during the course of the year. Views of both the young person and the organisation involved will be sought so the experience can be beneficial for both parties and can be constantly improved.
Each young person attending will stay in an ensuite student bedroom. They will experience life on a modern campus and all that it has to offer, including academic, sporting, cultural and spiritual resources. BGU has its own cinema and chapel; its own Refectory and Student Union bar; its own sports pitches, halls and gym. It has libraries, lectures theatres, seminar rooms, coffee shops and business incubation space, all enveloped in a beautiful green, safe campus within walking distance of the cathedral and city centre.
By simply showing a young person a university campus it can change their minds, remove any doubts about a university education and inspire them to apply. By being accommodated at the University, BGU envisages the effect to be magnified so the young people have no choice but to apply.
Both summer schools will be for young people from the east coast strip of the county, especially students at John Spendluffe Technical College, Louth Academy, King Edward VI Grammar school and Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Alford. Young people attending the summer schools may not know each other, so the schools can help make friendships and networks that will help the young people in later life.
Each Summer school will have a total of 30 young people, 15 boys and 15 girls. All will be between 14-16 years old. None will pay a penny for the experience.
transport them back to BGU and provide their evening meal and evening entertainment.
Full evaluation will follow each summer school. This will be gained from the young people themselves, their parents and teachers, staff at BGU, The University of Lincoln and The Lincoln City Community Foundation.