At the end of our latest Vocational Educational Training (VET) project we asked our local sending partners what impact those Finishing Strong opportunities had on their students.

Here is what they have to say:

Askham Bryan College

By Sharon Sheppard, Executive Director of Further Education.

The Finishing Strong Project has had such a positive impact on my students and College as it has provided unique opportunities for our students to gain real-life work experience and a fantastic insight into working and living abroad.  The Everything is Possible team as well as the main host providers are a pleasure to work with – they are so helpful and supportive and are very passionate and enthusiastic about what they do.

The Sweden project has allowed my students to experience an inspirational and educational journey where they have developed their knowledge and skills and participated in a range of activities such as hiking, orienteering, fishing, tracking wild reindeer in their natural environment and cooking traditional foods on open fires in Swedish Lapland.  The students also gained a broad insight into different cultures as well as enhancing their personal development and employability skills.

This project has provided my students with a diverse experience that they could not have experienced in the UK and this will give them a competitive advantage when looking at potential careers.  Also from a tutor prospective, this project has also allowed me to combine my love for the great outdoors with teaching and learning.  The Finishing Strong Project has allowed me to continue to share my enthusiasm, knowledge and experience with my students whilst enabling them to develop and gain vital skills to broaden their horizons and explore their future career options.

Askham Bryan College

By Matthew D. Williams

As part of our project, our Adventure Sports Students took part in a two week visit to Sicily. Whilst we were there we spent the first two days exploring Catania and the surrounding area. This allowed the students to get a real feel for the Sicilian lifestyle and to explore the rich heritage and mixing pot of cultures that has gone in to create Sicily as it is now. It also allowed our students to get to know their local guides and was a chance for the guides to assess the abilities of our students prior to the overnight expeditions. We spent a day gorge walking in the north of the island, putting some of the climbing and rope work skills that they have learnt as part of their course in to practice in a real world setting. Several days were then spent trekking on Mount Etna, each night staying in a Mountain Hut. Conditions were very difficult, the weather and the terrain were unlike anything that the students have dealt with before and it was an excellent experience for them to spend time in these mountains. We also had a multi-day hike in the Iblean mountains in Southern Sicily, led by another local guide. For the duration of this expedition we spent the days trekking along the Cava Grande de Cassibile and the nights wild camping in tents. Our objective for this journey was to travel from the mountains, along the valley to arrive at the coast. We were fully immersed in the Sicilian landscape and culture whilst trekking. All our supplies were bought in the local villages, we met farmers and shepherds, we tasted freshly made local cheeses, we experienced the fabulous local ice creams, we ate oranges fresh from the tree and spent time talking to local artisan craftsmen who were happy to tell us about the dry stone wall building traditions passed down from generation to generation. We were given a guided tour of a local hydroelectric power station and told the history of how it has been built and rebuilt to have as minimal an impact on the environment as possible. After the second multiday trek we were taken to a local nature reserve on some islands that are normally closed to the public. Our guide for that trip was a professor of geology from the University of Catania who fascinated our students with stories of the birth of Mount Etna and the development of the volcano through time. It was a chance to see and experience the geology that we had talked about in lectures in a way that truly unique.

Throughout our project we were hosted by staff from Etna finder, they were knowledgeable and enthusiastic from start to finish. In addition to the Etna Finder staff we also had several other local guides and instructors leading sessions and activities for us and one of the most valuable experiences from the student perspective was to experience how instructional styles and practices vary in a different part of the world. Two of the Etna Finder staff were two of my ex-students. It was inspirational for the group to see two of their former peers working overseas in such an incredible location. Several are already looking in to how they can secure overseas work and work experiences.

Living and working together in such close quarters has led to a real strengthening of relationships between the students, they have developed a greater degree of empathy and understanding of each other. They have improved their communication skills, they have practiced and embedded their practical activity skills in new and unique environments, they have had time to appreciate the real word implications and impacts of the theory units that they have studied in lectures and have all benefitted significantly from the visit.

Askham Bryan College

By Robert Youhill

From Askham Bryan College we took 10 learners on a project to Valencia. The project was designed to give the learners an insight to the football philosophy and Spanish culture. The project was a huge success, we worked with a Spanish Pro Football who were fantastically organised and with Carlos at the helm we felt safe and busy!

