Construction learners volunteer to paint a local school

Coleg y Cymoedd has won an award for its international work with students. The award was presented at the International Awards Ceremony at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff.

The annual awards reward excellent teaching with an international dimension in Welsh schools and colleges. The awards are organised by British Council Wales and sponsored by the Welsh Government as part of the British Council International Education Programme.

Coleg y Cymoedd won the Colegau Cymru International Award for its participation in European mobility projects and partnerships with institutions in EU countries including Denmark, Finland and Italy. The award judges agreed that Coleg y Cymoedd’s reciprocal exchanges give its students invaluable experience of working and living abroad while studying. As well as improving their personal and linguistic skills, the programmes help students gain valuable employability skills, increasing their career prospects.

Kathryn Bishop, International Officer at Coleg y Cymoedd, said: “Coleg y Cymoedd are privileged to receive the Colegau Cymru International Award for the third year running. The experiences that we offer staff and students has strengthened our international links, and allowed us to form long standing partnerships which enrich both the curriculum and the learners’ experience.”

Director of British Council Wales, Jenny Scott, said: ““The International Awards Ceremony highlights the successes of schools and colleges that are helping their students take their place as global citizens.

“It’s important for schools and colleges to bring an international dimension to their classrooms. We believe that giving young people an international perspective helps encourage them to become global citizens, giving them a window onto new cultures and countries, as well as sparking an interest in learning languages.

“International projects are also beneficial to teachers, introducing them to new practices and perspectives.”

At the awards ceremony pupils were able to take part in a number of workshops, including slam poetry with Wales’ young people’s poet laureate Martin Daws and making musical instruments from recycled material with musician Francesca Dimech who has worked with street musicians in Brazil. They also had a chance to meet Polar explorer Antony Jinman and worked with artist Sharon Flint to create an artwork inspired by the annual migration of swallows from Wales to Lesotho.

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