The lockdown period was tough for many young people and this is especially the case for young people in the critical phase of post-16 education, either doing A-Levels or vocational training.
This time is usually one of the most exciting periods in many young people’s life journey; where they’re focusing on their career aspirations and looking ahead to starting adult-life in university or the workplace.
However, the lockdown of the last few months and subsequent exam fiasco has led to many young people in this age group concerned about their future and struggling with mental health.
From the outset of the lockdown, YMCA Plymouth’s Discovery College, a vocational provider based on Honicknowle Lane, set out to ensure that no student was left behind in their education, while putting mental health at the heart of their response.
Tom Lavis, Head of College, said:
“Even in the weeks leading up to the lockdown we began looking at how we could continue to provide our education to students and support their mental health remotely. We immediately began identifying students that may need access to technology, as well as how best we could utilise our IT systems to provide online lessons and virtual support from day one.”
Discovery College prides itself on its close-knit community, as the college only has around 180 students it’s not uncommon to find students from different courses forming close friendships and having a strong rapport with staff. This environment is a part of how the college supports student’s mental health and gets the most out of them academically, according to Tom.
Tom said:
“Having a supportive environment and a sense of togetherness is part of our culture here at Discovery. With the impending lockdown we instantly went about looking at how we can still foster that community using technology – in addition to still providing our high standard of education.”
The college found itself well placed with digital platforms, already using the online ‘Google Classroom’ within the college and at home. The college had such success with the platform from the first weeks of lockdown it also began assisting other local Plymouth schools to roll it out themselves.
Students were also accustomed to using a closed Facebook group where they frequently interact with staff and their peers. Students were encouraged to talk about their mental health and their experiences of learning in lockdown.
The college also provided video mental health support sessions using the ‘Google Meet’ video conference platform. This meant students were able to speak to staff on a one-to-one basis or in small groups to help cope with any stresses and anxieties they may be experiencing. As lockdown restrictions were eased, these sessions also moved to local parks across the city where students could catch up or talk to staff in the sun at a safe social distance.
It all helped a great deal according to Laura, a BTEC Sport student, who said
“The sessions and digital spaces helped me realise I wasn’t alone and that we’re still there for each other. Having access to still speak to my tutor or have virtual lessons with my peers was also actually a lot of fun.”
Making sure all students had access to good laptops was also a challenge, as the college quickly handed out all its stock of Chromebook laptops and more were needed for those who still lacked access. However, thanks to a grant from The Devon Community Foundation the college was able to distribute extra Chromebooks to students, as well as provide additional mental health support sessions through YMCA’s youth workers.
James, a business student who received one of the laptops said:
“It was a godsend getting this laptop – writing an assignment on a phone with notifications going off isn’t a way to get work done. But having the laptop to really focus on my work and attend the virtual classes just made me feel like I was part of college again.”
“At first I was worried about my future, but thanks to all the support at Discovery College through this time I’m now feeling really optimistic again.”
Discovery College is still accepting places for starting this September on a range of vocational courses. Visit discoverycollege.co.uk for details.
