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2022-2023
A NNUAL
RE VI E W
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WELCOME AND THANK YOU
Welcome to this year’s annual review. We hope to give you a glimpse into all the wonderful things we’ve achieved in 2022-23, thanks to your support and to give you an idea of plans in the future.
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We held three dynamic and enlightening student conferences, our first International Show since 2019, an emotional graduation and a life-affirming alumni reunion among many other events.
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It’s been another inspirational year for our on-campus entrepreneurial hub, Lighthouse. Grants have been awarded to some inspirational projects including building a kitchen in a rural school in Bhutan and investing in food preservation skills in Zambia.
None of these student experiences would be possible without the generosity and support of our alumni and friends. We are forever in awe of the Time, Treasure and Talent that our community donates to UWC Atlantic and the wider UWC Movement. We would also like to say thank you to the Moondance Foundation who have agreed to fund improvements in the Moondance Cafe kitchen to enable Hot2go, our student social enterprise restaurant to improve the service they provide.
As we look to the future, we have an exciting year ahead. We are once again pioneers in education as we see the start of our Systems Transformation Pathway: Leadership for Just Futures in partnership with the International Baccalaureate. Thanks to the support of our community we’ve already raised over half a million pounds to get this landmark curriculum off the ground.
And as we mark the end of our landmark 60th anniversary year. We look forward with renewed optimism to transform education and make it a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.
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REFLECTION
AND LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
“As I reflect on our 60th anniversary year, I feel it has been fruitful, energising and full of optimism and ambition. ” C
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It has been my second full year as Principal. This has enabled me to see the full life cycle of our students from beginning to end, being able to be a part of their journey the whole way through and to see the magic of deliberate diversity in action. As we look towards our exciting future it’s been so important to look back at all that has been achieved throughout our 60 year history. It’s a time to reflect and remember that we are only able to accomplish what we can today because of the tremendous work and innovation that has happened in the past. The 60th anniversary reminds us of the founding of this college and that essence is very much alive today and is needed just as much now as it was then. Over the past 12 months, we have worked hard to bring ourselves closer to Wales. We’ve become more connected to the land and place where we live and learn. We’ve made closer connections to the Welsh government, Welsh industry and businesses and of course our local communities.
We’re a proud global organisation but we’re also a proudly Welsh organisation.
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Something I’m incredibly proud of over the past year and a true sign of the strength of our team and our partnerships, was our ability to get our boats back in the water. It was a difficult landscape to navigate in terms of compliance, regulation, insurance and health and safety, but, with the help of our partners Atlantic Pacific, it was something we were absolutely determined to do. It has brought the soul back to the seafront and ignited innovation in boat building once again, with ambitious plans to take plastic out of the ocean and create life saving devices and eventually boats.
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The year ahead is a significant one for us. We’re looking to transform education and we’re doing that through a systems lens. We’re going to equip students to tackle the challenges facing our climate changed planet. The Systems Transformation Pathway: Leadership for Just Futures is a first of its kind course, and an alternative to the more traditional IB Diploma. Developed with the full support of the International Baccalaureate (IB), we are the first college to pioneer this new pathway, and it demonstrates what can be achieved in education when we are willing to be bold and courageous. Once this project takes shape, our ambitions are to scale the course, and really turn our work into a public good. This is proof that once again UWC Atlantic are pioneers in education. Our plans for next year are bold, our ambition is far reaching and I hope our community, students, alumni, staff and supporters continue to support us on one of our most exciting chapters yet.
I hope our community listens to our clarion call as they listened to Kurt Hahn’s you are needed.
