CoLC_Newsletter_3_April 2022_v7_Digital

ISSUE 3 MARCH 2022
ONE NEWSLETTER
Decolonising
the curriculum
Staff wellbeing:
How we’re
supporting you
Strategic
plan: Your
questions
answered
Tackling
the driver
shortage

ONE - ISSUE 3
Hello, everyone
Welcome to the third edition of ONE – the newsletter
that gives us the opportunity to share some of the
incredible things happening across The City of
Liverpool College.
Get in touch
www.liv-coll.ac.uk
Phone: 0151 252 3000
Email: emma.walsh@liv-coll.ac.uk
Twitter: @COLCollege
Instagram: @COLCollege
Design: Agent.
Editorial: Agent.
Disclaimer
No part of this magazine may be
reproduced in whole or in part
without written permission of the
distributor. The articles in this
magazine are for informational
purposes only. The City of
Liverpool College assumes no
liability or responsibility for any
inaccurate, delayed or incomplete
information; nor for any actions
taken in reliance thereon. The
information contained about each
individual event or organisation has
been provided by such individual,
event organiser or organisation
with permission. The opinion
expressed in each article is the
opinion of the author and does not
necessarily reflect the opinion of
The City of Liverpool College.
2
It goes without saying that the past couple of years
have been challenging for everyone, and I want to start
with a huge thank you to each and every one of you for
continuing to persevere and pull together as a team. It
cannot be overstated just how valuable your hard work
and dedication have been in ensuring our College has
been able to continue providing students with the best
possible experience.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, I’ve been proud to
see how much our teams have supported one another,
overcoming adversity to embody our ‘One College, One
Mindset’ ethos. I truly believe that if we can overcome
everything the last two years have thrown at us and come
out of the other side stronger, there are no limits to what
we can achieve. The pandemic has reshaped our world in
ways with which we are going to have to grapple for a long
time, but I’m confident that we’ll rise to the challenge.
In this edition of ONE, we hear from Debbie Walsh, HR
Business Partner, on how we’re continuing to support
staff wellbeing; why it’s so important, and how we will
continue to do so, learning from the past two years.
You’ll hear about individual student journeys and our new
strategic plan, setting out our ambitions for the College
for the next five years – something I hope you’ll be as
excited by as I am. We also speak to Jen Schears, who
is a great example of how our staff are contributing to
the College becoming an inclusive, diverse anti-racist
ally organisation, with her work on decolonising the
curriculum.
In addition, we’re incredibly proud to share images of our
refurbished Academy Restaurant, following the work that
was done over the summer. I’m sure you’ll agree it looks
amazing – and I know I’m not the only one who has taken
the opportunity to see our students in action and enjoy
the incredible food they offer. Plus, some brilliant news
for Executive Chef, Ian Jaundoo! We also introduce a
number of new team members and share some exciting
promotions across the College.
Remember, ONE is your newsletter, so get in touch if you
have any stories you want to share with us. You can send
us your stories by emailing emma.walsh@liv-coll.ac.uk.
Thank you.
Elaine Bowker
Principal and Chief Executive
3

ONE - ISSUE 3
Getting to know...
Lauren Smith, Mental Health Advisor
How long have “I began my role at the College
“provide psychoeducation, coping
What does a “A typical day generally starts with
“someone on standby for when a
you been at The just over a year ago, which was
strategies and techniques, and a safe
typical day in checking my appointments for the
student needs urgent support – this
City of Liverpool a time when we were all working
space for the student to work through
your job look day and reminding students they
could be a student who’s having a
College? and studying from home, so this
their issues. We liaise with tutors and
like? have assessments or appointments
psychotic episode, has self-harmed
meant adapting to new ways of
teachers so that other professionals
booked. For our younger students,
or is expressing suicidal ideation.
communicating and supporting
involved with the student’s education
the transition from school to college
If this is the case, then we have
students. How we work has changed
can support the individual and are
comes with a greater degree of
flexibility to attend the site the
a lot in the last two years, so it’s been
better equipped to put into place any
independence, and with this comes
student is based at so that we can
a journey having to navigate new
recommendations for classroom
being accountable for your own
assist until they receive external
ways of supporting people.”
support.
development. This is something
mental health crisis support.”
students can initially need a little
What does your “I work in the mental health team,
“Where appropriate, we work
extra support with.
Who else sits in “The Wellbeing Team is comprised
role involve? which is part of a larger wellbeing
alongside external mental health
your team and of mental health, counselling
team. My role involves working
professionals to ensure our students
“From here, I will see students for what do they do? and safeguarding. The team has
closely with students on a one-to-one
are supported and given the best
mental health assessments or oneto-one
expanded across all three areas over
and group level, to listen, understand
opportunity to thrive both in and
support sessions throughout
the last year, giving us more flexibility
and support those who are struggling
outside of college.
the day. I’ll be monitoring what new
with how we support our students
with their mental health, to minimise
referrals are being sent in and making
and a larger presence across the five
the impact this has on their learning
“We also support students who are
initial contact with new students to
College campuses.