Carlos and SPF were great hosts and planned a full timetable for our learners. Football training, coaching and games, visits to stadiums, training grounds and a football match. The learners enjoyed all of the football based activities and also loved the cultural experiences with the paella making and the college trip; were we spent a morning with learners of the same age.

The learners were well equipped with football knowledge and coaching skills that they have developed over the time spent at Askham Bryan College. The learners were selected through a strict application process. To be eligible for the trip the learners had to be up to date with work, have good attendance, have a good time for the 1.5 mile run and just generally an appropriate learner.

Learners were asked to bring extra money to enhance the trip, or example the visit to Madrid.

As part of the coaching and leadership units the valuable experience from the project ties directly into those units through developing communication skills, understanding of different coaching philosophies and becoming more confident.

What better way to get a taste of what the learners thought about the project and what skills they developed than to ask them…

Harry Bissett:

• I developed how to play against different styles of play
•  I developed how to play in a Spanish team
• I developed different drills and coaching styles
• I learnt some Spanish language and culture
•  I developed my skills on how to deal with disabilities and what drills to use with them

Dominic Taylor:

• I developed better communication skills
• I develop in all round football ability
• I learnt how to speak the basics in Spanish
• I learnt that tactics the Spanish teams use to do well

Callum Duff:

• I developed different coaching techniques they use in Spain.
• I learnt how to speak some Spanish.
• I learnt the tactics the Spanish use.
• I developed my technical skills in football.
• I learnt some new Rondo drills to use and to play forward.

Working with the academies I believe the impact was a very positive one. The learners supporting the coaching of a local academy and while learning the Spanish coaching philosophy they also made friends with the children and swapped basic regional phrases.

For many of the learners it has opened their eyes up to different cultures, as many of them and never been abroad or had any experiences like it. Many of the learners hope to return and have now seen what it would be like living abroad. It will all impact them greatly and it is an experience they will never forget.

Everything is Possible

By Mark Swales

As part of preparation to take a group of sports students to participate in the Finishing Strong project, I paid a professional visit myself to see if my students could make a positive contribution to the project and also gain benefits for themselves. From what I experienced, I am confident that there will be many positive and beneficial outcomes from a student visit.

In Martinique my students will have the opportunity to coach and lead sessions in numerous sports including football, basketball and rugby. This will enhance their leadership skills and develop confidence as a coach, whilst challenging them as they prepare and deliver quality and differentiated sessions. All the planning and delivery will contribute to their Btec level 3 course units. To help prepare for this, students will undertake the Sports Leaders UK level 2 Award in Sports Leadership qualification. The delivery hours will also contribute to required work experience hours as well as satisfying Btec unit assessment criteria. The students will gain a fantastic insight into how community sport is ran across the island and will help contribute to the development of local young people. This will in turn give my students a fantastic experience and will learn about local cultures and history.

Another way that helps prepare the students is by linking in with our school sports partnership where they are volunteers at primary school sports events; local, city and county wide. They undertake many different roles with varying responsibilities which develops confidence of dealing with situations and other people. To also prepare them we will work closely with Everything is Possible to ensure they learn from what other colleges students have experienced, take on board the specialist guidance from EIP, complete tasks that have been set including Pre-departure training which will be greatly received and assessment. I see this work with EIP as an invaluable resource as we strive to bring the best out of this fantastic opportunity.

The impact that this project will create will be such a positive one as students from both sides will gain experience and develop many personal attributes. Confidence, communication, leadership and many other skills will be developed as the students participate in this project. This will be priceless as the students look at their next steps towards personal goals and career choices including university and job applications. It will form a strong impression on their CV’s and give them valuable life experiences which will set them aside from others. To show that you have volunteered to lead children in sport is a strong key factor but to do it in another country is priceless. Young local people will develop their sports skills as they will learn from the knowledge and experience of our leaders. This will enhance their playing ability which will help create future sports stars on the island and give them life enriching experiences.

