Our sincerest condolences go out to the royal family following the announcement of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s death.

Continuing our look into the experiences of students who were involved in the Camp America project – which offered up to 90 students a once-in-a-lifetime work experience opportunity in the United States this summer – we move from Gilbertsville, PA to Hancock, NY, where Connor Skinner is having an amazing experience at French Wood Sports and Arts Camp. 

Following on from my visits to Camp Laughing Waters, and Camp Herrlich, my journey took me from Pennsylvania to New York State. This was to catch up with Connor Skinner, as he returned from a trip to Niagara Falls, to chat about the amazing experience he is having at French Wood Sports and Arts Camp. French Wood is a converted boarding school which has an incredible range of activities with a huge array of resources. There are campers from Brazil, Peru and Russia, Argentina and France on site. Students can “major” during their two weeks stay in subjects including rock music, fly fishing, aquatics, circus skills, musical theatre, cooking, skateboarding, art, equestrianism, magic and a range of team sports.

The counsellors and staff are chosen for their skills. There’s a former MBA coach working with the basketball majors and a circus troupe from New Mexico teaching students high wire and trapeze skills. Recently a previous camper there won America’s Junior Voice and is now a major celebrity. 

Connor is a music student so is happy to be running the rock music department, where he shows the students how to perform and record music. The students do up to three gigs a week for the other campers, making up an audience of 220. As he drives us around the 400-acre site to visit pools, horses and sports facilities, Connor says that this is without a doubt the best experience of his life so far and he’ll be back working next year. Participants have the option of extending their stay, by up to 30 days, to further explore the US after they have completed their nine-week placement. Connor will be extending his stay on the camp for an extra cohort and is then off to explore New York.

You can see a snapshot of what life on a Camp America placement is like here.

After a visit to Camp Laughing Waters to visit two students there, Kevin O’Hare continues on to Camp Herrlich as he catches up with the students who have gone over to the United States to take advantage of an opportunity to work with Camp America, honing their employability skills as they look after and become role models to children at the camp.

Following on from my trip to Camp Laughing Waters, I paid a visit to student Erikas Gotovskij at Camp Herrlich on the border of New York state and Connecticut. The camp has a classic rural feel, with a beautiful lake for students to swim and kayak in. There’s a converted school bus which is an art room and, rather than residential stays, they do more day visit activities with children. Erikas has finished his first year of A levels in biology, maths and chemistry, and hopes to study medicine, with the eventual goal of becoming a heart surgeon. He believes this experience will give him the confidence to volunteer for placements in hospitals. Participants have the option of extending their stay, by up to 30 days, to further explore the US after they have completed their nine week placement. After the camp he is travelling for a month to Chicago, Ohio, Michigan and Rhode Island.

You can see a snapshot of what life on a Camp America placement is like here.

Earlier this year, Keighley College teamed up with Camp America to offer up to 90 students a once-in-a-lifetime work experience opportunity in the United States over the summer. The trip, designed to hone students’ employability skills as they look after and become role models to children at the camp, included travel, accommodation and living costs.

Keighley College’s principal, Kevin O’Hare, travelled out to see how the camp counsellors were getting on and has been sending back his notes from the road. Here is part one.

I arrived in America on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday I drove to a camp called Laughing Waters, in Gilbertsville, East Pennsylvania, with a representative from Camp America UK. We were visiting two of the students, Aanisha Anisko and Jamie-Leigh MacLaughlin, who are working with young American campers aged 9-17 after completing their studies.

Camp Laughing Waters has around 100 campers per week who undertake a range of activities whilst living in this 500-acre site in rural Pennsylvania. It has horses, a swimming pool, art and craft areas and a huge indoor climbing wall. The setting is breathtaking.

There are around 50 staff working on-site and half of these are young European students getting the experience to lead activities with groups. Each counsellor (as they are called) has a self-chosen camp name; Aanisha is “Dory” and Jamie is “Target”.

Participants have the option of extending their stay, by up to 30 days, to further explore the US after they have completed their nine-week placement. Jamie and Aanisha have made fantastic friendships, which have led to plans for further travel after the summer camp closes for the season. 

Jamie says she feels a new level of responsibility after leading the groups. This has really boosted her confidence, which has in turn given her an incentive to explore the world more. She is learning to speak Hungarian, having already picked up numbers, colours and animals. After camp, she plans to travel around America for a month, visiting Chicago, Ohio, Michigan and Rhode Island, before travelling to Hungary with her new friends later in the year.

You can see a snapshot of what life on a Camp America placement is like here.

An expert in developmental biology has thanked Keighley College for providing him with the platform to embark on a distinguished scientific career.

Dr Matthew Towers is currently a senior researcher at the University of Sheffield with a specialist interest in limb development.

To reach that esteemed position, he studied at a number of universities around the UK – but can trace the start of his scientific endeavours back to Keighley College.

Excellent support and a focus on STEM

He said: “I attended Keighley College between 1991 and 1995, first studying for GCSEs and then A levels.

“The team there was very supportive and provided excellent mentorship. I enjoyed the adult-oriented learning environment, and mixing with other students of different ages and backgrounds.

