Spring Community Week Roundup

Community Week brings together students and staff from across the College to engage in social action projects which give back to the local community. 

This week serves as a valuable opportunity for students to apply the skills they’ve learnt and are continuing to develop, whilst completing a project to help others in and around the community.

Here’s a glimpse of the work the College has been involved in throughout this week: 

Plumbing Painting the Dover smART Project Hub  

Plumbing students returned to Dover smART’s project centre on Bench Street for a second year to help renovate the interior. 

Armed with ladders, paint, and bags of tools, the students and their lecturer, Chris, set about sanding, filling, and repainting the community hub.

Laura, the Charity and Fundraising Manager of Dover smART Project said: “Last year the Construction students helped us transform this space from what was an empty shop and got it ready for what we wanted it to be, a really useable community space. Now they’ve come back again this year as part of their Community Week to give it a refresh to make it great for our community again. 
 
“It’s really good, it’s a really positive experience. I think for the students it gives them exposure to a local charity and gives them a great opportunity for work experience.”

Art and Design Ceramic egg painting for ‘Eggs’hibition 

Level 2 and Level 3 Art and Design students created ceramic egg masterpieces ahead of the Fourth Wall Folkestone gallery’s forthcoming ‘Eggs’hibition and egg sale to raise money to support the gallery’s community work. 

Mirroring the gallery’s focus on providing mental health support to locals, the students themed their egg creations around mental wellbeing.

Aspiring artist Evan Medhurst commented: “I think it’s awesome to actually get my work out and seen to the public. You don’t get that opportunity that often. Not only is it getting my name out there, in a way, it’s also helping out others, which is what I want to do. 

“We were doing a project about mental health and I’m trying to make it connect to me in a personal way. At some point in my teenage years, I’ve had to mask my emotions, so I thought, with an egg, you have a sense of vulnerability, so I decided to put a mask on there.” 

Annike King, the Head of Service Industries, was overseeing the egg designing. When asked about community week she mentioned: “We always look for students to do things that actually connect with their course. Seeing the benefits of what they’re learning to themselves and to the community.  

“It’s very much about using the skills you are getting at College to benefit others and make a difference in the local community. 

“The benefits to our students is recognizing that art is not just a nice hobby. It has huge implications benefiting the world. Art can be very healing.” 

The egg artworks will be on display at Fourth Wall Folkestone from 11 April and available to buy. 

It has been brilliant to see all the projects staff and students have worked on throughout this Community Week. From painting in a local charity to creating masterpieces for an exhibition our learners have worked hard to give back to the community.