Everything is Possible

By Matthew Hinchley

The visit to Valencia whilst York College were on their experience was highly beneficial in seeing how an experience with learners would look and feel on the ground. We were able to learn from and take ideas from the experiences they were undertaking and this will be invaluable in planning a high quality experience for our own learners.

The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Our international project National Treasures came to an end and to celebrate its achievements we decided to produce a photobook. This photobook highlights all the actions, youth echanges and mobilities undertaken under this life changing project. It also showcases its impact on the participants and the local community.

This project has been organised by Everything is Possible together with the support from its partners ACER Brasil, The Hope Learning Trust, IFALL (Integration för Alla) and Westside Circus. We thank them.

We would like to thank the European Commission and the Erasmus+ programme for co-funding this amazing project, and making it possible.

We would like to thank Vale of York Academy for their incredible support during the whole project.

We would like to thank Creative Victoria for their support for the first Youth Exchange in Melbourne.

Thank you to all the participants from Australia, Brazil, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

And finally, thank you to all the people who contributed to this photobook (photographers and writers).

The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Projects available only to people living in the UK

Training opportunities

Everything is Possible has new training opportunities in animal management.
This project is funded (Erasmus+). There are no costs to you, and you receive funding for your flights, food and accommodation (we can often even help you if you don’t have a passport).
We are looking for vocational animal management students who have not started a degree course. Trainees need to be 18+, living in the UK hold and be confident and ready to try new things.

1) Malta / Mediterraneo Marine Park

2 placements of 2-3 months June-August
Support staff in the birds and reptiles department and animal education presentations.

2) Greece / Crete Archelon Turtles

2 placements of 2 months: July – September
Monitoring of nest sites. Beach surveys’ educating the general public about conservation and turtle welfare.

Volunteering opportunity

We also have a volunteering opportunity to offer:
Open to anyone living in the UK, aged 18-30 people applying for this can be in or not in education and may already have begun a degree course

Croatia

2, 3 or 4 months started 13th July

Find out more

If you are interested in this project please contact please contact Mel Coward by Tuesday 2nd April: mel@everythingispossible.eu
DEADLINE TO APPLY: 2nd April

Everything is Possible has some new training opportunities available in Aruba either in sports or mechanics. These 6 months projects will start on 1st November 2018.

These projects are unique experiences during which you will be able to develop personal and professional skills.

Sport training project at Palm Island:

Palm Island is Aruba’s All Inclusive Resort Island. Receiving tourists every day of the year, the coral reef just off De Palm Island is one of Aruba’s most spectacular snorkel sites. There’s no easier way to catch a glimpse of the spectacular marine life of the Caribbean, and in particular, the stunning blue parrotfish that are endemic to Aruba. The Island offers other sports activities such as zip line, air jumpers and banana boat rides and trainees will have opportunities to work in all these activity fields as well as receiving customers on the boat crossing between the mainland and the island. There are children’s sport activities, a waterpark and swimming/snorkelling area all of which trainees will work alongside staff to deliver to the general public.

Trainees will be given lifeguarding training and also training in the other fields of work. They will also be trained in CPR and emergency first aid.

→ We are looking for trainees who have studied sport or outdoor education and completed their studies in the last three months… So don’t leave it too late! Trainees need to be 18+, competent swimmers, have a driving license, and be sociable and outgoing.

Mechanic training project at Atlantis:

Atlantis and Seaworld Explorer are two submarines/semi underwater vessels In 1986, Atlantis I began the world’s first tourist submarine operation in Grand Cayman. Atlantis started the School Children’s Program; classroom work is followed by a dive, which provides children with real exposure to the ocean environment, and an awareness of its fragile nature. Subsequently 48 passenger submarines were launched across the Caribbean including, Aruba.  Atlantis built and deployed a series of reef structures aimed at attracting and protecting numerous different marine life into an area that was previously scoured by a hurricane many years ago, removing the protective coral cover for marine life. Trainees working on this project will be based in the DePalm maintenance department working in the field of engineering and mechanics and will have the opportunity to work on both DePalm’s sea vessels and also their main site jeeps and tour vehicles. Shifts will mainly be in the evening and night approximately 18.00 – 24.00 when the vehicles are out of action and much of the work will be delivered underwater.