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ENROLMENT
350
206
students studied at UWC Atlantic
54 %
of student fee payers
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46 %
students enrolled for 2023 entry
of students on full or partial scholarship
90+
nationalities represented
THIS YEAR’S
HIGHLIGHTS
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BREAKDOWN OF NATIONALITIES:
49% Europe
26% Asia
13% America
6% Africa
5% MENA
11% Australia
PROGRESSION TO HIGHER EDUCATION:
140
second year students applied to university
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number of countries applied to
NUMBER OF EVENTS
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19
1 60TH EVENT CELEBRATION 3 CONFERENCES 2 REUNION WEEKENDS 1 LIGHTHOUSE HACKATHON 1 FESTIVAL OF HOPE 4 INCONVERSATION ONLINE EVENTS 1 KURT HAHN CIRCLE DEBATE 1 DUTCH FAMILIES VISIT AND FUNDRAISING DINNER
LIFE ON CAMPUS
S
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1124
higher education applications filed by second year students
74 co curricular activities offered 7 student councils/ groups 3 conferences held 1 week long Project Week (students undertake in the spring where instead of classes they take part in a week long full-time project) Spring Forward Programme (productive and purposeful period for second years after the end of formal classes for the IB Diploma) 4 Ways of Life Activities (adventurous outdoor activities): National CoastWatch Institution (NCI), Lifesaving, Paddlesports, Atlantic Pacific Team (APSAR). Changemaker Curriculum (offer interdisciplinary courses that break down the boundary between the academic and co-curricular realm)
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THIS YEARS
FIGURES CASH BREAKDOWN BY DONOR TYPE
1,214,638 Trust/Foundation
50
3,868
Current Student
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948,627
182,225
Other Donor (Not Alumni or Parent)
Governor
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32,369
4,345
Matching Gift Company
UWC Atlantic Ex Staff
1,994 UWC Atlantic Staff
132,816
2,738,679 Alumni
Current Parent
243,764
57,711
Former Parent
Gift Aid
41,453 UWC International
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Other Projects
Capital
132,093
853,674
Atlantic Fund & Class Appeals
Systems Transformation Pathway
639,979
142,980 Seafont Development
27,062
Lighthouse Initiative
77,709
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Endowments
Scholarships
1,014,542
2,714,500
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BY DESTINATION
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TOTAL
£5,602,539
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ALUMNI & SUPPORTER CONTRIBUTION
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On-campus volunteers
Governor and Co-opted Committee Member
Class Representatives
10 Contributors 296 Volunteer Hours £5,920 Financial Contribution Equivalent
18 Contributors 3,093 Volunteer Hours £303,114 Financial Contribution Equivalent
199 Contributors 936 Volunteer Hours £18,720 Financial Contribution Equivalent
TIME A N D
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Friday Night Lecture (FNL) Speaker
Atlantic Circle InConversation Speaker
Speaker Student Engagement
15 Contributors 27 Volunteer Hours £ 2,700 Financial Contribution Equivalent
7 Contributors 35 Volunteer Hours £ 3,325 Financial Contribution Equivalent
5 Contributors 19 Volunteer Hours £ 1,805 Financial Contribution Equivalent
TOTAL
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254 Contributors 3,399 Volunteer Hours £335,584 Financial Contribution Equivalent
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UWC ATLANTIC
CLASS YEAR REPS Year reps play a pivotal role as bridge builders between their cohorts and the college - connecting their past with our shared future. This helps us build support for our endeavors and to celebrate our successes. We are ever grateful to all the year reps for investing their Time and Talent with us.
199 9
Total current number of class reps Number of new class reps (since Aug 22)
cumulative 936 Minimum hours contributed
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UWC Atlantic Board Members 11 Total Number 7 of which are UWCA alumni 3,000 Minimum total number of hours contributed UWC Atlantic Co-opted Committee Members 7 Total Number 4 of which are UWCA alumni 93 Minimum total number of hours contributed
GOVERNOR
The UWC Atlantic Board members are prominent individuals (business, industry and academic leaders & specialists) whose commitment to the future of UWC Atlantic is either expressed through their lived experience as an alumnus or who are living their lives through mission aligned values, either here in Wales or globally. Co-opted committee members have been brought in to add their expertise to a specific committee. Each governor or co-opted member dedicates a significant number of hours to the college every year.
& CO-OPTED
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OUR VOLUNTEERS C
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Alumni 64-66
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SUE DEAN
I was a speaker at the interfaith conference BELIEVE in November 2022.
