Students pass bridging course thanks to council funding | Latest news

Arun District Council funded twenty residents to study the 'bridging course' at the University of Chichester. The University was successful in being awarded £25,000 from Arun District Council's allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The 'From Adversity to University' initiative revolves around the bridging course - a non-traditional route into higher education that can create equality of opportunity and help students to reach their unrecognised potential. 

The programme was a 12-week course and provided a foundation in personal, professional and academic knowledge and skills. It is designed to enable those who have previously disengaged with education to re-engage and progress onto further or higher education or into employment. No prior qualifications were required. 

Learning is based on personal and lived experience which is used to develop academic and educational skills. Whilst passing the course allows participants a non-traditional, widening participation route into Higher Education.  It is also key in developing confidence and a sense of self-worth, transferable skills which can be used for further studying and job interviews the course consists of weekly three-hour face-to-face workshop sessions and includes regular one-to-one tutorials along with independent learning.

Eight of the participants attended an award ceremony, where they were presented with certificates by Councillor Bob Woodman, Vice-Chair of the Economy Committee at Arun District Council. Councillor Woodman said: 

I was delighted to award the certificates to the students of the bridging course, it's so encouraging to see our residents engaging with education and training in this way.

Becky Edwards, Programme Co-ordinator from the University of Chichester said We are very proud of what our students have achieved is such a short amount of time. It has been a joy to watch them grow in confidence and academic ability over the last 3 months. We hope they continue to fly A student from the course said Everyone should do this course. It changes everything.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund was awarded by the previous UK government and is a three-year scheme that ran from 2022-2025, with all local authorities able to spend on local priorities to build pride in place, boost productivity and spread opportunities.