→ We are looking for trainees who have studied sport or outdoor education and completed their studies in the last three months… So don’t leave it too late! Trainees need to be 18+, competent swimmers, experienced in diving or ready to undertake a diving course in Aruba, hold a valid driving license, and be confident and ready to try new things.

Important information:

This project is funded (Erasmus+). There are no costs to you, and you receive funding for your flights, food and accommodation (we can often even help you if you don’t have a passport). In order to participate in this project, you need to live in the UK.

If you are interested in this project please contact Clair Brown by Monday 17th September: clair@everythingispossible.eu

The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Once again, Everything is Possible has been salvaging quality camping equipment left behind at Leeds Festival, that we passed onto local community organisations.

This year our action had even more impact than in 2017 as we have been able to support 12 organisations working with homeless people, refugees, disadvantaged people in general and scouts.  All those organisations mentioned being in desperate need of this equipment for their activities.

Our amazing team of international volunteers – all passionate by environment and music – have salvage several tonnes of camping equipment. This includes more than a hundred of tents and thousands of sleeping bags, rolls mats, camping chairs and pairs of wellies.

Calderdale SmartMove says: “Huge thank you to Everything is Possible for collecting leftover camping equipment and food from Leeds Festival. With their help we’ve picked up two car loads which will be passed on to homeless people in Calderdale”.

Huge thank you to @eispossible for collecting leftover camping equipment and food from Leeds Festival @OfficialRandL. With their help we’ve picked up 2 car loads which will be passed on to homeless people in Calderdale. #makeadifference #charity #homelessness pic.twitter.com/WMsnqrCYR4

— Calderdale SmartMove (@CalderSmartMove) August 28, 2018

Elliot Hudson College says: “I would like to thank you and all the volunteers from Everything is Possible.  We now have 5 tents, roll mats and sleeping bags that will enable young people to take part and complete the Duke of Edinburgh’s award at Elliott Hudson College.  The collection was extremely well organised, communication was clear and the equipment was clean and in really good condition.  Most of the tents have only been used for the festival.  A really worthwhile project on many different levels. Thank you so much.”

During two weeks, as part of our project “Festival of Opportunities 2018”, our volunteers have helped keeping environmentally friendly two major festivals in the UK (Leeds Festival and TribFest); encouraging festival goers to recycle, picking up what could be recycled; and finally encouraging people to donate to charities all the camping equipment they would not take back with them after the festivals.

This project has been co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.

“Festival of Opportunities” project organised by Everything is Possible and funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union – The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

During 2 weeks, volunteers from Estonia, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden.

Video: Jose from Spain explains the impact of our salvage action at Leeds Festival

Video: Lauri from Estonia explains the activities he undertook as part of “Festival of Opportunity 2018”

Video: Why are we salvaging camping equipment at Leeds Festival? by Elisa (Italy)

(Sorry for the quality of the sound)

“Festival of Opportunities” project organised by Everything is Possible and funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union – The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

The Erasmus+ UK National Agency is running a photo/testimony competition, with a chance to win a £50 vouchers.

We encourage all our participants to take part in this competition called ‘My Erasmus+ Discovery’.

During your Erasmus+ project (training or volunteering) you have produced some amazing pictures for Everything is Possible, which you could easily use and submit. Five winners will each receive a £50 ‘experience’ voucher; Ten runner-up winners will each receive a £30 ‘experience’ voucher.

The deadline is the 7th August and the voting process has already started a month ago… So don’t leave it too late to enter the competition and encourage your friends and family to vote for your picture!

How to participate?

● Go to the Erasmus+ UK National Agency competition entry webpage

● Upload your photo or video. We encourage you to submit a picture/video of you in action in your project. Please note that your photo or video should be your own work, or your tutor/organisation. It could be taken while you were abroad, running your project in the UK or even many years later.

● Complete the short form and add a caption of up to 150 words. This short testimony should be about the impact this project had on your life, and what you have learnt personally and professionally. Don’t forget to mention Everything is Possible, as well as your hosting organisation, and college/organisation (if applicable).