Chair of Governors at UWC Atlantic Alumni 72-74
We're a group of volunteers drawn from alumni, parents of students, and friends of UWC. We've been going for 11 years now, since Jill Longson first got us together. We have carried out a range of projects at the college: dayrooms and health centre renovations, staff room refurbishment, lots of gardening projects, archive rejuvenations - you name it, we've done it!
MATILDE GLIUBICH TOMAT Alumni 85-87
PELHAM ALLEN Alumni 67-69
I have been assisting the College and Atlantic Pacific establish a Collaboration Agreement to involve and train students in boat building and search and rescue techniques, and now chair the Governing Body overseeing the collaboration.
I met with some of the students and told them my story, which in a way is a convoluted one and follows some of the strands of my research. I found the evening one of the best experiences I had in a while and it also helped me refresh my own reasons to go to college and revisit the dreams I had when I left. Highly personal educational experience!
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WE’D LIKE TO GIVE A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS. WE COULDN’T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU. THANK YOU.
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SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION
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PATHWAY
LEADERSHIP FOR JUST FUTURES
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Our bespoke curriculum, that started in August, shines a spotlight on:
TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP AND JUST FUTURES. This is experiential, hands-on and self-directed learning – a world away from classrooms and case studies. Students will explore transformative change, systems leadership and just futures across the core curriculum, before applying that knowledge to one of four areas that mean the most to them personally - either Biodiversity, Energy, Food or Migration.
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Key to this, is partnering with other like minded organisations to help us accelerate systems change in education. An early example of this is the relationship we’re building with The Villars Institute who are a platform for systemic change and a place for intergenerational collaboration. Four of our most talented students had the opportunity at the end of June to attend The Villars Symposium in the Swiss Alps where they had the opportunity to engage with the Institute’s partners, leading experts, and other Villars Fellows to begin their life-long development as systems leaders.
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To date we have had support from some important seed donors for this innovation in education, such as Mathew Cestar and Lutfey and Deborah Siddiqi, among others. Transforming education needs investment. These are the costs and the funding that we hope to raise over the next five years.
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£5.3M
£870,500 - UWCA CURRENT INVESTMENT £1.075M - DONATIONS SECURED TO-DATE £120,000 - CAPITAL INVESTMENT COSTS £3.3M - SHORTFALL FUNDING LEFT TO RAISE
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“Our reputation as educational pioneers who inspire changemakers precedes us. So it’s only natural that UWC should be proactively seeking to solve the issues that face us right now and in the future.”
Faith Abiodun,
UWC International Executive Director
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My name is Amirali Rezaei, and I’m the only Iranian student on campus at the moment.
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AMIRALI REZAEI
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Before joining UWC Atlantic, I felt daunted by the prospect of being the only person from my country.
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It was a challenge that I (and many others in the same situation as me) experienced at the beginning of their time here. What made it easier was the heartwarming and supportive environment that I encountered. Fellow students and staff have made my first year so much easier and I feel part of the UWC Atlantic family. It's a community that is always there for you, a community that always supports you and helps you grow. Throughout my first year, I got to know so many people and cultures from around the world, which helped me gain a better understanding of the world around me. I feel so lucky that I had the chance to get to know these great people and call them my family. We are a family that doesn't have the same skin colour, height or race, but at the same time, we share the same mindset and dreams of making the world a better place. It’s this belief that brought us together in the first place. When I heard about the UWC initiative and the idea of bringing students from all over the world and creating a diverse community, it felt like something out of reach for me.
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I couldn’t imagine that I would be able to be part of this movement, coming from a country with so many limitations and setbacks.
I feared I wouldn’t be accepted, and this idea continued until I passed the application process. From the moment I found out I had been accepted, anything seemed possible. It enabled my mindset to change and to view every obstacle as an opportunity, a chance to grow and develop my skills. This mindset got even stronger during my first year of UWC Atlantic, all of this is thanks to the community and movement. During my first year at the college, I‘ve gained a lot of experience and developed my skills to another level. I was involved in organising the 24-hour-race, TEDx and the Lighthouse Hackathon. I joined the Peace Council and Foundation 21, both of which are groups that work towards bringing peace to the world. One of the most important roles I have been involved in is as a College Ambassador. It is a huge responsibility to be the face of the college for its many external visitors, and it’s something I take great pride in. I have viewed all of these opportunities as a chance for me to grow and be able to get out of my comfort zone.
