Rosedale College Case Studies
Lorraine, Administrator from Glaxo Smith Klein, volunteer for Words for Work:
“I got involved in Words for Work after some colleagues had volunteered on the pilot scheme last year, as the company’s base is local to Rosedale College. I have done mentoring before and done a coaching masterclass, but always with adults. I thought working with students would be a great opportunity to give them skills that they could take further.
Before the project started, I was nervous to be honest, as working with young students was new to me. During the first session I was bowled over at how enthusiastic and motivated the pupils were so that was some real learning for me.
I am really enjoying giving the pupils the opportunity to do different activities outside their normal working curriculum and enabling them to develop skills in communicating and working in teams, improvising, a lot on compromise and negotiation which are lifelong skills to take forward not only in the workplace but in their relationships.
I feel that the pupils I am working with are more confident in communicating since I first met them. One who is really very confident and overshadowed another team member – the balance has changed and I’m seeing more and more that she’s taking a back step and listening more to a quieter member of the group.
Pupils have developed their listening skills and confidence in expressing themselves more clearly. One group member is really good at expressing herself and at the beginning was acting as a mediator between a very over-confident/ over-bearing group member to the quieter one. She’s not doing that so much now because the other two have learnt more skills in being more confident.
I think pupils will look back on the experience and hopefully in the reflecting session they will come out to think they will call on some of the scenarios and experiences they’ve had in this project in future use.
We’ve arranged that the celebration and showcasing will be held at the GSK premises. I believe there will be 12 students and 2 teachers coming along. It’s going to be a morning session with a show around our facilities so the students can come and see our environment and where we work. We will also have a fun exercise and have a showcase of the work they have made. Senior members of the company and managers will come along and have a look, and a chat and we will have a nice lunch. I’m hoping it will be a fun and interesting morning.
I believe that communication can and should be taught in the schools. You are forever enhancing communication skills throughout your life and if you can communicate well your confidence grows and people really start listening. It is vital, I believe and I think again, communication can be used in various ways – body language, negotiation skills, the way you speak clearly, the way you listen, how you react within teams and with your peers. And I believe that Words for Work teaches that in a fun way. Speaking and listening plays such a vital part in everyday life.”
Mahamed, 14:
“Before I started the project, I didn’t really think it would help that much. But I have learnt new ways to communicate, spent time with new people and learnt about their work. It’s good you’re not just in a classroom all day - you get to go out and do different things and I think that’s a better way to educate young people. I will be able to bring my skills into a working area – getting a job, without a doubt the project will help with that. It’s helped me learn to communicate with different people – even if they don’t know your language. Speaking and listening is important as they’re the two key facts of communicating; you talk, then you listen to the person you’re talking to. It helps you get a better idea of where that person is coming from and it helps you get your points across more clearly.”
Ansu, 12:
“Before Words for Work, I thought that I’d get a bit more confident, speak clearly and get my points across. In the group I’ve been working in, we’ve done posters, videos, presentations and lots, lots more. I’ve really enjoyed the drama and filming. As Mahamed said, we get so much more from this project than we usually do at school. We’ve had so many new experiences of doing different things: filming, being independent. I’ve learnt how to improvise flexibly. Words for Work has helped me to be more quick-minded; to know what to do at certain times. I’ll also be able to talk to new people. You can produce a better standard work if you listen and speak. Speaking and listening is important, as you know what to do, how to do it and when to do it.”
