FE News | Kirklees College students praised for their professionalism during the Work Experience project

Alfie Mitchell and Ethan Jones are two Level 3 media students at Kirklees College(@kirkleescollege) who were recently impressed with their placement on the Basement Reclamation Project.

The Basement Recovery Project (TBRP) is an award-winning, not-for-profit, lived experience recovery organization (LERO) based in Halifax and Todmorden, dedicated to supporting those experiencing substance misuse problems. They offer a range of therapeutic, community and residential services aimed at supporting people on their journey to recovery.

TBRP provides individuals with a day care program that primarily supports them to stabilize, support with detoxification, and provides group work and a robust aftercare program tailored to the needs of their clients that contributes to their sobriety, health and well-being in the long run, which is delivered both in person and online.

TBRP has been working to create a learning platform where clients can log in and progress through 32 sessions at their own pace, and aims to break down sessions into “bite-sized” chunks to accommodate an online platform. Specifically, they were looking for student filming and editing expertise to create a series of videos to be uploaded to a streaming service, with criteria to include some “on stage” and some “live” sessions while maintaining clarity and confidentiality the customer at any time. .

Ethan and Alfie each spent two days filming and editing to create two session videos cut and edited to a very high standard. They used a wide range of filming equipment, used excellent communication skills to explain what they needed and why to colleagues unfamiliar with the process, and applied their problem-solving skills to create solutions to some small problems which they found on the first shoot. session.

Both students were then hired by TBRP to continue filming sessions for the entire learning platform, which shows how much their hard work and dedication paid off.

James McCord, Recovery Coach at The Basement Project:

“Alfie and Ethan demonstrated a high level of professionalism throughout the filming process. Students interacted with participants and facilitators in a polite manner. They listened actively, asked relevant questions and showed a real interest in the content of the sessions that were held. Even in challenging moments, they remained respectful and empathetic, creating a positive atmosphere for all involved.

Students consistently treated all participants with kindness and respect. They addressed any technical issues or concerns politely and efficiently. Their friendly demeanor put the participants and group facilitators at ease, encouraging open and honest discussions during the group sessions.”

Speaking about their experience, Ethan said:

“Working with TBRP really helped me understand shooting and editing in one shot and make it more appealing. After using a lot of tried and tested techniques over the last 9-10 months, we were able to produce an engaging piece of media for our clients to use. It will also help me when I apply for a future job as she is a great example to put on my resume when it comes to applying for a position in post production, especially since she has progressed in the job paid.”

Alfie added:

“The work experience project was amazing. Doing this job has helped me become more organized in terms of how I should plan shoots and edits when working for different clients.”

Stewart Jackson, who mentors students at Kirklees College, said:

“Ethan and Alfie worked incredibly hard not only to complete the initial placement period but also to continue working with the employer afterwards. They were able to put into practice many of the media skills and experience gained on the BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Creative Media Practice, managing the planning and execution of shoots and the editing and post-production process.

Most importantly, they maintained excellent communication with James and The Basement Project team and managed the project very professionally.”