Important

The new data protection law (GDPR) came into force in May and as a result, you can’t submit a picture on which other people appear, without having an explicit consent from them. This includes, your work colleagues, schools mates and tutors.

We therefore encourage you to select picture of you in action, where only you appear. Please note that you do not need consent if you cannot see the faces of the other people in the picture.

If their face is clearly shown, or if you can hear their voice in the film and they identify themselves, please ask them to fill out this consent form (459 KB). You will then need to collect the completed forms of all the individuals in the photo/video and email them to epluscompetition@ecorys.com before 7 August 2018. If this proof of consent is not provided, then unfortunately they cannot accept your entry.

—————————————————

The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

– Due to high demand, we can no longer take anymore applications. We are really sorry about this –

We’re back at Leeds Festival this year, to salvage good quality reusable camping equipment for local community organisations.

When? 28th August (11am-1pm) … save the date!
Where? Leeds Festival site (more info will be sent to organisations who applied before the event)

For the past years, our action helped organisations from all around the UK who really need camping equipment for their activities. We passed onto them thousands of tents, sleeping bags, roll mats and tonnes of camping items which are left behind at Leeds Festival; equipment which has often only been used for one weekend. Click here to read feedback from previous years.

Watch the video report from BBC LOOK NORTH:

– Due to high demand, we can no longer take anymore applications. We are really sorry about this – 

We tried to make the process as easy as we could for you.

1. Express your interest as soon as possible to Raphael : raphael@everythingispossible.eu
2.Download the application and send it fully completed by Tuesday 27th July. Click here to download the application form.
3.We’ll let you know if your application has been selected by the 31st July.
4.One week before the collection date, we will send you all practical info you need to collect your equipment.
5.Our volunteers will pick the best camping gear for you after the festival.
6. If selected you will just have to come on Tuesday 28th August, between 11.00 and 13.00, with a big vehicle to pick up your order!
7. We will just charge £25 for the Salvage Package, which include a maximum of 5 tents (pop-up, 2men tents, or/and 1*4men tent max) ) and a few sleeping bags, mats, camping chairs, pairs of wellies to fill a builder bag! You can also order some extra tents (pop-up, 2 men tents, 4, 6-8 persons). Donation will help us to pay for meals for the volunteers who will be spending the day picking up your camping gear.

We will be joined by 30 young people passionate by recycling. They will have the mission to find for you the best camping equipment. We’ve got a rule: Each item we collect needs to be good quality. If it’s damaged, we don’t take it! But if you want you can also check the equipment in case something was missed: You can do so when you come to pick it up. If you are not satisfied with an item we will replace it with another.

Not convinced? Have a look at previous feedback. Click here.
*As all the equipment has been used at the festival, and our volunteers don’t have the time or equipment to properly clean it on site, we recommend you clean all equipment fully before use. It also depends on the weather conditions.

At the end of our latest Vocational Educational Training (VET) project ‘Moving Feet Opening Minds’, we contacted all the participants that took part in a VET abroad.

116 participants have responded to our survey. The following infographic presents the results.

The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

At the end of our latest Vocational Educational Training (VET) project we asked our local sending partners what impact those opportunities abroad had on their students.

Here is what they have to say:

Newton Rigg College – The VET project in Aruba by Chloe Walker

In February 2018, a group of six students and two accompanying members of staff from Newton Rigg College embarked on the Moving feet Opening Mind project in Aruba.

This project involved volunteering at the Donkey Sanctuary as well as the local veterinary practice and dog groomers.

The students worked alongside staff at the placements experiencing all aspects of the jobs and being able to be “hands-on” throughout.

In the lead up to the project, Everything is Possible supported the students. This started with an informative discussion on the available projects and what they entailed and what the students would get out of the projects. They then completed pre-departure training with the students discussing any worries, finding solutions, and giving advice and guidance so that the students could gain the most from their experience on the project. Everything is Possible supported throughout the project ensuring that every detail was dealt with appropriately to ensure smooth running. On return from the project, the evaluation day was valuable because students produced their own project of their experiences, in this case in the form of an Instagram blog. They presented this to other groups explaining what they had gained from the experience.