“I flourished at Keighley College because I was able to study STEM-based subjects without being distracted by other activities that I had not been interested in at school.”

Matthew went on to obtain a BSc in genetics from the University of Leeds, and a PhD in plant developmental biology from The John Innes Centre, in Norwich.

Deciding that he wanted to specialise in a medically-related field, he then did postdoctoral work at the Universities of Dundee and Bath, studying how limbs develop in the embryo,.

In 2010, Matthew moved to the University of Sheffield, where he is a reader of developmental biology. He has since opened his own research laboratory with initial support from the  Medical Research Council and now, the Wellcome Trust.

He said: “My research still focuses on limb development, for instance on how the correct type of digit forms in the correct position.”

Recalling his college days, he added: “I remember my time at Keighley College fondly, and I am grateful that it helped me start my career.”

Click here to find out more about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) courses at Keighley College.

As part of Refugee Week this year, Keighley College hosted a Refugee Film Festival at Keighley’s Picture House. The aim was to help enhance the recognition and representation of refugees and asylum seekers across the region. 

The event showcased films of powerful stories about refugees and asylum seekers, as well as hosting guest speakers and filmmakers who shared their experiences and vision behind the stories. 

Among the guest speakers was Hadayat Ali, the father of Rabea, and himself a Rohingyan refugee, who spoke about his family’s journey to the UK. Joining him was film producer, Tom Harmer, from Faith + Bones, storytelling for humanity, who produced the film Rabea.

Graham Mitchell from Keighley Place of Sanctuary was also a guest speaker at the event.

The evening provided a safe space and platform for conversations amongst guests to talk about the challenges refugees and asylum seekers face every day. 

The event welcomed charity partners that work with local communities to support refugees and asylum seekers. This included Keighley Place of Sanctuary, a network made up of separate organisations cooperating with each other to support the needs of asylum seekers and refugees.

Group Project Coordinator, Mariam Kauser, whose Innovation and Development team led the film festival project, was delighted with the success of the evening.

“Our first Group-wide Refugee Film Festival went quite well. The events were open to our students, staff, the public and partners.

“We were honoured to provide a platform for both narrative and documentary films to illuminate the refugee and asylum seeker experience internationally. 

“The films were sourced from international and local filmmakers; consisting of individuals and charitable organisations who work in this sector around issues of supporting and widening representation of marginalised persons and communities.

“Hearing a student in the audience at Keighley College saying that the start of the film ‘A Life on Hold’ reminded him of the atmosphere of the camp he was at in Tunisia was particularly powerful.

“Comments from students and feedback from the audience that they appreciated the thought and collection of documentaries and films representing their communities, was also very humbling.

“As a team, we valued the ability to connect with local filmmakers, community groups and people who advocate for the rights and representation of refugees and asylum seekers.

“We hope to do more festivals at Luminate like this in the near future to project the voices and lives of our learners and staff, and to increase representation and awareness of the diverse and resilient souls who make up our culture.”

Keighley College recently held an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Summer School to give students the skills they need to live and work in the UK.

The three-day course was open to students from a range of backgrounds, including a number of Ukrainian refugees hoping to boost their employment chances.

Jo Rusden, programme manager for adult and community, said: “We are aware that many Ukrainians want to work in the UK, but lack the English skills needed to apply for jobs and complete an interview in English.

“We have combined the expertise of experienced ESOL tutors and our employability skills team to create a series of workshops designed to help with English skills for work and life in the UK.”

The employment sessions focused on how to create a CV or complete a job application, and on creating a professional presence online. Students were then able to put their learning to the test in a series of mock interviews, allowing them to practise their communication and comprehension skills.

There were also several workshops dedicated to sharing information and phrases to help students in their everyday lives, such as how to travel in the local area, how to make a doctor’s appointment and more.

Tom Walmsley, community employment coach at Keighley College, was delighted by the success of the summer school. He said: “The students have had a fantastic time at the college.

“They have been developing their English language skills by taking part in an introductory ESOL lesson and an employability session, where they created an individual action plan for finding work.

“We like to encourage our students to think outside the box and have fun with their learning.

“They have particularly enjoyed using Lego to create something that represents their personality, and winning prizes by answering questions about their action plan.”

As one of the largest providers of ESOL courses in the UK, Keighley College is committed to providing teaching and support to students no matter what their current ability.Find out more about the English for Speakers of Other Languages courses on offer here.

We collaborated with several colleges and skills providers in the district to encourage more people to consider an apprenticeship.

The college joined forces with Shipley College, Bradford College, West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges, as well as the European Social Fund, Bradford District CTE and SkillsHouse to promote the benefits of apprenticeships available in Keighley and its surrounding areas.

The event, held at Victoria Hall in Saltaire, gave people looking to find out more about apprenticeships the opportunity to talk directly to employers from a variety of sectors, including manufacturing and engineering (including rail), IT and digital, health and social care and construction.

Clare Fitzgerald, Head of Stakeholder Engagement at Keighley College, said: “We have over 15 different apprenticeships and many of our apprentices gain employment, or stay with their apprenticeship employer as a permanent employee.