This has all been made possible because of the support of my sponsor Kara Hanson AC84. It’s enabled me to attend this college and have a chance to be a part of this amazing community and movement. My time so far at the college has made a lasting impact on my life both now and as I head towards my future.
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AT L A N T I C
FUND
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We are very proud to highlight the significant contributions made this year towards Atlantic Fund. The community raised a fantastic £664,636 (inclusive of Gift Aid) towards the fund in 2022-23 and we would like to thank you all for your incredible efforts!
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Your support of the Atlantic Fund – through gifts of all sizes allows the college to fund its areas of greatest need, offer financial support to students, and ensure that students are supported in pursuing extra-curricular projects and activities. This year, it enabled the college to support a number of campus initiatives. These included - addressing essential improvements to our Moondance Cafe, the establishment of a natural woodland trail, the purchasing of new open-water kayaks and volleyball uniforms, the purchasing of four plastic recycling machines and last but not least, providing scholarships to students to study at the college. Indeed, thanks to the support of the Atlantic Fund, we made significant strides this year in supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds with scholarships to pursue a transformative education here at UWC Atlantic. This year, around 50% of students received some form of financial support. We want the UWC Atlantic community to come together to grow the Atlantic Fund year-on-year - regardless of when you graduated or how much you can give, we want you to be part of these efforts. Regular giving to our Atlantic Fund remains a cornerstone of our success as it allows the college to plan effectively and efficiently for various projects. It also provides stability and ensures that we can meet the evolving needs of our students and community. So, to all our community that give a regular gift towards our Atlantic Fund, of whatever size, we are incredibly grateful for your support!
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L I G H T H O U S E
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Our on-campus entrepreneurial hub, Lighthouse, continued to enable students to build knowledge and skills around innovation, entrepreneurship design thinking, and project management.
SUCCESSFUL
PROJECTS INCLUDED:
Running skill-building and family planning workshops in Uganda Bringing women together to rear chickens and provide an income and buy solar panels for a community in Zimbabwe. United for Understanding is a Welsh project which builds leadership and cultural understanding within local welsh schools. Artificial Intelligence Sign Language Assistance (AISA) is an app that uses AI to address the communication challenges of the deaf and hard of hearing community. An education programme to preserve Lake Titicaca in Peru through youth education and empowerment.
In January, we provided support to students with their Go Make a Difference project proposals which resulted in $1,000 funding for five student-led projects over the summer - the highest number across the UWC movement.
Our aim throughout the year has been to engage more students in Lighthouse and the project development support that entails.
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IN 2023 In 2023, Lighthouse engaged with more than 90 students, through the following activities: Go Make a Difference proposal development Changemaker workshops on Human-centered design thinking & project management Ongoing support to Lighthouse funding recipients Hack of Kindness C
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Alumni talks & Ikake Rising Workshops Students seeking general feedback and support for project ideas
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Lighthouse Prize & grant proposals and support-seeking
In March 2023, Lighthouse partnered with like minded organisations to run a ‘Hack of Kindness’ where students were tasked with developing minimum viable product/project pitches in a two-day intensive workshop. Students learned problem mapping, asset mapping, solutions mapping, systems thinking, cooperative mindsets and teamwork, and developed elevator pitches for their projects.
Lighthouse would like to extend our thanks to the judging panels from the Hackathon and Lighthouse Prize pitches this year. Particular thanks goes to Kelly Davies (Ashoka), Tim Edwards (Research Professor at Cardiff University), Marija Dang (UWC Atlantic, VP Learning Innovation), Katherine Homfray (Forage Farm Shop Marketing & Events Director) and Martin Downes (CWMPAS), for their tireless reviews of Lighthouse pitches and fantastic feedback. We would like to express our sincerest thanks to the donor (who wishes to remain anonymous) who so generously enabled the college to establish Lighthouse and to make it the tremendous success it is today.
