Taking the Reins

Last Friday, our most recent graduates attended a celebration evening at our new premises.  Family and friends were able to admire the work produced by our former employees, and the employees themselves were able to share with us their early experiences of further education.

Just as our former employees have taken life by the reins, Year 10 employees Shakai, Dylan, Samantha and Shanay have taken the reins of this week’s blog post. They reflect honestly on their taster course in Motor Vehicle Maintenance.

'My name is Shanay and I have been on the Passport Programme for two weeks. I have been working on motorbikes at Young Lewisham Project. I have been working with tools that I haven’t really worked with before. I have also taken off a wheel, seen what was wrong with it, and put it back on. Another thing I have done is putting in brakes. I wouldn’t mind working at the Young Lewisham Project next year but if I was to go there, I hope there would be some very challenging work to do. I am looking forward to my next task, which is catering.'

'My name is Samantha. I have  been on the Passport Programme for a week  and it's been a great experience. At the Young Lewisham Project, I learned how to change a motorbike wheel and how to clean the chains properly. I also cleaned some tools. I found it therapeutic (therapeutic means it was relaxing). I would love to go back to the Young Lewisham Project so I can learn new things.' 

'My name is Dylan and I have been on the Passport Programme since the September 28^th. At the Young Lewisham Project, the activities I have undertaken are checking the wheels and tyres on a dirt bike.  The skills I have acquired are knowing the different sizes of bolts and when to use them during a job. Also I learned how to change sprockets and test the safety of the suspensions. I would like to work at the Young Lewisham Project next year because I enjoy it and I want to be a mechanic in the future.'

'My name is Shakai and I have been on the Passport Programme since March. I've been fixing motorbikes and normal bicycles. I made a hanging basket out of a bike helmet at the start and then moved on to other activities. I progressed by fixing punctures and checking if a bike brake needs fixing. I overcame some challenges such as picking up the hens and getting my hands dirty from oiling bikes.

'I'm looking forward to creating a whole new bike next year. I would like to be more creative next time and I will improve my punctuality.'

Our newest Year 11 cohort began experimenting with different patterns and textiles for Unit 1 of their BTEC Art and Design (First Certificate). Enjoy a brief Twidvid of their work from earlier in the week...

#Anotherdayattheoffice #BTEC #artattack @edgrayart @GoodNews_Schls pic.twitter.com/i7XPhX09Z7

— Passport Programme (@Pp2eProgramme) October 5, 2015

Finally, we’re pleased to announce that Luis was September’s employee of the month. He demonstrated excellent punctuality, behaviour and commitment to his studies.

Work and (The Scottish) Play

This week, our employees at the Young Lewisham Project (kick)started working on motorcycles. New starter Dylan, seen left saddling up, took an especially keen interest.

On Wednesday, Jodi and Luis visited Clapham Picturehouse to see Justin Kurzel’s film adaptation of 'Macbeth', as the play is a set text for their GCSE English Literature course. And the reviews are in…

'The way the film started was very powerful. It started on the battlefield... This caught my attention and I was intrigued as to what the film was going to be like.' -Jodi 

'I found it odd there being an army, half of which were adolescents. This only made the scene more powerful; seeing the teenage soldiers pass away on the battlefield.' -Luis

On Thursday, our Year 10 employees enjoyed a photography workshop, in which they learned basic principles such as depth of field and shutter speed. You can enjoy a selection of their photographs below.

On Friday, our employees began to look ahead to life after Passport, when they will rejoin mainstream education and pursue their chosen vocations. 


We look forward to charting their progress over the coming months.

Fresh Faces

This week we welcomed some new starters in Years 10 and 11. Our new Year 10 employee Dequan has already enjoyed a taste of Motor Vehicle Maintenance. 

Meanwhile, our new Year 11 employees have begun Unit 3 of the BTEC First Certificate in Art and Design. They’ve already produced some fantastic sketches. 

 

Demonstrating great ingenuity, Shania scanned the base of a model duck to produce the foundation for a new sketch of a mouse.

Our veteran employees in Year 11 are continuing with Unit 12 of the same BTEC course, creating bespoke Hi-Vis jackets (modeled here by Rain) for a concert security team.  

We’re looking forward to taking two of our Year 11 employees to Clapham Picturehouse next week to see Justin Kurzel’s new adaption of 'Macbeth'.

We're also looking back on the past two weeks and marveling at the progress our employees have already made this term. We'd like to share a few video highlights with you...

Back In Business

This week saw our Year 11 cohort hit the ground running. On Tuesday, they headed out to buy Hi-Vis jackets, which they will customise next week as part of their current Textiles unit. They are now well on their way to completing Unit 12 of the BTEC First Certificate in Art and Design. 

Later in the week, our Year 11s returned to their core subjects as well.

Luis (pictured left) even demonstrated to the class how to calculate significant figures and standard form.

 

Meanwhile, our Year 10 employees have been learning about bicycle maintenance at the Young Lewisham Project. They’ll soon be moving on to larger vehicles…  

Moving On Up

This week we moved into our new premises in Cromwell Road, Camberwell. You can watch a few video highlights below.

Next week, we will begin delivering core and creative subjects and this year’s programme will be in full swing. 

One of our Year 10 employees, Shakai, has already enjoyed a taste of work at the Young Lewisham Project. Next week, he will begin to study bicycle maintenance. 


You can learn more about the Young Lewisham Project here or by taking a look at our previous blog post.

We look forward to showing you our students in action next week!

New Horizons

Yesterday we visited two different sites that will each play an integral part in the future of the Passport Programme. The first stop on our tour was the Cromwell Road site, where Passport will be based for the foreseeable future. Here, in the heart of Lambeth, teachers and artists will deliver core and creative arts subjects.  

We hope to move into Cromwell Road by the end of next week, by which time these spaces will be painted, furnished and equipped with state-of-the-art IT resources.

The second stop on our tour was the Young Lewisham Project,  where our employees will be studying Motor Vehicle Maintenance. Dave Newman (pictured right) was kind enough to show us the fantastic resources available here, which include an outside allotment (complete with chicken coop), numerous workshops, and social spaces where young people can relax and bond.
 

 

We’re very excited about this year’s programme, and we can’t wait to see our young learners get to grips with their various vocations. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Pp2eProgramme and visit our website www.passportprogramme.com for more updates on our growth and development. To learn more about the Young Lewisham Project and the courses they offer, visit www.younglewisham.org.uk.

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