In the Community
Blackburn with Darwen is the 17th most deprived Borough in the UK. At Blackburn College we work in the Community to make sure that everyone has the best chance of improving their skills and sustaining their career. Just some of the initiatives we currently have running include The Children’s University, support for Blackburn Youth Zone and Blackburn Cathedral as well as close work with our nominated charity, East Lancashire Hospice.
The Children’s University
The Children’s University is an exciting and innovative new service which is currently being developed in collaboration with children, teachers, parents, students and staff Blackburn College and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. The Children’s University is a national organisation that provides 7 to 14 year olds with exciting and innovative learning activities and experiences outside of normal school hours. The Children’s University celebrates achievement and rewards participation through certificates and a graduation ceremony held at University Centre at Blackburn College.
Children in the scheme take part in extra-curricular activities that have an element of learning attached to them – for example, rather than playing football, participants in The Children’s University will also learn the rules of the game and what the role of the captain and various set pieces are. All the activities are validated and upon completion a ‘graduation’ for the children is held. The whole idea is to raise a child’s aspirations and ensure that higher education is introduced to children’s lives earlier – without it being daunting.
To be a member of The Children’s University all children will need to be a member of the local library and have to spend a set number of hours taking part in the activities they have chosen.
Raising children’s and young people’s aspirations is important to us at University Centre at Blackburn College and we’re pleased to have the opportunity to take part in The Children’s University. For more information about the scheme please visit: http://www.childrensuniversity.co.uk/
Blackburn Youth Zone
Blackburn College supports Blackburn Youth Zone – a once-in-a-lifetime project to turn around the opportunities and options available to young people within Blackburn. Blackburn YouthZone is a state-of-the-art facility, nestled at the heart of Blackburn. Offering world class equipment, cutting-edge resources, tailor made sports and arts programmes and extensive mentoring and personal support the service aims to change the prospects offered to Blackburn’s young people. For more information visit: www.blackburnyz.org
Blackburn Cathedral
Blackburn College works closely with Blackburn Cathedral and we work collaboratively with Canon Shannon Ledbetter. Canon Shannon’s position combines the outreach and education role of the Cathedral with the pastoral responsibilities of a College Chaplain. The aim of the post is to enhance the partnership working of recent years by working with Blackburn College to provide Chaplaincy services to the students, staff and visitors of all faiths or none and to further develop the community outreach of the Cathedral. Shannon is no ordinary Canon – she appeared alongside Pierce Brosnan in Tomorrow Never Dies and has had a modelling career which has seen her appear on the covers of Just 17 and Good Housekeeping!
East Lancashire Hospice
East Lancashire Hospice is Blackburn College’s nominated charity. For over 25 years East Lancashire Hospice has provided care to people suffering from life limiting illnesses throughout Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley. Each year the Hospice need to raise in excess of £2.8 million to continue to care for the people of Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley. Blackburn College have already donated £700 to help East Lancashire Hospice reach its Raise the Roof appeal target of £125,000. Further support for the Hospice continues with student fundraising activities taking place across the College.
Print This Page