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LIGHTHOUSE PRIZE
In regards to our main Lighthouse Prize, 15 students submitted manifestos and proposals - a threefold increase since last year. HAPPY SCHOOL PROJECT C
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£10,000
The Happy School Project in Bhutan was awarded £10,000 to build a kitchen at a rural school in partnership with The Bhutan Youth Development Fund.
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EMPOWER AYMARA WOMEN
£6,000
A project to empower Aymara Women in Peru by creating a guinea pig farming cooperative.
PRESERVE MANGOES IN ZAMBIA
£7,000
Zamango addresses the problem of food waste and food poverty in Zambia by preserving mangoes during the high season.
We will look forward to keeping the UWC Atlantic community updated on the progress of these projects. We would like to express our sincerest thanks to the donor (who wishes to remain anonymous) who so generously enabled the college to establish Lighthouse and to make it the tremendous success it is today.
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Student Testimonials
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This will help since I intend on creating projects to solve world issues in the future, so skills like leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving will be crucial.
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I understood that wicked problems need a variety of perspectives to be solved. Collective discussion is key here.
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I can use this knowledge to better develop my own ideas for projects and use the skills I learnt and apply them in other subject areas. For instance, learning about how to do asset mapping can help me understand my strengths and weaknesses so I can nurture my weaknesses more so my skills become more balanced and also to help me find ways to appeal for support in projects.
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UNITED WOMEN
FOR CHANGE
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The United Nations Women’s programme shows that only 39% of rural girls around the world attend secondary school, far less than rural boys (45%).
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Every additional year of primary school increases girls' eventual wages by 10-20%. It also encourages them to marry later and have fewer children, and leaves them less vulnerable to violence. Research also indicates that when more income is put into the hands of women, child nutrition, health and education improves.
At UWC Atlantic, we know education is transformative. We’re creating a dedicated group of women, leaders in their sector, to support each other and mentor the next generation of women from disadvantaged backgrounds.
UWC Atlantic currently has 380 students from 90+ nationalities and among the most underrepresented regions are MENA, Africa and Latin America.
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We are seeking a circle of female philanthropists from diverse backgrounds who will agree to contribute their time, talent and financial support to allow young female students to attend UWC Atlantic from the MENA region, Africa. Latin America and war-torn countries. In joining the United Women for Change Circle you have the opportunity to meet, connect with and join fellow circle mentors and together you will be able to transform the lives of young girls.
Circle members will be asked to provide financial scholarships (treasure), donate their time and their talent acting as a mentor for these young girls across their two years of study at UWC Atlantic.
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I have witnessed first-hand the disadvantage that many young girls from these regions face as a documentary filmmaker. I joined the UWC Atlantic United Women for Change Circle to affect a change, to offer a chance of education and be able to transform a young girl’s future. I would encourage my fellow females to unite and join this circle of empowerment.
Ana Pincus,
Filmmaker, Circle Member and Parent
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This year's Project Week saw students spread their wings as they took part in service or expedition based projects. The week began with wonderful weather, which was a joy for those outside, and lifted everyone's spirits. All our projects are proposed and designed by students and staff who collaborate to ensure that a diverse range of projects can be offered. We hope you enjoy this glimpse into the challenging but rewarding experiences. We know that both students and staff alike learned a lot from their time together.
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MY NAME IS
TA M K E E N
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I was born in Kabul Afghanistan, but moved to India when I was 9 years old. I first heard of UWC from my dad when he urged me to look into the movement. What piqued my interest was its focus on diversity and social change. Seeing how different cultures are cherished and celebrated has always been something that I found intriguing. Being able to study abroad in an environment with people from so many diverse backgrounds has always been a dream of mine.
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Having spent a year at UWC Atlantic, there is so much that I have learned and accomplished and most significantly my developed sense of self and the ability to view the world from different perspectives.
