Weekly Student Blog – A caring education pathway at Pinc College

We feel the voice of our students on local, national and global affairs needs to be heard. Every week our Engage Inc. Student, James will blog on a subject of his choice – enjoy

This blog has a theme of ‘caring’. I would like to talk about how Pinc College is caring for young people in these uncertain times. It is giving young people an education when many places have had to close. It has provided autistic people like me, structure to our week after months stuck in lockdown. 4 days in the museum studying is a helpful routine for us, gives us something to wake up for every day and gives us qualifications to work towards this year. The routine helps me to feel calmer in general. I believe it has helped students who were not in education for a little while to have access to one they feel comfortable in now.

From a personal view, this course has meant I have learnt things I never thought I could do, such as fine-line sketching, using ink stamps on my own and I’m pleased with my recent collage. They gave me the opportunity to have a short recording of my views to Andy Burnham, which I was happy to do, it made me feel a lot less restrained and made me feel part of something that gives young people their voice. This has led to me writing weekly blogs on a subject of my choice. This gives me work to do on the days I am not in, keeps me busy at weekends and builds my confidence to share my own views on the museum website.

My course at Pinc College. has also helped me start conversations on my own about topics I’m interested in politics, football and cooking. We recently had a discussion about the potential vaccine, whether it will be effective and if we will take it. It made me think I need to decide on this question with a good level of certitude! I’m now going to try to have many more discussions on any of these things, thanks to encouragement from Pinc College.

Pinc College. has enabled young people to use art as a distraction from this infectious virus, as a way of coping and something to learn about in my case. It has improved my motivation, health and hopes for my future. It has helped me and other students to use art as a therapy to cope with these uncertain times. It will mean I will have a work placement at the Whitworth Art gallery gardens, of which I am excited to take part in the New Year. This will ensure I can help my parents out with gardening at home, as it will build my skills, knowledge and confidence up. I am striving to be more independent in every way. I hope this work experience helps me to learn to grow my own vegetables as I love cooking and could be able to use my own produce to cook at home. Herbs are another thing I would love to grow, given I try to avoid buying too much food wrapped in plastic. It’s clear to me that Pinc College is caring.