Date: 26/11/2009

 

 Aimhigher is a national programme which aims to widen participation in higher education, thereby opening up new career options for young people and brings the benefits of continuing in education post 18 to as many as possible, what ever their background. HE CARD (choose a real deal) is one important strand of this programme, and has recently been launched across the County and Stoke on Trent to this years school students in year 10 and 12 and to first year college students. 

The CARD programme gives the students the opportunity and personal qualities to gain the skills and knowledge that are needed in Higher Education (HE) but also carries the promise of an offer of a place in HE, to those who successfully complete three core goals – completion of an appropriate programme of learning post 16, demonstration of commitment, and taking part in a range of focussed activities such as open days and taster courses. Amongst the universities that recognise the CARD programme are Keele, Staffordshire, Wolverhampton, Loughborough, and Birmingham City University.  

Not surprisingly the CARD programme is proving a popular choice for many young people, and recent launches at Staffordshire University (Stoke and Stafford campuses) were well attended. Participants took part in a variety of activities and workshops and were given opportunities to ask student ambassadors and advisers about different aspects of HE. By the end of the day, participants had a much better idea of what Higher Education is really like, what it could do for them and the kind of courses that are available.  

Co-ordinators, Yvonne James and Sean Connolly of the Staffordshire Partnership were both pleased with the response from the young people in local schools and colleges.‘Many of these youngsters for a variety of reasons will not have considered Higher Education, and the programme opens up careers routes, which they may not have thought were available to them. Progression to HE can be through work-based and vocational routes, as well as through the traditional academic routes - and this is another factor, which can bring the benefits of HE to many more Young People.’