The students developed their personal and professional skills throughout the project. Their confidence levels improved dramatically which in turn allowed other skills to develop including communication, presenting and team work.

Working within the local community, the students got to explain to a local school what their life and education is like in the UK. They did this by completing a photographic presentation to local children and their teachers. The students also volunteered to complete a beach clean to help with local conservation. This was welcomed by the local community and the students received a letter of thanks from the local turtle conservation group for their efforts.

This project has enabled these students to experience different cultures, travelling extensively, work with different currencies, live and work together as a team, problem solve and work on own initiative i.e. getting out of their comfort zones!

All of the students are now coming to the end of their college course and are actively seeking employment or progressing onto higher education courses.  This opportunity has enabled their CV’s and applications to stand out from the crowd and has increased the young person’s confidence to enable them to GO for these opportunities.  Thank you.

Askham Bryan college – The VET project in Malta by Simon Jepson

The project itself was at the tomasina cat sanctuary which is based within M-cast agricultural institute in Malta. The sanctuary is run primarily by Jane and Carmel with a few additional staff many of which are local volunteers. The cat sanctuary houses around 300+ cats at any one time and also provides a boarding facility to people from around the local area. Carmel was our main point of contact while over in Malta, however we also worked very closely with Jane  – both of whom supported, guided, recommended things to see/do and assisted us during our stay.

During the free-time from working the learners immersed themselves within a range of activities including visiting museums, cathedrals, Comino/Gozo, Mdina, Valetta, the mediteranneo, aquarium, horse riding at golden bay and many others. As they participated within a range of activities they managed to see the culture, religion, history and fun things to do while in Malta.

To get the learners ready for the project there were a number of training sessions put together by Everything Is Possible which included ice breaking activities to ensure the learners were comfortable together and able to work as a team. They also organised preparation sessions covering things such as what is expected of the learners in terms of behaviour and the duties they will perform at the sanctuary as well as what they may need to bring, what support is available to them while on the project and a range of other training to get them ready for the project. From a college point of view we made sure all learners met a number of times before going out on the projects to discuss activities they might like to do, what food they would like to eat, cleaning/cooking rotas, what working at the cat sanctuary would entail and what was expected/ what they would like to get from the project.

While on the project I believe the students gained a lot of experience from a professional environment such as time keeping and an in depth look at how an animal sanctuary works from a business viewpoint. Some of the learners had never left the country before the project commenced so it gave them a valuable opportunity they had never had before. While in Malta they had to get used to a strict time schedule, using the public transport system, dealing with members of the public and workers at the cats sanctuary, working within a different environment (temperature, people and culture), cooking for the group, shopping, cleaning and navigating themselves around the island.

As the cat sanctuary is mostly reliant on volunteers to assist them with the great work they do the learners had a significant impact on the team there and were hugely appreciative of their help. News travels quickly through the local community from word of mouth so the good reviews the owners and volunteers at the cat sanctuary gave our learners and vice versa would hopefully help to raise more awareness of the need for assistance there and how valuable projects like this can be for both parties. The learners have also expressed their desire to continue their volunteer work in areas such as animal rescues, environment agencies and beach clean-ups, both in the UK and abroad.

The learners on this project had a range of experiences from working at the cat sanctuary to exploring all that Malta has to offer and as they are all studying some form of animal course this project has been invaluable to them. As some of them even stated in their exhibition, this experience has helped them further their knowledge in a subject area in which they plan to pursue as a career in future. The learners all have huge potential to become well established within whichever path they choose in the animal industry and through this experience they are now considering a range of choices from volunteering to fundraising for smaller animal organisations.

Kirklees College – The VET project in Martinique by Shem Kalabic

I have enjoyed a long career as a professional educator/sports lecturer and I have taken students on international projects or projects abroad, however, when the timing and opportunity presented itself to work with Moving Feet Opening Mind we couldn’t turn it down and I am glad we didn’t .
On student’s behalf and on behalf of Kirklees College Sports department we would like to say a huge THANK YOU to Moving Feet Opening Mind project for positively changing students’ lives and for making them better individual as a result of this project.  

