UFA means...
UFA is a national educational charity. Since 1996, we have worked with over 750,000 young people and 6,000 adults in 50 regions, to create inspiring learning for all. UFA has also worked with groups in Jamaica and Australia. The UFA network unlocks the potential of young people. We raise aspirations across schools, homes and communities by creating transformational learning experiences. We inspire and equip young people AND the adults that support them to become confident individuals, successful learners and responsible leaders.
“UFA staff treat people with respect, they give you a higher level of respect – they expect you can rise to the challenge – they treat you with understanding and really listen to what you have to say and act on it. There’s involvement – you always feel involved.“ (UFA young person)
I take charge of my own learning I value learning with others
UFA Summer Challenges
I am curious and enjoy learning for its own sake I can transfer learning to different contexts I can be comfortable with complexity and subtlety I can thrive on challenge, and seek creative solutions I am resilient and resourceful I am open and generous I am reflective I act ethically
Learning with the UFA Learning to know Learning to do Learning to be Learning to live with each other 21st century learning:
THE TREASURE WITHIN (UNESCO)
“Summer school for me was amazing, it was a week in July, and I was amazed by what was happening. All the different ways we were taught, I had not had this experience before.” (UFA graduate looking back on his UFA experiences)
“If school was like this, I’d want to get an A+ in everything. We all would.” (Young person, excluded from school)
TRANSFORMING
LEARNING
UFA St.Paul’s Cottages 59/60 Water Street The Jewellery Quarter Birmingham B3 1EP
0121 212 9838 0121 212 9585 info@ufa.org.uk www.ufa.org.uk
EI-SC-V2/1111 Designed and produced in-house at The University of the First Age. Registered charity No. 1061308
www.ufa.org.uk
Summer Challenges
“I am a better person, nicer more helpful, friendly – that’s what’s modelled – it’s relaxed. I am more self-confident and have more self-belief.” (Young Person participating in Summer Challenge)
About UFA Summer Challenges Summer Challenges have been a part of UFA since its inception in 1996. UFA Summer Challenges provide a fantastic learning experience for young people to develop both skills and knowledge in a curriculum or vocational area as well the opportunity to develop as an individual through teamwork, communication and understanding themselves as learners. Summer Challenges have given UFA an opportunity to develop a range of exciting opportunities for young people during the summer holidays. Because of its intensive nature, summer learning has allowed us to develop a range of programmes that puts into practice what the UFA knows about effective learning.
Benefits: • A fantastic learning experience to develop both skills and knowledge in a curriculum or vocational area. • Opportunity to develop as an individual and through teamwork and communication. • Allows young people to understand themselves as a learner. • Enables young people to be challenged and motivated to learn and to achieve their learning and develop employability skills. • Increased motivation and an understanding of how to learn and relate to others through citizenship, leadership and personal challenges. • Challenging and supportive, positive activities for young people that can help them re-engage with learning within school. • The opportunity to participate in stretching activities that take place outside of school. • Raises aspiration and achievement.
We asked a group of young people to tell us one thing they felt the Summer Challenge had helped them to do… 94% said they now do things they had not done before. 86.5% felt it helped them to get on with other people. 83% found it helped them communicate better with other people. 78% said “I believe in myself more”.
We asked the young people to tell us one important thing they had learned about themselves as a result of coming on the Summer Challenge: “I can do anything if I try.”
“That I have a lot of potential.” “I can do it when everyone supports me and helps me.” “I am better than I thought.” “I need enthusiasm and energy to make things work better.” “Other people appreciate my help.”
Cost Co - Delivery
Feedback from young people
100% enjoyed the experience. 92% had a chance to do something new.
What’s in the course?
Summer Challenges are usually week long experiences lasting about 25 hours. The challenges can vary from a series of different days based on a theme to a week long investigation into one area, for example ‘around the world in a week’ or ‘a murder mystery week’. The stories that are possible are only limited by our imaginations. Here are a few examples: Legal Eagles - Work with a local law firm to represent the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) - one of the main agencies organising the Olympic Games- in negotiating a site for an existing swimming pool in the UK to use for the duration of the Olympic Games. UFA Birmingham. Trash or Treasure - Rescuing rubbish and giving it a better afterlife…. how to create clothes from what everyday folk throw away. UFA Norfolk.
Animation - Use plastecine models in Wallace and Grommit style to create a short animated film to be shown to an invited audience. UFA Bristol.
Lead Practitioner Training
3 Day course - we work with adults alongside the young people (2 days with young people and 1 with staff).
1 Day course - we train adults to deliver the programme to young people.
£3935
£145 pp (14 min, locally) or see our events calendar
For more information about our training programmes, please telephone 0121 212 9838 or email info@ufa.org.uk