and to promote wellbeing and
in crisis. It is our duty to safeguard
arrange face to face support. It can
personal development.
and protect our students, so when a
be quite daunting for a young person
The mental health team works
student is in crisis and needs urgent
to reach out for help, especially if
closely with the safeguarding team
“We assess the student’s current
support, we are there to ensure they
it’s for the first time, so introducing
to protect and empower our more
mental health and the presenting
receive the right help.”
ourselves in the right way is really
vulnerable students, so that they are
issue, whether it be anxiety,
important.
equipped to make positive choices to
depression or another mental health
enhance their overall wellbeing and
concern. From there we’ll work with
“Within the mental health team,
their educational experience.
the student on a one-to-one level to
we share responsibility for a duty
4
rota, which means there is always
5

ONE - ISSUE 3
What is your top
priority?
What do you
enjoy most
about your job?
“We will often refer to and receive
referrals from the counselling service,
so that the individual can gain
therapeutic intervention in multiple
different ways, depending on the
nature of the concern.”
“Our top priority is making sure
students are safe and empowered to
improve their overall mental health.
There has been such a cultural
emphasis on improving mental health
in recent years, which has helped to
break down a lot of old stigmas. We
still have a long way to go, but we
aim to inform our students that if
they do need help, they can without a
doubt reach out and talk to someone.
Improving and maintaining good
mental health is an ongoing process,
and so our priority is to promote this
and support it in every way possible.”
“The positive impact I can make on
a person’s life. I think it’s a privilege
to get so close to someone’s internal
world and to be able to guide and
coach someone through their issues,
so that they are better equipped to
Why is it
important for the
College to have
mental health
advisers?
make new choices and feel different.
When a student has made progress
and they’re embodying their version
of success, it has a ripple effect on
everyone around them, and I really
enjoy that.”
“Statistically, half of all adults
struggling with mental health
experienced their first struggles
before the age of 14. One in six
children struggle with mental health,
and the compounding impact
of the pandemic and lockdowns
means we’re still yet to see the
long-term consequences on young
people’s wellbeing. Education is the
foundation of empowerment, yet the
process of learning takes place when
a student is in a healthy and positive
mindset. It’s vital that we take a
holistic approach to education, and
this means supporting the individual
to achieve and succeed in all ways,
not just academically.”
Can you share
an example
of something
you’ve been
really proud of
during your time
at the College?
What is the plan
for the future of
your team?
“I set up group meditation sessions
last year. This was on a drop-in
basis, at a set time each week.
Students could turn up to learn
about mindfulness practices and
meditation, and then engage in a
20-minute meditation session. It was
great to see students turn up and
express an interest in preventative
work, as is this so important in
maintaining our mental wellbeing.”
“As the team has recently expanded
and we have a larger capacity to work
in different ways, we are soon to start
delivering workshops across each
site. These group sessions will be
focusing on different themes each
week, such as anxiety, depression,
motivation vs procrastination, sleep
hygiene and stress. These sessions
are open to all students to attend and
aim to educate and offer solutions to
these issues.
How can people
get support?
“We are also in the process of
creating a mental health podcast,
with editing support from some of
the media students. Students will be
able to tune in and listen to episodes
relating to different mental health
issues and how to manage this. We
hope to invite guest speakers in the
future and discuss a whole range of
mental health and self-development
topics.”
“Students who wish to be referred
into the mental health team can do
so by speaking with their progress
leaders or teachers – there is a
referral form to complete by logging
onto CPOMS.
“Alternatively, if the student wishes
to self-refer, they can email us at
mentalhealth@liv-coll.ac.uk.
Students who wish to attend
preventative workshops across the
different sites can drop in when
they wish to – keep an eye out
for the workshop posters with the
information about dates and times.”
6 7

ONE - ISSUE 31
Title
Amazing
Apprenticeships
Could you tell us
a bit about your
role?
“I am currently working permanently
on site between two large schemes in
the city centre of Liverpool to change
the Strand outside the Liver building
and outside of St George’s Hall/ Lime
Street Station. My role on site is to
keep a site diary and check on the
general progress of the schemes,
problem solving for example finding
unexpected underground services
and on-site drawing changes on
AutoCAD.”
What has the
support been like
from The City of
Liverpool College
during your
apprenticeship?
What are your
plans for the
future?
“The support from the college has
been great I have had regular visits
and contact from my NVQ assessor
and the teachers have always been
helpful.”
“My plans for the future are to finish
my HNC and hopefully continue
to university to get a degree, after
this I will then be going on to get
recognised as a chartered engineer
and hopefully become a project
manager at Amey.”
Subheader
Meet the Employer
Body.
We have a long-standing partnership with The Sovini
Group, providing skilled apprentices across a range
of trades. We caught up with Chloe Ellison, Head of
Organisational Development, about apprenticeships.
We are incredibly proud to be Liverpool’s leading provider of apprenticeships,
helping hundreds of people to start their careers across a wide range of
industries every year, and helping businesses find incredible people to help
them grow.