Our project started with planning and preparation phase, and once again Everything is Possible played a huge part in planning, preparation and ongoing support.  Part of our planning phase involved students spending time with 2 members of host organisation, learning the language, learning about the culture, food, music, festivals and how to best utilise their time during students stay in Martinique.  Students found the language learning sessions challenging but at the same time it was fun and enjoyable, they were fascinated by the culture and couldn’t not wait to visit Martinique. Everything is Possible also arranged ongoing support session/presentation to make learners aware of the expectations, their rights and responsibilities and what to expect from the project – Godfrey, thank you for all your hard work, advice, support and guidance, you were brilliant.

Final part of planning and preparation phase was for learners to attend compulsory training organised and delivered by everything is Possible where they participated in 3 workshops looking at culture, tradition, values, rights responsibilities and they also had opportunity to ask questions if they had any issues or concerns.

Now on to the project itself, during our 2 weeks stay in Martinique we worked with Youth in the Town organisation, delivering and coaching variety of sport session.  These sessions involved coaching young kid’s skills and techniques in variety of sports including, football, basketball, gymnastics, athletics and rugby.  We would like to say a huge THANK YOU to the Youth in Town organisation on their professionalism, hard work, support and making this project and unforgettable experience for our students. It has had an unrecognisable impact on our students as they can’t stop talking about how good this project was.  As a result of this project, all learners have developed and improved as individuals, they have developed, gained and improved professional and personal skills including:
● Time Management, Teamwork and Organisational skills – by working in small teams to plan, organise and deliver sports coaching session to young children sticking to a schedule provided by the Youth in Town organisation
● Initiative & Interpersonal Skills – organised different team activities with own team and Youth in Town to develop team morale, cohesion, to learn about local culture, tradition, food and highlight of this was Intercultural Evening
● Motivation, Communication & Leadership Skills – highly prepared, enthusiastic and motivated for each and every coaching session that they had to deliver, overcame language barrier and challenges by communicating using basic French phrases and excellent body language and delivering fun, effective, safe and inspiring coaching sessions across different sports.

Because students were flexible, open minded and wanting to contribute to amazing project I feel they have had a really positive impact in the local community, especially with young kids and coaches that they have worked with, giving them different experiences, teaching and learning about different cultures and languages, sharing common ideas, values and beliefs.

Based on students’ evaluation and feedback I feel that this project and experience will have a long lasting impact on their lives and later on in their careers, it will make them all around better individuals, it will make them good citizens of society that are aware of peoples different values, beliefs and traditions, it will make them strong campaigners for better and healthier life through similar project and I am certain it will make them more employable because they have learned so much form this project.

Wigan Warriors – The VET project in Martinique (1^st – 14^th March 2018) by Kevin Perry

In March 2018 I lead a group of 10 students and 2 staff to the Caribbean Island of Martinique for a two-week cultural enrichment and work experience project.  Our students are all focused on becoming qualified in the sports coaching and personal fitness training industries.  This type of once in a lifetime project was an unbelievable opportunity for our young people to experience a new part of the world, immerse themselves in a different culture and learn new skills and strategies to take on into their future lives.

Prior to departure we/our group received an exceptional level of support and guidance from our partners ‘Everything is Possible’.  Guidance on preparing our students for their venture with multiple sessions on cultural do’s & don’t’s, essentials skills and even classroom based French language lessons delivered by native islanders.  The support from ‘Everything is Possible’ continued throughout our project whilst resident in Martinique.  Constant communication to check all was going to plan and liaison with our partners on the island ‘Youth in the Town Association’.  Right through to an evaluation day to consolidate all outcomes and pull together a greater understanding between all learners.

A real positive aspect of the project was that we were able to work together with our partners to construct a working two-week timetable to ensure all activities matched up with the skills our students were needing to develop.  For example, work activities in rugby and football coaching to young players.  Links directly to their qualification requirements.  Cultural and history visits around the island, along with the requirement of independent living, financial budgeting and time management etc, all important life skills young people need to develop.

I believe and witnessed during the two weeks, our young people learning how to plan and implement sessions, cope with challenges situations with regards to the language barrier, finding ways to communicate their points, strategizing to level to achieve their outcomes.  Self confidence has grown in many, eyes have been opened to a world and life outside of Wigan, England.

