PARTNERSHIPS

14-19 Area Planning Group

Working in conjunction with partner schools in the Epping Forest district, the Area Planning Group (APG) meet at the College to ensure a coordinated approach to the development and delivery of seamless education opportunities that meet the needs and aspirations of the community. Examples of areas covered include working with employers, coordinated information and guidance to young people, work experience, CareersFest (hosted at the College for all pupils about to move on from school) and planning for future demand.

A new website aimed at presenting relevant 16-19 education information to local young learners. Creating a one-stop portal, the site provides a comprehensive listing of all the 16-19 courses in the Epping Forest district as well as advice and guidance, entry requirements and case studies illustrating the various options available.

The College has close links with the district council and works in partnership with various departments - for example providing outreach work and the campus as a venue for various council activities including Debden Community Day.

Working with the council's refuse department, the College has successfully implemented a recycling scheme that utilises the councils refuse collection service. The council also provides recycling information and promotes its services to both students and staff.

The College is also a partner on the Safer Communities Joint Area Action Group working closely with other local service providers such as the police, fire services, environment and housing officers.

One Epping Forest is the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) of which the College is a board member. It brings together public, private and voluntary sector agencies responsible for the provision of services making the district a great place to live, work, study and do business.

WEP brings together the LSPs of three districts, Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford, which border the M11 western boundary of Essex. WEP creates a powerful partnership better able to voice opinions for the area and bid for restricted funding out of the reach of the individual LSPs.

WEP’s initial project, a bid for funding from the Future Jobs Fund (FJF), has proved how successful this consortium can be with an outcome of the creation of over 100 jobs across the districts including a number within the College. The bid included funding for a L2 qualification undertaken by each FJF employee with the College involved in their delivery.

As well as involvement via One Epping Forest, the College provides a venue for events such as a recent awards ceremony celebrating the achievements of local school children.

The Mobile Learning Network (MoLeNET) is a unique collaborative approach to introducing and supporting mobile learning in education and training via supported #shared cost mobile learning projects. The LSN MoLeNET Support and Evaluation programme provides technical and pedagogic advice and support, materials development, continuing professional development, mentoring, facilitation of peer-to-peer support, networking and resource sharing, research and evaluation.

The College successfully applied for £140,000 funding from MoLeNET resulting in the suppy of a 278 devices such as i-phones, i-books, netbooks and video/voice recorders. These have been supported by training in the use of a range of software applications ideal to enhance and manipulate the digital output of the devices.

The initial bid brought together 170 participants from the College and local schools Davenant and West Hatch to use the devices in a community-focused project exploring local diversity and anti-discrimination.