Personal development and community

Our students are at an age where personal development is key. To a degree, some elements of personal development can be found or forged in the classroom under the guidance of tutors and other academic staff, but beyond the college walls other possibilities abound. These can often be connected with the concept of community, where you can make a difference not only in terms of yourself but of others too.

One route to personal development is the notion of service – the act of helping others, of giving one’s time to a good cause – and this is something we are always keen to promote and to arrange. Taking a short-term role in a local primary school, for instance, as a teaching assistant or mentor; helping out in a local charity or care home; lending support to a local children’s sports club – all of these are equally valuable to your inner self as to the people you help, leading to elevated levels of self-motivation, self-confidence, independence and determination.

Furthermore, many employers consider character and personality to be just as important as academic qualifications, and some will place them higher. Candidates for work places who are able to demonstrate an understanding of and experience in a range of challenging non-academic roles, especially those requiring perseverance and leadership or new skills, will immediately have an advantage.