“Apprenticeships play a vital role in attracting and retaining valuable team members. They are one of the best ways to unlock skills quickly and help staff progress into positions where they can make a real positive impact.”

As one of the largest providers of apprenticeships in the district, Keighley College works closely with more than 200 employers, including Airedale Hospital and Produmax, to provide and train apprentices.

Starting with only 30 apprentices six years ago, the college has grown its apprenticeship offer and now has more than 400 apprentices.

To date, 700 apprentices have completed their apprenticeships, with the college playing a major role in developing outstanding links with local partners and businesses to meet changing economic needs.

The college, which has continued its efforts to raise the profile of apprenticeships, launched its second 100 in 100 apprenticeship campaign earlier in the year, following the success of the campaign in 2021. The aim of the campaign was to get 100 apprentices placed in 100 days.

Established in 1988, Refugee Week is a UK festival that combats the negative stigma of refugees and asylum seekers and celebrates their resilience and contributions to society. It is a chance to create a safe place for refugees and welcome them into our community. 

This year, the theme for Refugee Week is ‘Healing’. 

With everything going on in the world, now is a time where we can come together and help each other heal. 

Keighley College strives to create a safe space where people can heal and rebuild their lives in a welcoming community with mutual care and respect. 

Refugee Week has highlighted some simple acts that we can do to stand with refugees and help them heal. 

Refugee Film Festival

During this year’s Refugee Week, Keighley College is hosting a Refugee Film Festival at Keighley’s Picture House. The festival will be an evening of thought-provoking short films, guest speakers and local filmmakers to share stories of asylum seekers and refugees in Yorkshire.

This event aims to educate our students, staff and wider community about the challenges of those seeking sanctuary and provides a safe space for open dialogue and reflection.

This event is welcome to everyone and also welcomes community groups and partners that work locally to improve the lives of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. 

Featured Films

‘Malak And The Boat’ – Andre Holzmeister –‘Malak and the Boat by Andre Holzmeister tells the story of seven-year-old Malak’s harrowing story of her journey across the Mediterranean seeking shelter from the Syrian conflict.

‘Rebea’ by Tom Harmer – As a Rohingya Muslim and refugee from Myanmar, sixteen-year-old Rabea Sultana understands the power of her story and the value of her freedom. The opportunity she received of UK citizenship and new life in Bradford is one she intends to use through her voice for the benefit of all humanity.

‘What You Know About Patience’ – Kazzum Arts – 

‘What you know about patience?’ shares the complexities and challenges facing young people seeking asylum in the UK. The animation has been inspired by the experiences of young people engaging in Kazzum Arts’ Pathways programme. 

‘Ruth & Safiya’ – Louisa Rose Mackleston – Ruth & Safiya is a story about friendships in unlikely places, challenging stereotypes, and the power of community. Ruth, an isolated pensioner, meets Safiya, a teenage Syrian refugee who is haunted by the life she fled from. Filmed on location in Skipton, the story is set in an allotment, showing the power of the earth and nature in creating a bond that transcends age, race and nationality.

‘Guardians’ – Children’s Society –  A Youth-led Commission on Separated Children (YLCSC), a group of young people previously supported by The Children’s Society. They have come together through shared experiences of the asylum process and the vision that all separated children in England and Wales should be supported by a legal guardian. 

‘A Life On Hold’ – Marc Silver, Nick Francis – A Life On Hold is an intimate portrait of Omar, a 17-year-old stranded in a refugee camp since the 2011 war in Libya. It offers a unique perspective of one person amongst thousands waiting for a chance to start their life again in a safe country.

‘Rain Is Beautiful’ – Marc Silver, Nick Francis – This follow-up to A Life On Hold begins with emotional farewells at a refugee camp as Omar leaves his friends behind to begin a new life in Sweden.

‘Then I Came By Boat’ – Marleena Forward – This short documentary tells the story of Tri Nguyen’s childhood escape from war-torn Vietnam, and his eventual resettlement in Australia.

Guest Speakers 

There will be guest speakers throughout the evening. 

Graham Mitchell is a guest speaker from Keighley Place of Sanctuary, a network which seeks to support the needs of asylum seekers and refugees, made up of separate organisations which cooperate with each other.

Jo Rusden, Deputy Head for Adult and Community at Keighley College. 

Hadayat Ali, the father of Rabea and a Rohingyan refugee. 

Film producer, Tom Harmer, from Faith + Bones, storytelling for humanity will be talking about his film Rabea. 

Louisa Rose Mackleston from Northern Fortress Films, who directed Ruth and Safia will also be a guest speaker there. Louisa has worked as an Assistant Director in the Film & TV industry for the past 4 years. In January 2021 she opened her production company – Northern Fortress Films.

How to support 

There are many ways that we can show support to refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. This could be by volunteering at a local charity, donating clothes or raising money. 

Take a look here at 5 local, regional and national charities and organisations that you can support. 

Refugee Week has highlighted some simple acts that we can do to stand with refugees and help them heal.