Our unrivalled industry links, state-of-the-art workshops
and facilities, expert tutors (many of whom started their
career as an apprentice!) and fantastic support, mean our
apprentices have the chance to gain the knowledge, skills
and experience needed to be successful in their careers.
It’s a really exciting time to be an apprentice at The City of
Liverpool College – a huge amount of work has been done
to diversify our offer, broadening our subject sectors and
the levels we cover, and we continue to grow this. There
has also been significant investment in our facilities at
Vauxhall Road, which look fantastic.
In addition, we have created an integrated approach
between our practical and theory teaching techniques –
we’ve had some incredible feedback from our students on
this new delivery method.
The apprenticeships we offer can benefit individuals and
employers alike. Here, we share a couple of examples of
the success stories we’ve seen so far.
Meet the Apprentice
David McComb is a Level 4 Construction Site Engineering
Technician with construction company, Amey. Here, he
shares more about his role and his apprenticeship journey
so far.
Why did you
decide to
undertake an
apprenticeship?
How long have
you been at the
company?
“I decided to do an apprenticeship so
that I could learn skills both inside
of college and outside in a job role
in the industry I had chosen. Also
being paid to learn and work is also
a bonus.”
“ I have worked at Amey for over
three years now and started as an
apprentice at 21 years old on a Level
3 course. Since finishing my Level 3
BTEC I have gone on to start a level
4 HNC in Civil Engineering at the
college.”
How long have
you been taking
on apprentices
from The City
8
and shape our leaders for the future.”
9
of Liverpool
College?
What kind
of roles do
you recruit
apprentices for?
Why do you think
it’s important
to take on
apprentices?
“We have been working with The
City of Liverpool College for many
years. We have built positive
working relationships with senior
management to ensure we are
able to shape and enhance our
apprenticeship programme.”
“Mainly in Gas, Joinery, Painting
and Decorating and Plastering.
However, we do offer a wide range
of apprenticeships opportunities in
additional areas such as, business
admin and HR to Finance and Sales.”
“As the UK’s Best Place to Work 2020,
The Sovini Group proudly supports
and invests in apprentices each year.
We support individuals to fulfil their
potential, develop professionally and
personally and to ensure they are
able to learn key life skills that will
transform their lives. Our bespoke
programme enables us to develop
a motivated, skilled and qualified
workforce. This helps with workforce
planning which allows us to mould
What kind of
opportunities do
you offer after
their training?
“Our main aim is to offer permanent
positions upon completion of the
apprenticeship. We have a really
high success rate of apprentices
who complete their apprenticeship
remaining with the organisation.
“Here are some more of the brilliant
apprentices who have started
their career journeys with us at the
College.
“If you know someone who
would be interested in doing an
apprenticeship, we have a number
of vacancies currently available,
including pharmacy, joinery, business
administration, hairdressing,
construction crafts and plumbing,
from Level 2, all the way up to degreelevel.
You can see the full list of
current vacancies here.
For more information, email
workforceskills@liv-coll.ac.uk.”

ONE - ISSUE 3
Alan Horton:
Gaming his way into the digital industry
We caught up with Alan Horton, who studied on our HND Games Design course,
about his current role at leading Liverpool-based games developer Lucid
Games. Alan talks to us about his experiences of the College and attending
Game Jams, which helped him break into the industry…
Above: EGX 2019 Gaming Event
When did you study at the College?
“I studied at the College from September 2016 to June
2018, enlisting as a mature student on the Higher National
Diploma (HND) in Games Design. The course had 16
modules in total, covering all areas of games design from
animation, programming, character creation, modelling
and much more.”
How did the College prepare you for
your role now?
“When I first started the qualification, I was unsure about
which area of games design I wanted to move into but
having a lot of modules covering all the different areas of
games design helped me narrow down and find an area I
wanted to focus on for my career.”
What was the support like at College?
“The support I received at the College was great. I have
dyslexia and that put me off going back into education for
years. My tutors and support staff helped me with writing
essays and blogs, which in turn helped me to become
more confident.”
What were the opportunities like?
“The gaming industry is very competitive and is hard
to get into. I found entering competitions, going to
networking events and joining projects was extremely
beneficial to my development. It helps you to get noticed
within the industry but also helps you to improve your
skills in your chosen specialism.”
Could you tell us a bit about the ‘Game
Jams’ and how they helped you to get
noticed?
“Game Jams are a great way to work on your skills within
a limited timeframe. They can last anywhere from 24
hours to a couple of months and usually involve a team of
up to five people. Within your teams and the designated
time period, you’re required to develop a game based on a
theme provided. Everything is usually made from scratch
and by the end of the jam you will have a small playable
game. I’ve entered a number of these before getting into
the industry properly and was lucky enough to win one
of them.”
What is your role now?
“I’m currently employed as a technical designer at Lucid
Games in Liverpool. Usually, part of a production design
team, a technical designer is a game or level designer by
training and is known for their technical skills. It’s my job
to create and implement complex technical and system
design elements into the game.”
What are your greatest achievements
so far?
“My greatest achievements so far have been getting a
job in an industry that I absolutely love, winning the Game
Jam and having the game shown on Channel 5’s The
Gadget Show. I’m also very proud of a game I created with
my friends that we showcased at EGX 2019.”
