Leeds City College and Leeds Sixth Form College joins forces with Leeds Rhinos Netball to boost young people’s wellbeing

Written by Tidi Kwidini on April 5, 2022. Posted in Partnerships

Leeds Rhinos Netball has partnered with Leeds City College and Leeds Sixth Form College, both part of Luminate Education Group, to offer more young people opportunities to play netball and boost wellbeing.

Players from the team will be ambassadors for the college, where they will attend events to promote its new Netball Academy as well as offering advice and motivation for young people who are looking to pursue their sporting ambitions. The partnership will also see the Leeds Sixth Form College logo featured around the court and on the team’s dresses for their second Vitality Netball Superleague season. 

Opportunities for pupils to volunteer at Superleague games will be offered, including the club’s upcoming match at the city’s first direct Arena. The club’s official charity, Leeds Rhinos Foundation, will also lead a health and wellbeing development day for Leeds City College staff. Pupils will have the opportunity to gain experience working on some of their many health and education projects.

Leeds Rhinos Foundation and Leeds City College also run the Leeds Rhinos Foundation Development Academy, which provides all students with the opportunity to study full-time while representing Leeds Rhinos at a post-16 level, both in rugby and netball.

Dan Busfield, Franchise Director for Leeds Rhinos Netball, said: “It is fantastic to once again have the support of Leeds City College and Leeds Sixth Form College, so we can work together to enhance the sporting opportunities on offer for young people in our city. I think now more than ever, after long periods when we were unable to play team sports and attend sporting events, we appreciate the importance and positive impact sport can have on people’s lives. This partnership will help promote those benefits and hopefully lead to an increase in participation.

“The Leeds City College Rugby Academy has also been a huge success and we hope to develop the Netball Academy further so more people can continue their studies alongside playing. We are excited about how this partnership will help open up more opportunities for students from all backgrounds to engage with our sport, either through playing or through the many volunteering opportunities available with the club and our charity.”  

Ryan Grant, Deputy Principal Leeds Sixth Form College, said: “It’s a privilege to be working with Leeds Rhinos Netball for the second time. By working alongside Leeds Sports Connect, which provides a link between professional sports clubs, local colleges and young people, through the Leeds Rhinos Foundation, we can ensure our students receive top-quality training and elite coaching, without sacrificing an outstanding education.

“This partnership has a key focus on enhancing wellbeing through encouraging students to participate in enriching volunteering and social action project opportunities, where they can become active members in society and act as positive role models. We’re passionate about developing underrepresented sports, and are committed to inspiring the next generation to discover their sporting potential.”
Students at the college can pursue netball while studying full-time as part of the Leeds Rhinos Development Academy.

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Leeds City Region partners join forces to prioritise adult learning

Written by James Broadhurst on December 6, 2021. Posted in News, Partnerships

Luminate Education Group has teamed up with partners across the Leeds City Region to host a series of free short courses for adults, as part of the national Festival of Learning.  

The group is working alongside local organisations and education providers to get adults in the region back into education, following the challenges of the pandemic. 

Now in its 29th year, the Festival of Learning (formerly Adult Learners’ Week) was launched to celebrate adult students and encourage others to participate in lifelong learning. 

Cllr Jonathan Pryor, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Economy, Culture and Education at Leeds City Council, said: “Over recent years, although Leeds has continued to prioritise adult education, we’ve seen it become less of a priority across the country. A lack of confidence amongst adult learners due to the pandemic, paired with historic funding cuts and reduced support, has resulted in the lowest adult participation in a decade. This partnership aims to celebrate the important role learning can play in adult lives and encourage them back into education.

“Skills are very high on the agenda for business recovery and growth post-pandemic. The partnership reflects that adult learning is available at all levels and stages of life; whether that’s starting from scratch with a new skill, brushing up and updating knowledge or taking it to an advanced level.”

As part of the Festival of Learning, adults will be encouraged to develop skills, enhance their employability and improve wellbeing through a range of taster sessions, residential days, virtual seminars and open days.

Yultan Mellor, Principal and Chief Executive at Northern College, added: “The festival is a superb opportunity for us to shine a spotlight on the different expressions of adult learning across the region, including community, college, home and residential settings. Our collaborative activities aim to showcase the benefits of adult education, including flexibility, financial support, personalised experiences and positive wellbeing outcomes.”

Launched in July, the Festival of Learning activities started with an Introduction to Digital Photography and Editing two-day residential course on 14 and 15 July at Northern College. Additional events included ‘An Introduction to Student Finance’ webinar from the Lifelong Learning Centre, University of Leeds on 14 July.

Ann-Marie Spry, Vice Principal of Adults at Luminate Education Group, commented: “Adult education is central to the rebuilding of our economy in a post-Covid environment. Therefore, we are working with key stakeholders in the area to demonstrate how lifelong learning can better equip learners to adapt to unexpected change and enhance their skills, in order to suit the ever-changing job market.

“This partnership brings together experts across the region to identify how we can work together to achieve shared objectives to raise the profile of this vital agenda. Drawing expertise and insight from our partners helps us to understand the current climate, allowing us to overcome barriers to learning and champion adult education.”

In the next academic year, the partnership will be encouraging learners to take part in ‘Have a Go’ activities, providing adults with the opportunity to try different courses and discover their passion. Rebuilding relationships with the community will also be a key focus for partnership activities, including taster sessions in local community centres.

The group, including Leeds City College, Keighley College, Harrogate College, White Rose Academies Trust and University Centre Leeds, is working with partners including West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Leeds City Council, Bradford Council, West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges, University of Leeds, The Prince’s Trust and Northern College, to deliver shared adult learning objectives.

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