A selection of Bradford College students have recently been embarking on special trips to Aruba and Sicily, in partnership with Everything is Possible.
Following interviews, six lucky students from various courses were selected for the chance to fly over 7000km to Aruba in the Carribean Sea.
The group consisted of four Level 3 (Ambition HUB) students, one Level 2 childcare and one Level 1 childcare student. Once in Aruba, students spent two weeks helping to better lives at a school in Centro di Bario, Savanenta, while also being expected to live independently.
This was a trailblazing trip in more ways than one and marked the first time Everything is Possible has run an international placement focused on Early Years.
Everything is Possible is a not-for-profit organisation offering placements, short and long-term international volunteering, Voctional Educational Training placements, youth exchanges and summer camps across 25 different countries worldwide.
Bradford College Head of Early Years, Vicky Carter, said: “We are very proud of our students, they were a credit to Bradford College. This has been a fantastic opportunity for students to learn about alternative customs, education systems and styles, witnessing a different way of life in another country. They will certainly stand out with this experience on their CV.
“Thank you to the staff who accompanied the student, Julie and Farhat, for their thorough preparation and commitment to this trip. They participated and embraced everything the students did with professionalism and dedication.”
As well as their daily 9-5, working with children from birth through to 13 years old, our students also enjoyed the opportunity to immerse themselves in various aspects of life on the idyllic island. This included language learning, traditional dance lessons, two different festivals and attending an educational conference with the Aruban Congress – a chance to hear more about curricula and educational priorities in Aruba, in comparison with the UK.
The trip was topped off with a surprise ‘party bus’ outing and a last chance for the six students and two staff to take in the beauty of their temporary home before heading back to BD7.
Elsewhere, around 5,000km closer to home, a separate group of students embarked on their own unique trip to Sicily. Like the Aruba adventure, this experience was also made a reality by Everything is Possible and the Turing Scheme.
Students from across Level 1 and 3 Uniformed Public Services , as well as one from Level 1 Travel & Tourism, were again selected following a real-life application process. This saw students engage in various teambuilding activities and practice hikes in both the Yorkshire Dales and Hebden Bridge, to decide who was up to the challenge.
The students, accompanied by two staff, spent two weeks in a village at the foothills of Mount Etna on a trip that tested their resilience, teamwork and leadership abilities.
In terms of extra-curricular experiences, students engaged in a range of activities such as watersports, beach trips, pizza making and a little bit of history about Mount Etna and nearby Catania.
Martin Sipos, one of the Level 3 Public Services students, described the trip as: “’The best two weeks of my life. Everything is possible if you believe in yourself.”
In a further positive turn of events, one of the students, Alex (Level 1 Travel & Tourism), excelled so well and found himself being invited back to Sicily with the wheels in motion for a work placement at the company which facilitated activities on and around the mountain.
Overall, our students on both trips proudly represented Bradford College and put us on the map internationally. This is just the latest installment of our growing Everything is Possible partnership, with plenty more opportunities planned to follow in due course.
Trips like these are open to applications from any Bradford College student, keep an eye out for possible experiences in your chosen course area.
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