What things do you enjoy about
working in the digital/gaming
industry?
“I enjoy being part of the creative process and producing
something that many people will see, play and enjoy.”
Do you have any advice for students
interested in digital careers?
“If you’re interested in a subject, try it. Like most things
you might find it difficult at first but keep practicing and
learning about your subject and you will no doubt improve
over time.
If you’re interested in seeing more of Alan’s work,
click here.”
Above: Iron Impact - A Third-Person Video Game
10 11

ONE - ISSUE 3
Below: Jen Schears
Decolonising
the curriculum
Jen Schears, former City of Liverpool
College student and History &
Education Lecturer in our Access
department, has recently done some
important work to diversify our offer
for students when it comes to the
history curriculum.
We spoke to Jen about her plans for the course and just
why decolonising the curriculum is so important.
When did this work start for you?
“When I was interviewed for my current position, I
remember being asked “what will you bring to the Access
department?” and I said that my aim was to bring more
diversity and inclusivity to the study of history. So, the
idea started when I first got the job, but as I was a newly
qualified teacher, I wanted to find my feet first before
embarking on this ambition as it was important to me to
get it right.
“I began the planning and research for the course in 2019
and was liaising with one of the history moderators from
Ascentis, the awarding body, working closely with her to
try to ensure that the content I wanted to deliver could
be applied to the subject set. Once that was confirmed
in June 2020, I was able to select the ‘exploring history’
subject set for the following academic year of
September 2020.”
What prompted it?
“I am a former Access student who studied at the
College myself and I studied History, English Literature
and American studies. I had always loved history and
the American studies course was excellent as it offered
a diverse curriculum that I had never studied before.
Studying the US Civil Rights movement ignited my interest
in learning about the injustices and inequalities that Black
people have endured.
“I went on to study this in more depth in university,
selecting modules such as transatlantic slavery, British
colonialism, the exploitation of Black people in film
and the US Civil Rights movement to name a few. My
academic studies and my own further research have
motivated a strong passion and desire within me to share
my knowledge of this example of history that is not so
widely taught.”
How did you put your idea into practice and how has the
College supported you?
“I presented my idea to the Deputy Head of Access, Liam
James, who was so supportive and with me 100 per cent.
Liam has ensured that I have had access to the time
and resources that I needed to create the content for the
course. He has also kept me motivated as creating the
course has been a long and challenging process with
hours and hours of research and planning, so his support
and encouragement has been invaluable in enabling me to
create the course that I wanted.
“The Senior Leadership Team have also been very
supportive as I was given the budget to purchase books
and online resources to support my own research and
the students’ wider learning, demonstrating the College’s
commitment to this work. The librarians have also been
so helpful by emailing me useful links to materials for the
students to access.”
What is your overall aim for the work you are doing?
What do you hope it will achieve?
“My overall aim is to educate students on the more
controversial periods of British, African and American
history that are typically hidden from history curriculums
in schools. I hope that the study of slavery and
colonialism will enable students to understand the origins
of racism and how it was used to justify the accumulation
of wealth for a minority of people both in Britain,
and America.
“I hope that students will begin to understand the impact
that racism has had on society and the Black and Asian
communities. I believe that racism in the modern day is
perpetuated through ignorance and at its worst extreme,
through feelings of superiority and hatred.
“The study of history can help to remove the ignorance
part of this dynamic. Knowledge is power and I intend
to empower the students who come into the access
history classrooms with the truth, which will hopefully
motivate them to challenge racial injustice whenever they
encounter it, as it is only by challenging inequality that we
can make real changes in society.”
What does decolonising the curriculum mean to you and
why is it so important?
“Decolonising the history curriculum means giving a voice
to those who are not represented in history curriculums
in Britain. It means not looking at history with a top-down
approach that portrays it as the result of decisions made
by ‘dead white men’.
“Britain has been a multi-racial country for centuries. For
example, Liverpool has the oldest Chinese community in
Europe and there was also a large community of Black
people living in England during the Elizabethan era, as
evidenced by Miranda Kauffman’s research in her book
Black Tudors: The Untold Story.
“So, this begs the question: why are history curriculums
in schools not celebrating this diversity and bringing the
stories of those Britons from different racial groups into
the history curriculums? I would argue it is because the
most researched British historical events that involve
Black people, for example, are periods of time such as the
era of transatlantic slavery and British colonialism, which
reveal the darker side of British history.
“This history needs to be taught to bring this into the light.
It is wrong to not include these histories in curriculums as
it denies all students the ability to understand their shared
history and learn from the mistakes made in the past.
This is one of the key objectives of the study of history:
to understand the present through the study of the past.
How can we understand racism that still exists today if
we do not know how it originated? Decolonising history
curriculums sheds light on this and is so important to
create positive changes for the future.”
Why is it important that we decolonise curriculum
outside of history?
“I think it is essential that we begin to decolonise all
curriculums outside of history. We live in a very diverse
city that is a melting pot of all different races and cultures
and our curriculums should celebrate this by integrating
the study of Black and Asian culture, through literature,
authors, theorists and other cultural forms such as music,
fashion and dance.
