Hall stories: living on campus Racism in football: one man’s story Student film-makers: in at the deep end
Issue Seven – Spring 2016
Career take off: graduate reaches for the stars Visitors: download our new campus map app
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Welcome
Fresh from Edge Hill’s nomination as Best Student Experience in the North West in the Times Higher Education survey, issue seven of Degree highlights some of the reasons why this is such an exciting place to study.
We talk to some first years about life in halls, living away from home for the first time. Turns out, it isn’t half as daunting as you may think.
Three film students describe the seat-of-your-pants experience of producing a music video on a shoestring for the first time.
We offer you the inside track on Edge Hill’s best kept secrets. And yes, that includes arguably Ormskirk’s finest bacon butty.
There’s a beginners guide to the Eurovision Song Contest from competition connoisseur Phil Jackson, while we also chat to Social Sciences lecturer Emy Onuora about his new book on race and football.
The return of The Clangers to British tv screens after a forty-odd year gap is due in no small part to animator and Edge Hill alumnus Jamie Stockley. We talk to him about his career so far, and landing his job on the children’s classic. We’re betting he was over the moon.
And moving on, we found out that studying Religious Education is about far more than being able to recite the Ten Commandments. All this, plus our regular features. Enjoy.
Contents
02° Best in the North West
04° Interviews: Surviving the Hot Seat 06° The Big Questions
10° Freshman Adjustment 22° Shoot to Thrill
26° Black & Blue
30° My Heroes: Andy Smith
31° The Questionnaire: SU President Steven Rouke
32° Child’s Play
34° Think Positive 36° Nul Points
38° Clanging Around
39° My Life in Books: Mari Hughes-Edwards
Production Team Nick Lodge (editor) Mark Molloy (design) Sam Armstrong Andy Butler Photography Stuart Rayner Getty Images
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hat makes a great student experience? The quality of the teaching? The cutting edge facilities? The price of a pint in the Students’ Union (SU)?
The answer, of course, is that all these things contribute, alongside many other aspects of student life, including accommodation, environment, making new friends, student support, and extracurricular opportunities. It’s a complex recipe for success, but in the latest – 11th – Times Higher Education Student Experience survey, the Edge Hill University student adventure was voted the best in the North West.
The THE survey is unique in that it asks students to consider all aspects of their HE experience, rather than focusing solely on teaching and assessment – 21 measures in all.
As you’d expect from a university with a video entitled Beautiful Campus and an excellent reputation for campus safety, we registered quite strongly in the measure for ‘good environment on campus/ around university’, coming in joint second nationally. We were also third in the measure for ‘high quality facilities’, which, again, isn’t so surprising when you consider that, in the last decade, we’ve invested over £250 million on campus improvements. And we’re not finished yet: in the next twelve months we’ll add a new £13 million technology hub and further student halls, providing 168 new en-suite bedrooms, and the Geosciences building will enjoy a bit more attention.
So what’s unique about Edge Hill, a place the University’s current SU President calls ‘a hidden treasure’? We asked a few of the people who feature in this edition of Degree.
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Elinor Rhodes, BSc (Hons) Criminology “The Social [SU club night]. Everyone goes and you always get talking to people. People dress up, especially sports teams… it's quite funny. We'll just go as a group, but it's always good fun, it's not like going out. It's a cheap night, and you can walk back whenever you want.”
Jamie Stockley, BSc (Hons) Stop Motion Animation
“I visited Edge Hill at high school and could never forget it. It was all on one campus. Great not only for nights out and friends, but also, on the academic side, learning from lecturers with industry experience.”
Joseph Molyneux, BA (Hons) Secondary Religious Education with QTS
“The campus itself is great, self-contained and with excellent facilities. My brother and sister went to university in Liverpool and Manchester respectively and wish that they’d come here instead. It was definitely the right choice.”
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Surviving the Hot Seat INTERVIEWS:
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ou can anticipate and prepare for many interview questions. “So, why do you want to study here?” Ok, expected that one. “Why are you interested in [insert subject area here]?” Yep, think I’ve got that covered.
Then comes the bombshell. A question that requires you to illustrate your interest in, or at least display some consideration of, the subject you’ve applied to study. The one that makes your mouth dry up and your palms develop an unsavoury moistness:
“'What contribution do sociologists make to understanding and improving society?'”, or “What was the last book you read for pleasure?” Oh. Um. Er.