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Besides having access to a well structured and balanced curriculum that enabled me to challenge myself everyday and equipped me with practical skills in my interested fields of study, UWC Atlantic has been a safe space where I have been able to take responsibility and explore my own weaknesses and strengths. I’ve been encouraged to embrace opportunities I would have otherwise been too afraid to, thus further strengthening my belief in making decisions with confidence. Moreover, daily interactions with peers from such diverse backgrounds has afforded me the invaluable opportunity to perceive the world through a multifaceted prism. Experiencing this diversity not only helps me understand and connect with people from different cultures but also gives me the skills to better navigate our interconnected world.
With every new person, I discovered a fresh story, a unique perspective, and a chance to broaden my understanding of the world. In each new friend, I searched for echoes of home but discovered a treasure trove of distinct qualities that deepened our bond. In each new lesson I realized that knowledge knows no bounds, and that there's always more to discover and explore and each new experience revealed a world of possibilities I hadn't imagined existed.
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Filling out the application was the most stressful part of my journey here, making sure every line and sentence was perfect. Everything from then on until I received an acceptance went by in a haze. Everything I had worked for had paid off but it just did not seem right. The fact that in a few months I would be traveling away from everything I had known, everything I valued and cherished, to pursue my education in a school surrounded by strangers did not feel real. But today looking back at myself a year ago, all the amazing people I have met and have shared a bond with, all the new adventures I have experienced, all the late night conversation I have had, all the memories I have created, I can say with hindsight, that it was all worth it.
Hence I would like to give a special thanks to my sponsor the Hugo Gryn Memorial Trust, without whom me attending UWC would have been just a dream. Thank you for all of your love and support throughout the journey.
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SC HOLAR S HI P S
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2024 TARGET:
£4,900,000
Our scholarship programme remains instrumental in fostering diversity and creating life-changing opportunities, and our goal is to provide full scholarships to 60% of all students by 2032. Thanks to the support of our generous donors, we have made significant strides in supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds, enabling them to pursue a transformative education.
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A powerful testament to the impact of our scholarship programme is embodied in the experiences of Mahshed and Sangha, both from Afghanistan who are recipients of scholarships through the college's highly successful appeal in partnership with the Big Give Christmas Challenge in December 2023. This initiative was made possible by the generous contributions of our annual fund supporters, including the influential donor and film producer, Ana Pincus, a founding member of Atlantic Fund supporters United Women for Change Circle. Mahshed and Sangha's stories illuminate the transformative power of education, igniting hope, resilience, and a brighter future. We extend our deepest gratitude to our donors, whose generosity has brought about these remarkable transformations for all our scholarship students. We remain steadfast in our commitment to fostering a compassionate and inclusive world through the power of education.
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Through this scholarship, I will regain my basic human right to study, which was taken away after the Taliban’s takeover. It has allowed me to set goals and have dreams again, making me hopeful and purposeful in my desperate days. Mahshed
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CASTLE ROOF
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St Donats Castle holds great significance to us and the wider Welsh community. As guardians of the castle, we have the responsibility for safeguarding it for future generations. However, maintaining our treasured castle requires significant effort, which unfortunately is now at a rather critical stage. The ongoing costs associated with preserving and caring for a 900-year-old building are substantial. A recent survey has highlighted the pressing need for the castle roofs to be repaired and we’re thrilled that generous alumni and friends of the college stepped forward to pay for some of those costs allowing us to initiate the first phase of the renovations
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We will begin with roof number 42, which holds nostalgic memories for many alumni as the former sick-bay. A contractor has been chosen, and the restoration work will commence in October 2023. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our generous donors – Sybil Longson, Jill Longson (AC81) and Colin Habgood, the Aase og Hans Torps trust, Andrew Orr (AC77) and all alumni who donated to the Atlantic Fund - Capital Atlantic, for their support and forward-thinking in making this endeavor possible. The next roofs on our priority list are Roofs 1, 2, and 40. Roof 1 is the Portcullis Tower, which serves as the iconic entrance to the castle which are significantly water damaged. Whilst renovation work on the castle has slowly started, there is still much more to do! This however cannot be achieved without financial support, therefore the college would be delighted to hear from friends, allies and wider community for any donations. We want to ensure that this iconic building continues to serve as a wonderful home for our students and a welcoming space for our local, national, and international communities in years to come.