“Our students should feel that their race and culture
are being represented in what they are learning,
which will in turn make them feel more included in their
learning journeys.”
What do you want to do next?
“I am really looking forward to next year as we plan to
form a strong relationship with the International Slavery
Museum and students will be taken there to explore the
primary sources in the museum and receive guided tours.
“Additionally, I am hoping to get some further enrichment
activities organised such as inviting expert speakers to
share their insight with students. I also plan to arrange
places on Laurence Westgaph’s guided tours which
he does around the city, to allow students to observe
the historical legacy of slavery that is present in the
monuments and buildings of Liverpool, as well as gaining
valuable insight into Liverpool’s role in slavery through
Laurence’s extensive knowledge.
“I would like to use as many resources and platforms as
possible to make the delivery of the course interactive and
engaging for students. History does not need to be taught
solely in a classroom, especially when we are here in
Liverpool, which is so rich in primary sources and its own
diverse history.”
12
13

ONE - ISSUE 3
Tackling the driver shortage
After winning a competitive tender
process, we’re delighted to have
begun delivering Skills Bootcamps
in HGV driving, in partnership with
Northwest Education and Training Ltd
(NWEAT), to help bridge the HGV skills
gap, which has been estimated at
100,000 drivers across the country.
The Skills Bootcamps have been commissioned by the
Department for Education to support with the training
and licencing of HGV drivers, in a quick response to the
national shortage in the road haulage industry. According
to reports, because of the shortages, salaries have
increased to attract new drivers, with typical wages now
between £35,000 and £50,000.
The Bootcamps are part of our work towards addressing
the needs of employers and the wider economy, delivering
targeted interventions to meet demands to fill vacancies
and drive productivity.
What’s even better is that each trainee will be offered a
guaranteed interview with an employer on completion of
the course.
It’s great to be able to deliver this training in a sector that
needs support, especially with the shortages this vital
sector is currently facing. It is incredibly important that, as
a college, we play our role in getting people the skills they
need to be ready for the world of work, so it’s fantastic
that we’re able to provide this opportunity.
The Bootcamps are available to anyone who has no,
or limited, prior experience. The training includes CPC
training and verification, theory, hazard perception and
case studies, practical training and a guaranteed interview
on completion of the course.
If you know of anyone who would benefit from this
training, please send them our way!
14 15

ONE - ISSUE 3
Staff wellbeing: How we’re
supporting you
After the challenges of the last two years, it’s never been more important for us
to look after our mental health, check in with each other and provide support
wherever we can.
We spoke to HR Business Partner, Debbie Walsh, about the initiatives that we have in place at The City of Liverpool
College to ensure the wellbeing of staff at the College, and just why providing support is so important.
What initiatives are in place to support the wellbeing of
staff at the COLC?
“We have a comprehensive and professionally delivered
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) in place. The
service, Validium, offers a wide range of support methods
for staff.
“This independent and confidential service supports
staff through any crisis they may be facing or persistent
work and personal issues, with highly experienced and
professionally trained counsellors.
“In addition to mental health and wellbeing advice,
staff can also access guidance on debt, health and
legal matters. The service offers online and telephone
support 24/7, as well as structured counselling support
sessions. The freephone number to access is 0800 358
4858 or online via www.validium.com. The VClub app is
also available via AppStore and Google Play. When first
accessing the service, employees will need username
CoLC and password eap4support.
“We have also partnered with Remploy, a service that
offers workplace mental health support services. This
service is available to any employee of the College in
permanent or temporary employment who has a mental
health condition that is either preventing them from
being in work or making work difficult. This structured
workplace support programme is in place for a ninemonth
period and provides individuals with coping
strategies and a wellbeing plan.
For additional information on this service, staff can call
0300 456 8114 or email a2wmhss@remploy.co.uk.”
Has the approach to staff wellbeing changed as a result
of the Covid-19 pandemic?
“Yes, we have always had the support available to staff
and provided encouragement for individuals to talk with
colleagues and line managers, but the pandemic has
changed the way we communicate and promote the
services that are available. The use of digital platforms to
share content and encourage discussions has enabled us
to get messages out to all staff, ensuring support is easily
accessible and regularly publicised.”
With many staff working from home over the past year,
has this impacted the way in which staff are supported?
“I personally feel it is harder to ‘check in’ with others
when working remotely, as you do not have the same
face to face interaction, bumping into others in corridors
or having conversations in the staff room. It is harder to
spot when someone may be struggling when you don’t
see them regularly, which is why I always make a point
of speaking directly to people where possible rather than
relying on email communications. Asking someone how
they are often leads to a response of “fine”, “okay” or
“busy”, but taking a moment to ask the same question
again – #asktwice – can give people an opportunity to
open up and reach out for support.”
Why is supporting the wellbeing of staff so important to
you personally?
“I have struggled personally in the past with my mental
health, and it took me a long time to appreciate the
importance of asking for help, understanding that
sometimes it is okay to not be okay. I now choose to talk
openly about my personal experience and became
a Mental Health First Aider in the hope that doing
so would encourage others who may be struggling,
to seek assistance.”
