D&A Decade College Community

As part of our D&A Decade celebrations, we kicked off our Community Days with staff volunteering at Cash for Kids Tayside & Fife Mission Christmas in November 2023.  This incredible charity works tirelessly all year round to ensure no child or young person in Tayside and Fife wakes up without a gift on Christmas Day.  In 2023 alone, they responded to more than 4,500 applications for help from schools, social services, clubs and other charities.  Our team joined forces with Tay FM to help process the applications, organise gifts for children aged 0 to 18 years and prepare them for delivery, ensuring that families across our community could experience the magic of the festive season.

Our second Community Day saw students and staff volunteering at the Dundee & Angus Foodbank. This vital local organisation has consistently supported our Thrive project and Students’ Association with regular donations to our Food Larders.  During the day, our staff worked together to sort, organise and pack more than half a ton of food to help families across our local community receive much-needed support during the festive season.

In January when many students, staff and local families face challenges accessing essentials like food, toiletries, and warm clothing our Students’ Association and a group of students organised Thrive Drive to collect vital items to restock and organise our Thrive shops.  These shops provide free items to staff and students to support them through the cost-of-living crisis.  Thanks to the group's efforts, the shops were fully stocked and ready to provide much-needed support as we settled in after the festive break.

In the lead-up to Valentine's Day, staff and students from our Hospitality Department in Arbroath visited Lunan Court Care Home to share some love and brighten the residents’ day. A team of 25 Senior Phase students and two staff members created thoughtful Valentine’s gift bags, each including a personalised card with a spring verse celebrating our 10^th anniversary, a small wooden heart keepsake, and a delicious tablet handmade by the students themselves.  The students enjoyed crafting the gifts, writing the letters, and chatting with the residents, while developing meta-skills such as communication, creativity, empathy and collaboration.

One of our outstanding partnerships is the collaboration between our Learner & Community Engagement (LACE) team and the Dundee International Women’s Centre (DIWC).  Led by Asma Hussein, this partnership has enriched our community by fostering cultural awareness and understanding through engaging sessions for both staff and students. Recently, Asma worked with our Journey Call Centre Academy to encourage participants to reflect on diversity and challenge biases.  These sessions enhance our academies which address unemployment and skills gaps by equipping learners with the confidence and skills needed to thrive in key sectors.

Our Community Kitchen Programme is another example of how we are transforming lives.  By supporting low-income parents with education and employability while tackling food poverty, this programme is promoting sustainable living. Funded by the Angus Local Employability Project, it has engaged more than 24 families offering cooking sessions and practical qualifications such as Barista Training and First Aid at Work.  Partnerships with our Horticultural team and the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) have also allowed students to explore food sustainability from farm to fork. Collaborations with the NHS Nutrition Team and Citizens Advice further enhance the wellbeing of our students, breaking down generational barriers to education and creating meaningful change for families and the wider community

The LACE Team continues to empower young parents from disadvantaged backgrounds through further innovative programmes that break the cycle of poverty and create lasting change through strategic partnerships with Homestart Dundee, Homestart Angus, and the Family Nurse Partnership.  More than 80 young mums have rebuilt their confidence through activities such as parenting skills, cooking, and behaviour change workshops to engage with education and progress onto full-time college courses or enter the workforce. This work is deeply rooted in the Find Your Future Programme which has had a significant impact on improving the life chances of more than 400 disengaged young people and generated an estimated £6 million benefit to the local community.

Our College Community Collaborative brings education directly into communities, making learning accessible to those who need it the most. Through partnerships with more than 40 local organisations, the LACE Team has re-engaged more than 1,000 young people and adults through tailored programmes that focus on personal development, digital literacy and parenting skills.  This initiative has empowered learners to transition into further studies or employment by fostering a culture of lifelong learning and creating positive change within the community.

The LACE Team further teamed up with Street League to help young people overcome barriers to education through a ten-week programme at our Arbroath Campus to provide students with employability skills, access sports facilities, and build confidence through physical activity.  With an 80% success rate in moving students into full-time education, it provides ongoing support to ensure the continued progress of students.

Through the Linlathen Project, the LACE Team is further tackling barriers to education in one of Scotland’s most deprived areas.  In collaboration with local organisations, the project offers flexible, learner-centred education tailored to the needs of the residents. By providing support such as childcare, transport and employability skills the team has empowered participants to overcome obstacles and pursue further education. The project has created a culture of lifelong learning with cross-generational involvement which has led to many participants enrolling in full-time education or entering the workforce.

Through these meaningful community partnerships and initiatives, Dundee & Angus College continues to make a lasting impact on the lives of individuals and families across our region.  By breaking down barriers to education and empowering local communities we are not just shaping the future of our students but also creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for everyone.