DONATION TARGET
£3.5 MILLION
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AN EDUCATION
HUB
TO TRANSFORM EDUCATION This academic year, we launched our new bespoke IB curriculum pathway focussed on transformative change, systems leadership, and just futures. To realise our ambitions, the new pathway will require a new home – a cutting edge, innovative and collaborative space for both teaching and learning. This space, called the Education Hub, will eventually house the Systems Transformation Pathway supporting the delivery of teaching of UWC Atlantic students for the next 40 years - as such, impacting the learning of over 15,000 future UWC scholars.
A competitive tender process to recruit suitable architects was recently completed in July 2023 and the successful architects, Building Design Partnership (BDP), were appointed. BDP have been tasked with producing an outline design for the Education Hub by December 2023.
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ESTIMATED
PROJECT COSTS: £1.92M - PROFESSIONAL FEES £14.50M - BUILD COSTS £0.5 - £1M - ICT MOVE £0.9M - TEMPORARY CLASSROOMS HIRE £1M - FURNITURE TOTAL: £19.20M
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To make our vision a reality, we are seeking finance for the construction of the Education Hub and are looking towards the support, knowledge, and guidance of our closest friends and allies to take this forward. It would be a great privilege if you could join us to help shape this exciting journey as we rethink how we prepare our students to succeed in these unique and challenging times. For any supporter committing significant financial help towards the construction of the Education Hub, UWC Atlantic would also be open to considering naming rights.
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GLOBAL LEADERSHIP
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UWC Atlantic’s Global Leadership Experience (GLE) summer programme brings together 50 passionate and aspirational young people aged 16-18 from around the world for a 2-week immersive residential programme. Developed in collaboration with community interest company, Critical Engagement, it explores modern world challenges and equips participants to become changemakers and innovators capable of tackling issues head on. The programme is packed full of incredible experiences - from delving into the complex systems of the world to finding solutions to significant ethical, social, environmental, political, geographic, and economic dilemmas that influence the lives of everyone. Engaging in stimulating workshops, enriching discussions, and adventurous outdoor activities, participants are encouraged to foster 21st Century leadership skills that are essential on a global, local, and individual level.
Almost half of all participants awarded scholarships, generously provided by some of the colleges’ key partners, including the Garfield Weston Foundation and the Atlantic School for Young Leaders (ASfYL). Garfield Weston Foundation specifically supported students from UWC Atlantic’s partner schools in Wales, Liverpool and Birmingham as part of our Associated Schools Programme whilst support from ASfYL was also open to international applicants.
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This experience changes your life and your vision of the world. It opens your mind, encourages critical thinking about the world we live in, stimulates action to change the world on your own scale and creates friendships that will last forever.
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“It was, without a doubt, the best experience of my life. I met incredible people from all over the world (both camp counselors and participants) who made the course even better. It was very enriching both in an academic, mental and personal way.
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MY NAME IS
BERRA NUR YÜCE I'M FROM TURKEY AND I AM A SECOND YEAR STUDENT S P ON S ORE D B Y R I SE : SC H M I D T F U T URES AND RHO DES TRUS T.
My quest to become a UWC Atlantic student began back in 2021. I decided to create my own project to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s through the global language of music. What I didn’t realise at the time was that a project which meant so much to me, would open so many doors. My project was inspired by my grandmother Nadiye who had Alzheimer’s. She forgot a lot of things like our names, people, places and more. But when we played her favourite songs, she smiled, got excited, and joined us in singing along. It wasn’t just the sudden change in her mood it affected, or the way she got excited by the music. It was the fact she was actually remembering some feelings and memories through these songs! That sparked my interest and I began researching the effects music can have on people living with Alzheimers.