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We asked a few of our admissions tutors the kind of things they ask, and the kind of answers they’re looking for. And it’s really not as bad as you think.
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Here’s a five step plan to a successful university interview.
Be honest. Try not to weave tangled webs. It’s a surefire way to trip yourself up, and really not necessary – interviewers don’t expect you to be the finished article. Creative Writing lecturer Kim Wiltshire: “We’re not expecting perfect writers, but we are looking for people who are open to widening their cultural horizons. We’re not judging you.”
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Be confident. Interviewers are not looking to catch you out, they just want to know you are as enthusiastic about your chosen subject area as they are. Paul Smalley, lecturer on the BA (Hons) Secondary Religious Education with QTS: “It’s not meant to be a scary experience – it should be quite enjoyable, really – so just relax!” Programme Leader in Sociology Paul Reynolds: “I’m looking for someone who wants to explore issues, but also someone interested in getting the best out of life, which means they have personal interests that they want to talk about as well. It’s an attitude and approach to life.”
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Be prepared. Put together some examples to illustrate your interest in a particular subject area. PR lecturer Paula Keaveney would certainly ask you about a recent PR or advertising campaign that you love, or love to hate, perhaps. Formulating a response to questions like this beforehand will save you from a panicked response such as ‘I just quite like it’, which is, on balance, unlikely to impress. Mock interviews with teachers, friends or family are good ways to brush up on your answers.
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Be enthusiastic. All Paul Reynolds wants is a lively chat. An interest in current affairs will prove very useful, he suggests, while bringing examples of your work can help an interviewer get a better idea of who you are: “I want a lively person who wants to talk about their education, interests and perspectives with illustrations of their engagement. Take a good piece of work with you and offer it as an example of what you can do.”
But it’s a two-way process, so don’t be shy about asking your own questions. Paula Keaveney again: “Coming to university is a big decision and you need to be happy that it’s the right place and the right subject for you.”
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Be yourself. While wearing jeans and your favourite jumper, the one riddled with holes, is discouraged (apparently this gives the impression you’re not taking the situation seriously enough), most interviewers do want to burrow beneath the surface and find out what really makes you tick. After all, it’s highly likely you will be seeing a fair amount of each other over the next few years.
“Don’t be nervous!” advises Kim Wiltshire, “We’re simply trying to work with you to ensure that this degree route is the best one for you,” while Paul Reynolds is just “looking for someone I look forward to teaching.”
So, there you have it. Some familiar, but sage, advice from those at the business end of student admissions. You’ll have heard the usual stuff about getting to your interview in good time and using positive body language a thousand times, but it’s still worth reiterating.
Relax and enjoy yourself is regularly repeated, which isn’t always possible, given the unusual situation, but a close approximation of it will see you leaving your date with destiny with your head held high, and hopefully a spring in your step.°
Some typical subject-specific questions might include:
Paul Reynolds: 'What contribution do sociologists make to understanding and improving society?
Kim Wiltshire: Tell me a little about the books you’ve most recently read for pleasure, not for school or college.
Paul Smalley: What do you think are your strengths and weaknesses, in terms of the six major world faiths?
And expect the unexpected. Paul Smalley sets interviewees tasks, including a group task which helps him to see how you interact with other people, as interpersonal skills are vital in a teaching role, while collaboration is often key to success at uni level.
For further information about all aspects of the application process visit edgehill.ac.uk/undergraduate/apply
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Do you think you have what it takes to be a teacher of Religious Education?
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tay with me, this is a serious question. Religious Education (RE) is a much misunderstood subject area. If you thought all you needed was a passing knowledge of the Ten Commandments, think again. You now need intellectual curiosity, a desire to explore the role of culture and belief in shaping society, politically, socially, spiritually, and a profound interest in the role that beliefs play in shaping our reality. In return you’ll see the world in a whole different light.
In the beginning, religious studies focused on the scriptures, teaching religious instruction as truth. Nowadays not only is this not the case, but it’s actually illegal. The current approach is to look at many of the world’s religions, and explore their role in society and on the wider world stage. RE provides a platform to debate issues, discuss big questions within a variety of contexts, and to seek (if not provide) ultimate answers. It certainly provides a road map to cultural, political and social insight.
Course tutor Francis Farrell explains: “We promote the enquiry approach to teaching, a style of teaching which you might say is as old as philosophy itself, a Socratic method of teaching through questioning and dialogue.”