Why is supporting the wellbeing of staff beneficial for
the COLC as an employer?
“Having a proactive approach to wellbeing provides
many benefits to employers. Staff who feel valued and
are listened to are more likely to be engaged and to work
together positively to best support our students. Having
the right wellbeing strategies in place can help to increase
staff resilience, improve attendance and retention.
“The benefits to individual staff, however, are the most
important. We all spend a substantial amount of our
time at work and doing this in a supportive and inclusive
workplace provides us with an environment where we can
be happy and thrive.”
Can you tell us about plans for the future to continue to
support staff wellbeing? Are new initiatives being put
in place?
“Last year, we launched a brand new online Wellbeing
Hub, which is accessible to all staff through the College
SharePoint. The Hub provides access to wellbeing
support materials as well as training sessions, and we’re
always adding new information and resources.
“We have recently introduced FIKA, which is a mental
fitness skills development platform that is available to
all staff and students. There is now a FIKA e-learning
module which is accessible on ‘My Professional Learning’
platform. This module is an excellent introduction for
those who wish to use this app to build and maintain their
mental fitness.
“In addition, we will be looking to introduce wellbeing
coaches across all centres to support staff wellbeing
and offer additional mental health first aid support.
“Mental Health First Aiders are a point of contact if any
member of staff or someone they are concerned about
is experiencing a mental health issue or emotional
distress. The Mental Health First Aiders are not therapists
or psychiatrists, but they can give initial support and
signpost to appropriate help if needed.
Any staff who would like to refresh their Mental Health
First Aider skills or would like additional information on
how they can become a wellbeing coach should contact
me directly at debbie.walsh@liv-coll.ac.uk.”
If staff need support, what should they do?
“In addition to the employee assistance programme and
workplace mental health support services detailed above,
staff can contact our internal Mental Health First Aiders;
debbie.walsh@liv-coll.ac.uk, spencer.brew@liv-coll.ac.uk
and anthony.dunne@liv-coll.ac.uk.”
Left:
Debbie Walsh,
HR Business Partner
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Social media and
press highlights
Here we share some recent highlights
from our social media channels and
in the press, sharing how we’ve been
keeping people up to date with news,
events and information from across
The City of Liverpool College,
@colcollege.
February was a busy month across our social media
channels! We celebrated National Apprenticeship Week,
Children’s Mental Health Week and Race Equality Week. It
was also LGBTQ History Month. We took the opportunity
to share some of our students’ incredible stories and the
initiatives we have in place at the College.
We celebrated World Hijab Day, with our Student Union hosting a stall to
educate people about the hijab and why it is so important. We love it when
our students share and learn about each other’s cultures.
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We were incredibly proud of our students who took part in a photography
competition with Morgan Sindall – they produced some amazing work!
Our own Helen Farrow, Head of School, Hair & Beauty shared some of the
fantastic courses we have to offer, ahead of the new year.
It’s always amazing to see our students supporting worthy causes in their
spare time. These students raised an incredible £423.66 for Marie Curie!
During the festive period, which can be a difficult time for so many, we invited
Liverpool’s homeless community into the College, where our students were
able to offer free haircuts and beauty treatments, as well as refreshments. It’s
so important that we give back to the community wherever we can.
We opened the doors to prospective students in December, inviting them to
learn more about what we can offer and what life at the College is like – it
was a fantastic turn out!
We announced the launch of our HGV Skills Bootcamps, as part of the
Government’s drive to bridge the HGV driver skills gap, which is estimated at
around 30,000.
If you have something you’d like us to share on social media, such as an
example of exceptional student work, collaboration, innovation, or a success
story, we want to hear from you! Please get in touch with Emma Walsh at
emma.walsh@liv-coll.ac.uk.
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A new look for the
Academy Restaurant
We are so excited to have completed a full refurbishment
of our student-run Academy Restaurant!
We are so excited to have completed a full refurbishment
of our student-run Academy Restaurant over the summer!
This is the first time the restaurant has been refurbished
since it opened at Duke Street in 2002, so it has been a
long time coming.
The College commissioned ABW Architects to design the
new restaurant to provide our students and customers
with a space that is current, modern and reflects the same
level of quality that is expected from the industry and that
is seen in other high calibre restaurants.
We now have a restaurant that has an impressive, modern
look with top of the range equipment, which will enable
our students to learn and train in first class surroundings.
The new space looks incredible, and it has been fantastic
to welcome guests back into the space for lunch, dinner,
functions and special occasions. It’s proving to be very
popular, so get in there quick and book a table!
The restaurant is open for lunch Tuesday – Friday:
12.00 – 2.00pm and a special Tasting Menu dinner is
available every Thursday evening: 6.00 – 9.00pm
The restaurant has some exciting new features such as
viewing windows into the kitchen to allow customers to
see our talented trainee chefs in action, and a top bar
made from sustainable, reconstituted concrete sourced
from Granby Stone, a local Liverpool company.
Click here to book a table.