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I wrote a song about this and published it on social media platforms. I proposed this project to the Rise Challenge, a programme supported by the UWC movement that finds promising young people. After becoming a finalist and after successful interviews, I was proud to become one of the 100 global prize winners. This meant I was eligible to apply for the full scholarships that Rise provides, and that’s when I applied to the UWC movement.
It has always been a dream of mine to live somewhere diverse and learn from the people around me, as well as tell them my story. I come from Diyarbakir, a city in the southeast of Turkey. It’s a beautiful place that brings different cultures, ethnicities, languages and much more all together.
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Coming here was a big change for me because it was the first time I was studying abroad and my first time studying in English. Adapting to the IB was challenging but by the end of my first year, I have realised that it is a process and that I have, and will, continue to improve. There are two events during my first year that have had a big impact on my experience here. The first one is my CAS group, which is music therapy. With this activity I was able to take my project to the next level, by acting on it. I regularly visit nursing homes and perform songs for those living with the condition. It was such a rewarding and meaningful experience for me, and by the end of the year I had improved greatly. The second activity that’s important to me is becoming the Wellbeing Council Chair - or WellCo. Through the council we aim to make systematic changes to the running of the school, prioritising the wellbeing of students and staff at UWC Atlantic. My personal goal is to promote student mental and physical health, student life skills, and make an increasingly inclusive environment.
In February, I experienced difficulties with my mental health after the devastating earthquakes in my home country. As a WellCo rep, I was already passionate about our mission, however my personal experience with my own mental health was what made me truly understand the importance of personal wellbeing. Currently, we have two representatives from each house and hold weekly open sessions. We also hold talks, addressing various issues on campus which students can voluntarily lead to spread awareness. Examples this year include: disability awareness, time management, social media addictions, gym environments, and mental health. While this whole experience of being a UWC Atlantic student and living in a new country has ups and downs, at the end of my first year I can see how much I have improved - both personally and academically.
I am glad to have this opportunity to fulfil my dream of living in a diverse community and I’m happy to have experienced such personal growth from being here.
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THANK YOU TO OUR
DONORS We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all our donors, however they donate for their generous support. We'd also like to show our gratitude to those who give directly to their national committees.
KURT HAHN CIRCLE £100K+ C
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Ana & Henry Pincus Cestar Family Dr. Chi-Ming Chow Enrico Bonatti Horizon Foundation (UK)* Ian MacDonald Lutfey & Deborah Siddiqi Moondance Foundation Pestalozzi International Foundation* Remon & Carolien Vos Shelby Davis* The Bunge Philanthropic Foundation - Jose Eduardo Born & Jorge Born The Marquis de Amodio, CBE + The Mousetrap Settlement Trust
* Global UWC Donors
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ATLANTIC CIRCLE BRADENSTOKE PATRONS £30K+
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Aase og Hans Torps Trust
Pal Brynsrud
Hanson Family Foundation
Paul and Anne Donovan
Izabela & John Chaplin
Partners in Equity
Janus Smalbraak & Vanessa Loudon
Pears Foundation
Jill Longson and Colin Habgood
Rise: Schmidt Futures and Rhodes Trust*
Manfred Schepers
Roy Rempe
Marianne & Wilhelm Mohn
Tellef Thorleifsson
Martin and Mary Downey
The John Laing Charitable Trust
Mrs Sybil Longson
The Makumbe Foundation
Overli Foundation
The Rank Foundation
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ATLANTIC CIRCLE TOWER PATRONS £15K+
Arnaud Diemont Bostelmann Family Greendale Charitable Foundation Harold Boël Nick Butcher & The Quadstar Foundation Simen Opsal Step Up Fund Trinity House
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UWCA Annual Review Print Ready.pdf 43 22/09/2023 09:12:00
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UWCA Annual Review Print Ready.pdf 44 22/09/2023 09:12:01
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+44 (0) 1446 799000 enquiries@uwcatlantic.org www.atlanticcollege.org St Donat's Castle, St Donats,Llantwit Major CF61 1WF
@uwcatlantic