Testimonials

What young people say about Summer Arts Colleges

“They didn’t come across like teachers. Teachers want you to do stuff. These were more like your friend, egging you on to do stuff.”

“...it was like Summer College, you’re getting prepared for the real world, like college, because it’s like the same time, you leave the same time. At college, we left at 3 o’clock. At Summer College, I leave at 3.15, it ain’t much of a difference... If I wasn’t doing Summer College, I would have slept in every day and by the time it hit September, I’d have been lazy.”

“It was good. She thought it was good that I brought home a certificate.”

“I have taken it [the CD] home. My girlfriend, mum, granddad and dad have listened to it. My mum thought it was right good.”

“It’s changed me, because I don’t really have a temper no more. When I come out of prison, I had the maddest temper ever. I was coming back with broken knuckles every day, just beating up people for no reason and now I ain’t got a temper. I’m not even interested in doing criminal things... because Summer College put me on track because it made me think of what I need to do and what I don’t need to do.”

What project managers say about Summer Arts Colleges

“We ran our first Summer College in 2007 and quickly realised the potential that this idea could have. Since then, and three Summer Arts Colleges on, we have consistently strived to provide a high quality creative educational experience that has helped to support young people to achieve, raise aspirations and broaden their cultural and creative palettes.”

Matt Wilcox, Unity Arts, Project Manager at Stoke Summer Arts College