In more good news, we would like to congratulate our
own Executive Chef, Ian Jaundoo, who has become the
first chef in Liverpool to be inaugurated as a Disciple of
Escoffier. Ian joins this prestigious association which
is dedicated to promoting the cooking profession in
educational establishments – what an achievement!
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Strategic Plan:
Your questions answered
The strategic plan, launched last year,
will be really important for us over the
next five years, acting as the anchor
which drives us forward, setting out
our ambitions and aspirations for
the future.
Here, our Principal, Elaine Bowker, answers some of our
most frequently asked questions about the strategic plan
and how we can all work together to achieve our goals.
How was the strategic plan created?
“There are a number of factors that have come together
to create the contents of this plan. The common themes
that feature in the strategic plan had been coming up for
some time through conversations we had been having
with people from across the organisation, as well as the
pandemic bringing into sharper focus the things we need
to be focusing on. We’ve also got to know the College at
a more granular level through the transformation work
we have been doing across the organisation, which has
allowed us to get to know our students and our staff
much better, and their needs and priorities.
“As well as gathering insights internally, we also looked
at the external landscape in terms of government policy,
local economic policy and the themes emerging across
industry – all of which have combined to inform the plan.
“We had also worked with governors to develop the
strategy, focusing on ensuring that our vision and purpose
moving forward is one that we can all support.”
Why does the College have a strategic plan? What is its
purpose?
“It’s the golden thread that runs through our organisation,
from the Board to every individual member of staff. There
isn’t anything else that is so consistent and relevant to
each and every person within the College.
“It’s where we set out who we are, what we stand for,
what’s important to us and what our priorities are. It’s our
guiding principle and our common purpose that we can all
contribute to. We’re putting it out to the world to say: ‘this
is who we are, and this is what we stand for’.”
How do you hope we’ll achieve these goals for the
College?
“We will be implementing an actionable plan which looks
at what we can be doing now, in one year’s time, in three
years and in five years. This will be relevant to everyone
– everyone across the College will know what their
contribution is, and how they can help make it happen, as
well as how it all fits together.
“It isn’t something that will happen overnight, and there
are already some really important things happening that
will contribute, but it’s vital that we put the right building
blocks in place so that we can deliver our strategic plan
well, and with confidence. It’s not just about what we
deliver – the order in which we deliver it is fundamental
to its success, too, so that we can build on what’s gone
before and has the maximum impact as part of our
longer-term vision.”
What can individuals do to help towards the strategic
goals?
“Our strategic plan is centred around our learners, so
we want to get really close to our students. We want to
understand the holistic student and we want to be able to
respond as a holistic organisation, so that as they move
through the College, we all understand the needs of that
particular student.
“We know that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach –
each and every one of our students has different needs,
and that doesn’t just apply to the curriculum. So, get to
know your learners to find ways that work better for them,
and speak to colleagues across the College about how we
can do things differently, to meet those needs.”
What has been done so far?
“Every day I see more changes that are happening as a
result of the strategic plan, which is fantastic. People are
thinking and talking about what they can do and how they
can contribute.
“One of our priorities under our strategic enabler, ‘turning
disadvantage into advantage’, is around the need for the
attuned classroom. With the Liverpool Way, we’ve looked
at research informed strategies that help students to
catch up on missed and interrupted learning. We’ve also
looked at best practice to help the social and emotional
aspects that students are having to come to terms with,
so that the classroom itself is helping students through
the environment, the attitude of the teacher etc.
“We’ve also been doing a huge amount of work around
equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) through our EDI
strategy group, which involves people from across
the College and also sees us working with external
organisations to accelerate our progress in that area.
More recently, we have had feedback from staff who have
shared that they’re delighted about the work that’s going
on, but we haven’t been sharing that work as much as
we would like, so you’ll be seeing much more of it going
forward.
“There are so many more examples, such as our work
toward overcoming digital poverty during the pandemic
and our response to safeguarding and mental health
support. We can see aspects of this plan coming alive.
“We know that there’s so much happening across the
College, but we also need to be sharing that work, so that
everyone can feel part of it – this is something we’re going
to be doing much more of.”
How does the strategic plan impact staff?
“This strategic plan impacts all of us, at every level, across
all aspects of the College. Part of the way in which we’ll
achieve our goals is by actively questioning everything we
do with compassion, and that includes questioning each
other, but also ourselves, becoming critical thinkers.
“It’s really important that we become more conscious
when we carry out our work – whether it’s being conscious
of our learners or their circumstances, or the ramifications
this might have later down the line.
“It can be really hard, when you’re busy and you have a
long to-do list to tick off, to think about the bigger picture
– but it’s really important that we all take time to do this,
to reach that next level and truly make that transformative
change and have an impact.
“We want our students to have a positive experience with
every part of the College that they interact with, so we
need to work together to make that happen.
“So, please talk about the strategic plan with your
colleagues and in team meetings – bring it alive and
consider how you might be able to help improve the way
we work as an organisation.”
Where should people go if they have questions or want to
get involved?
“If you have any questions or want to learn more about
how you can get involved, speak to your manager, or
contact me directly – I really want to hear what people
have to say and the more people who are actively
involved, the more we can achieve together.
