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| Helping Elliott with some sponsorship |
Elliot got in touch with me to ask
for support from the College and as one of our alumni – as well as a Dover
District Council apprentice whose training we currently provide – I felt it was
important to support him with sponsorship.
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| Elliott in action! |
But money doesn’t grow on trees, and particularly not in the
world of FE. So just why do we care about helping our alumni, even when they’re
working towards goals which are unrelated to the skills they developed at the
College?
East Kent College prides itself on its work within the
community. We have it in our mission statement; the words ‘East Kent College is
committed to developing the prosperity and wellbeing of the communities it
serves’ stand proud on our website, and in our minds.
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| Presenting James with his sponsorship |
And those words aren’t just rhetorical fluff. It is our
genuine aspiration to deliver beneficial change through taking an outward
facing view of our world. We want to be embedded in our communities, developing
links, building partnerships, and in the end, getting positive, tangible
results for them.
As part of that drive supporting all of our students is key,
as our College is like a family. Whether they’re alumni like Elliott
or one of our other recent sponsorship recipients, James,
or current students, giving them the support they need to develop more is important.
It’s a holistic process, and one which enables those students to go further in
their own lives.
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| James showcasing his skills on the slopes |
Although our College doesn’t choose to support these alumni
or students in order to get something out of it, often it’s paid back in
dividends when those alumni come back to the College and support other
students; inspiring them with their own stories and messages.
And you know what – you can never put a price on that kind
of inspiration for our students. So, long may we continue to support our
students and alumni in their quests, and good luck to each and every one of
them for following their dreams.