So, in 2016, what is Religious Education? Francis suggests that, contrary to popular stereotypes, it’s one of the most intellectually stimulating subjects in the curriculum:
“RE is an open, pluralistic and critical subject. It's designed for people to critically look at the place of religion in society and culture, and the way that it affects beliefs and lifestyles, recognising religion as a very powerful social and political force in the construction of people's realities and which influences the decisions that they make.”
Francis is happy to patiently put people straight on the topic, because of his clear enthusiasm for a subject he feels has few boundaries or taboos.
A glance at the modules within the Religious Education programme reveals a course that will appeal to anyone with a strong interest in religious and cultural history, studying six of the world’s biggest religions in detail and in context, alongside modules which look at religion and ideas and how they've shaped our communities and our society:
“We explore topics such as new religious movements, new spiritualities, new age spirituality. We look at some of the controversial issues within the study of religion, for example psychoanalysis and religion, Marxism and religion – the political dimension of religion. We look at contemporary religious movements, for example the Nation of Islam and its relationship to civil rights in America in the 1960s. We look at new forms of religiosity, such as scientology, UFO cults...”
Francis Farrell, Course Tutor, Religious Education
You’ll also, of course, learn what it takes to become a brilliant teacher, and you get the very definite impression that Francis is just warming to his theme. Which isn’t surprising for someone who has been teaching the subject for over twenty years, to secondary school pupils as well as future
teachers in higher education. Parents comment about how much their child enjoys the subject, a far cry from their own experiences being taught old-fashioned rights and wrongs:
“I've found that children and teenagers respond well if they know they're being taught by somebody who is taking them seriously, not patronising them, and providing them with an opportunity to explore issues. I think one of the roles of RE is to give our young learners the tools and resources to make sense of the complexity of religion within the world, and how religion can sometimes be used for political purposes. My rationale through the teaching of RE at any level is to promote a critical method for teaching religion. For a lot of young people it's their favourite subject.”
The RE curriculum looks at questions, big and small – medical ethics, emotive topics such as voluntary euthanasia and abortion, relationship issues (marriage, divorce, cohabitation, same sex relationships), prejudice and discrimination. And it’s an aspect of the subject that Francis believes students are attracted to:
“We're looking for people interested in politics, in philosophy, in critical questions about reality, what we would call ultimate questions, the big puzzling questions of meaning, purpose and value, for example, the existence of God, the problem of evil and suffering, the nature of the soul or the spirit, what happens to us after death. If that appeals to you, this is the sort of course that you'd want to do.” Did he miss anything there? Francis also sees a clear place for the educational role of RE in a geo-political global context: “For example, there’s a debate in academic circles about the role of Islam geo-politically, and I think one of the most
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effective ways of teaching about Islam – and any religion, for that matter – is not to deliver a simplistic presentation of Islam. Islam is as complex and as diverse and as pluralistic as any other religion. So to understand the present geo-political scene it's important that our learners understand the role that religion plays within the global scene.”
Field trips emphasise the pluralistic aspect of the subject, and students have experienced religious life in the 21st Century, with visits to places such as the Gurdwara Sri Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji Sikh temple in Manchester (pictured above). For want of a better word, Francis says that he wants to give his students an “authentic” experience – “we want them to meet people who are living a faith, practicing its ethics, living that lifestyle” – while teaching methods provide a contemporary teaching experience, utilising resources such as popular media, film and music. One nagging question remains, though. Do you need to be religious to teach RE?
“You don't need to be religious to be interested in religion or teach it. Many religious people do teach it, but equally I've worked with some very effective teachers of RE who are
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agnostic, or even atheist – and it's a worked-out philosophical position. But they're very interested in the role that religion plays. We'd always seek to explore religion from an open and non-dogmatic perspective. So we're looking at the way that religion shapes people's lives, the effect it has on lives.”
Francis definitely knows he’s not preaching to the converted, but with extra places available on our RE teaching programme now is a great time to embrace Francis’s central message:
“RE explores the ultimate questions of meaning, purpose and value, and if you want to understand your place, your society and your community, and you want to understand the geopolitical scene that we find ourselves in, you have to understand religion. It is of modern contemporary significance to every citizen, whether you're a learner, or an ordinary man or woman in the street, whatever role you've got in life you need to understand the role that religion plays in creating our political and social reality.”
So, do you think you have what it takes to be a teacher of Religious Education now?