“The feedback that we have had following the launch of
the strategic plan has been overwhelmingly positive. Our
staff and stakeholders are excited about it, which is so
important. It’s authentic and it reflects what we all want
The City of Liverpool College to be.”
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Building the next
generation of talent
In some very exciting news, we’ve re-opened our ground-breaking Construction
Hub at Collingwood Dock – welcoming employers and learners back to the site.
The Hub, which was forced to close its doors during the
Covid-19 pandemic, was originally launched in 2019 after
we were successful with our bid for a CITB construction
Hub, to help employers gain access to the skills they need.
Through the Hub, employers have the opportunity to
find the talent they need for their business, as well as
upskilling their existing teams. In addition, learners have
the chance to work with high-profile contractors such
as Laing O’Rourke and Lovell Homes, as well as gaining
access to level one, two and three study programmes,
Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National
Diploma (HND) programmes, part-time programmes for
adults and opportunities for ACS Gas Accreditation.
We’re working in partnership with Liverpool Waters, Peel
L&P’s £5 billion waterfront development scheme, to reopen
the Hub and welcome learners back to Collingwood
Dock. By working together, we’ll enable employers to
find their future workforce, as well as giving learners the
opportunity to work closely with, and in the environment
of, Liverpool’s growing construction industry.
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ONE - ISSUE 3
The strategic plan in action:
strengthening our leadership team
The faces behind
our new roles
To support our future ambitions
and help drive forward our Strategic
Plan, we’ve welcomed a number of
new team members over the past
few months, as well as seeing some
changes to our existing team who,
alongside everyone at the College, will
be fundamental to helping us achieve
our goals.
In January, we were excited to welcome Monica Chavez,
who joined us from the University of Liverpool as Director
of Social and Cultural Curriculum. This is a priority area
of focus for us, which we think has the potential to be
transformative for our students, linked directly to our
Strategic Plan. Monica’s role will be fundamental to giving
our students the social and cultural capital to be able to
thrive in their environments.
We’ve also welcomed Lindsey Meadows as Head of
Apprenticeships.
Jan Schofield,
Head of Faculty
(Cultue & Visitor
Economy)
Jason Waldron,
Director of Education
(14-19)
Gill Williams,
Director of Personal
Development and
Progression
Laura Rowan,
Director of Education
for Adults
Jan Schofield has taken on a brand new role for the
College as Head of Faculty (Culture and Visitor Economy).
We’re also in the process of recruiting for a Head of
Faculty (Technology and Life Sciences). Both of these
roles will be pivotal in strengthening our links with
partners, businesses and the community in relation to
each of their respective areas.
In line with our Strategic Plan, we’ve created a team
that is dedicated to Pedagogy and Insight. As part of
this team, Michelle Bibby has taken on a new role as
Head of Pedagogy, Andy Hargreaves as Head of Student
Experience and we are currently recruiting for a Director
of Pedagogy and Insight – a role that is dedicated to the
Liverpool Way.
We welcomed four new directors, with Laura Rowan as
Director of Education for Adults and Liam James taking
over as Head of School for Access. Jason Waldron works
alongside Laura as Director of Education for 14-19, with
Jodene Horrocks taking over from Jason as the new Head
of School for Health, Social Care and Sport. Gill Williams
has been appointed as Director of Personal Development
and Progression, with Mike Perry appointed as HoS
for Catering, Hospitality and Travel. In addition, Ashley
Griffiths has become Dean of Academic Studies.
Ashley Griffiths,
Dean of Academic
Studies
Monica Chavez,
Director of Social
and Cultural
Curricilum
Lindsey Meadows,
Head of
Apprenticeships
Jodene Horrocks,
Head of School
for Health, Social
Care and Sport
Michelle Bibby,
Head of Pedagogy
Andy Hargreaves,
Head of Student
Experience
Liam James,
Head of School
for Access
Mike Perry,
HoS for Catering,
Hospitality and
Travel
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Making our schools stand out
Below: Creative Arts & Fashion
We have amazing facilities and unrivalled expertise across the College, and
we’re always looking for ways to showcase the things that set us apart from
our competitors, helping to make us the first choice for learners.
Last year, we identified a strategic need to give some of
our schools their own brand identity, to make them more
attractive to prospective learners and to ensure our offer
is crystal clear.
These striking brands and their accompanying distinct
microsites enable us to promote these departments and
their offerings as unique specialisms within the College,
showcasing just how much there is to get excited about.
So, we worked closely with the team at Agent –
our marketing partners – to create these brand new
visual identities for our Digital Academy, Expressive
Arts & Media Academy, and Creative Arts &
Fashion Departments.
We’re sure there will be more of these to come in the
future, so stay tuned!
Below: Expressive Arts & Media Academy
Below: The Digital Academy
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Thank you!
To all of our colleagues who continue to go
above and beyond to deliver oustanding
levels of teaching and support to our
students and staff, thank you.
If you need support or have any questions,
please don’t hesitate to get in touch
emma.walsh@liv-coll.ac.uk