Posted: Thursday 23 September 2010

The Sky is the Limit for Kilmarnock College PEZ Students

Eighty-five percent of students who attended an inspirational Personal Empowerment Zone (PEZ) course, which aims to build confidence and self-esteem, have gone into full-time education with the College.

Thirty three students from last year's PEZ courses are embracing the future and have taken up full-time education with Kilmarnock College in areas including Social Care, Sport and Fitness, Tourism, Hospitality, Business and Engineering.

The PEZ course and PEZ Plus course are aimed at young people aged between 15 and 25. It has proved so successful that the course which was developed two years ago to accommodate one class of 16 students, has now increased to three classes to accommodate 48 new learners this year - all of whom began their college term just last week.

Mark Vance, Learner Engagement Officer for PEZ, said: "The PEZ course is all about empowering young people. Many young individuals don't have the self-esteem to embark on a mainstream college course. Some are not successful at the initial interview stages purely down to a lack of confidence. Others have disengaged with education because they didn't attend school and this can be for a number of reasons from family challenges, to bullying and so forth. The PEZ course aims to take these students back to basics and gets them to feel empowered to help themselves and be in a position where they have the confidence to embrace the future.

"We created the Personal Empowerment Zone to build these students' communication skills, confidence, tolerance of others and self-esteem. We do this by getting them to set projects for themselves which could be, for example, to organise an event to raise money for charity or to get involved with enterprise initiatives to help the local community. All of these projects encourage the students to take control of their own learning.

"The aim is to build teams who have to communicate with each other to make projects happen and the successful outcomes build the students' confidence."

Kilmarnock College's PEZ course statistics have proved such a successful part of the College's youth inclusion strategy that last year's PEZ students were invited to deliver an event on engaging the learner to an audience of over 90 people including Principals and lecturing staff from across Scotland at a Scotland's Colleges conference in Stirling in May.

Mark Vance adds: "This was an event that the students took full responsibility for which included deciding on and organising the content of the event, advertising the conference and delivering on the day. The theme for the day was ‘The Three Rs' which stood for: ‘Relationships, Respect and Right Decisions'.

"It was brilliantly received and Principals from across Scotland have written messages on our Personal Empowerment Zone review wall which reflect their admiration and respect for what the students have achieved. The quotes include "You have made me remember why we are in the job. Many thanks" "What can I say, fantastic, confident, articulate and so many good ideas. Fabulous advice can't wait to get back to my college to get things going."

"Three of our young students are also now on the Board of a local charity, channelling their skills, enthusiasm and time into fundraising ideas.''

Kieran Guy, 18, from Springside is a former PEZ student who has started a full-time Sport and Fitness course at the College. Kieran said: "I was expelled from two schools and two colleges before being referred to PEZ. The PEZ course really helped me to turn my life around. The course is all about engaging young people and letting them see what they can do for themselves. It does this through setting lots of teambuilding activities and making you take responsibility for yourself."

Nikolas Pirrie, 20, from Crosshouse was expelled from several schools as a teenager before starting PEZ. Nikolas has now started a full-time Social Care course with the College. He said: "There are no two ways about it. PEZ has saved my life. I'd cared for my mum for three years before I came to PEZ and I was intolerant of any structure. The lecturers at PEZ helped me through confidence barriers and a lack of self-worth and helped me to see what I can do to make the most of myself.

"Kieran and I delivered the Three Rs presentation to over 90 people including many Principals and we have also been invited to colleges in Edinburgh and in the Highlands to demonstrate why PEZ works. We recently became student volunteers which will allow us help new PEZ students in between our studies. The bottom-line is that PEZ works. It's a fantastic course."

Mark Vance added: "When students finish with us they're prepared to take on the world and the sky really is the limit."

For further information on courses available at Kilmarnock College please call 01563 523501 or visit www.kilmarnock.ac.uk.

-Ends-
For more information, contact:

Jacqui Donachy, Beattie Communications, 01698 787843/ jacqui.donachy@beattiegroup.com

Joanna Wilson, Beattie Communications, 01698 787847/ joanna.wilson@beattiegroup.com

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