I hope and feel that our learners have left a positive impression on the people, young people of Martinique.  They had the pleasure of meeting and working alongside people young and old.  Overall an incredible experience for the group and one that will live with them for the rest of their lives and no doubt enrich their futures in whatever industry they pursue, home or abroad.

Wigan Warriors – The VET project in Martinique by Shane Eccles

In march 2018 we visited the island of Martinique in the Caribbean. This was a project for 10 of our sports students, who are studying to work in the sports and fitness industry. This was a fantastic opportunity for the students to visit a different country and experience a different culture alongside this the students had opportunities to practice the skills they have been learning in college. We worked with an organisation called Youth in the Town who were excellent to work with. The staff were very welcoming and hospitable. Youth in the Town were able to plan various activities for the students over our time on the placement. The students were involved in various sports coaching sessions across the island where they had to use the skills they have been learning in their college studies. The students were also given opportunities to learn about the Martinique culture through meetings with young people from the island and engaging in culture days where they discussed language and also foods and hobbies.

Before heading off to Martinique we had a number of sessions in preparation for this project. As part of the students vocational studies they had lots of sports coaching practice where they were coaching different groups to work on their coaching skills. Alongside their vocational studies we also had a week-long visit from two sports coaches from Martinique.  The students spent time with the two coaches and did a lot of work on the French language and learning terms they would need to use within their coaching sessions. This was very helpful as it gave the students an insight and preparation of the language and what to expect when they arrived and started coaching in Martinique.

The students did a lot of sports coaching whilst in Martinique on rugby which is a sports they are very familiar with but also delivered sports coaching in other sports (Football, Gymnastics & Water Sports). This helped the students gain valuable experience of coaching in various settings and also had a difficulty in the language barrier especially when working with younger children who weren’t able to speak a lot of English. The students were observed on their final practical coaching session whilst delivering in Martinique which put a lot of pressure on them to deliver a good coaching session working with children of a different language and culture.

From this project the students have gained a lot of valuable skills, I feel the students have gained skills in two areas, they have gained life skills and also professional skills. The students had responsibilities in the accommodation of cooking and cleaning. Over the two weeks the students devised a plan and ensured the tasks were split evenly between each of them. The students had to make sure these tasks were done and this is something that some of them are not used to doing at home. The students demonstrated a lot of development in this area and I believe learned skills that will help them prepare for life after college. The students also developed their professional skills, they were able to use the skills they have bene learning in college and apply them in practical situations. The students had to plan and deliver sports coaching sessions to a variety of groups and also work on trying to incorporate French language into these sessions. It was a pleasure to see the students being able to plan and deliver sessions and also develop their knowledge of language and build good relationships with the young people they were working with.

I feel our students worked very well with the local rugby club as this is a passion of the students who participated in this project. I feel the students worked with the club and were able to pass on advice and coaching ideas to the local coaches. The students also delivered individual presentations on their likes and foods they had brought from home. They were able to spread the culture of the United Kingdom and specifically the north of England giving an insight to the young people of Martinique what life is like in the U.K

This was a fantastic opportunity for our students and is something that they wont forget. They were able to take part in professional development by delivering coaching sessions in a completely new and unknown environment to participants who speak a different language. This experience on its own will help them towards achieving their future career aspirations as they are able to draw on that experience and demonstrate confidence in their coaching and also competence from delivering coaching sessions in these difficult circumstances. The students were also given the opportunity to try new things which they would never have the opportunity to do at home, the students were involved in Yole Boat Sailing, which is a traditional form of sailing in Martinique and isn’t practiced anywhere else in the world. The students also benefitted from free time by taking part in activities such as swimming with wild turtles. Overall this has been a fantastic opportunity for our students and they have been able to benefit from various activities from delivering coaching sessions to local French speaking students, working with local young people on cultural exchanges and enjoying free time in the Caribbean climate and culture.

I would definitely advise anybody who was offered this opportunity to grasp it with both hands as it is a fantastic professional and social development opportunity for students and staff to be involved in.

The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.