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RE Profiles
Joseph Molyneux BA (Hons) Secondary Religious Education with QTS
Niamh McKevitt BA (Hons) Secondary Religious Education with QTS
Steven Smith BA (Hons) Secondary Religious Education with QTS
“I’ve always been interested in religion. It connects with everyone and we all have an opinion. Edge Hill University was the obvious place to study as it’s near my home and nationallyrecognised for excellence in teaching.
“My cousin recommended this course because he had enjoyed it so much, but also because you can study religion, which I find really interesting.
“I’m interested in the opportunities to debate within RE. It’s subjective and there are no wrong answers. I’m also interested in the influence of religion on peoples’ lives.
The really good pass rate and high employment rate for graduates were also big draws. The freedom the course allows has come as a big surprise. I didn’t expect to be producing a statue for my first assignment, but this course encourages you to think creatively. The class is small so it’s easy to get to know people and there’s always opportunity for debate. The tutors really cannot do enough for you and their doors are always open. My brother and sister went to university in Liverpool and Manchester respectively and wish that they’d come here instead.”
Going to university is quite daunting, but as soon as I arrived here for my interview I knew it was the right choice. It’s such a nice campus, and it was an easy transition from secondary school. The smaller class sizes and classrooms help as well.
I believe it’s the job of a teacher to not only educate about the subject matter but about life in general. In my classroom I try to create an atmosphere where everything is up for debate, the idea of philosophy for children.
The people in my class are really close and the staff are amazing as well. It makes all the difference when you have good tutors, they know you and support you. I’m only here two days a week and when I’m away I miss it. It’s such a good course.”
On placement I was allowed to experiment with teaching styles, and had fantastic classes that actively participated. With the amount of ignorance and prejudice in the world today, opening peoples’ minds and showing them other ways of thinking is crucial. I’ve now secured a teaching position at a school, and if it weren't for the interview training during the course I’m adamant I would never have got the job.”
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hat strikes you first is the laughter. There’s a lot of laughter in the kitchen area of this hall of residence, part of the recently-built on-campus Chancellors Court complex.
12° Last September this group of first years thought they all had only one thing in common – they would all be living in the same self-catered halls. Six months on from their fateful first meeting we gathered some of them in the communal kitchen area to discuss everything from initial expectations to who does (or doesn’t do) the washing up. In the interests of continued good hall relations we won’t name names.
Now a tight-knit group, they look out for each other. They’re good friends, but perhaps more than that, living in such close proximity for an extended period, they’ve become more like family (albeit “a bit of a mad family”, according to Imogen), each personality contributing to the group’s dynamic.
By his own admission, Cyril likes a party, rarely spending time in his room when he could be hanging out with others. And he admits that finding the work/life balance was a bit tricky during the first weeks – there are a lot of distractions:
“After a busy first semester I've learnt to say no to things. If I'm asked to come out now, I'll say no, and mean it. I'll say no until they go.”
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We had a little gathering in our flat, and everyone in the whole building came. I met all these guys and things sort of clicked.” Cyril Katso BA (Hons) Media, Film and Television
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Everywhere you look I've got pictures – my dogs, my mum and dad... I did get a bit carried away.” Imogen Thompson BA (Hons) English Literature
English Literature student Imogen is the nester, creating an environment she’s comfortable to live in. Her first task was to decorate her room, something Imogen admits she may have approached with a little too much gusto:
“Everywhere you look I've got pictures – my dogs, my mum and dad. At first everyone's a bit 'this is a bit scary'. I think I got a bit homesick. There wasn't anything on the walls, and, because I think everyone has the same room as well, I decided to put loads of pictures up. Made me feel a bit better, I guess, although I did get a bit carried away.”
Hassan studies Criminology and Sociology and is the typical teenager, fond of a lie-in, and with a relaxed approach to wardrobe management:
“There's a lot of clothes on the floor – that reminds me of home.” Another student criminologist, Tom brought snacks when he first arrived at halls, a cunning ploy to encourage unsuspecting neighbours to open up. It seems to have worked.
Chenille is a student of Musical Theatre, and “struggled at first with finding stuff in common with [her] flatmates”, but is now very comfortable having finally come to terms with an early disappointment – her new friends had no idea who The Stone Roses, her favourite band, were. They were big in the late 80s/early 90s, before you ask. Brittany, studying Business Management, is the social one, preferring company to solitude, most of the time:
“I bring my computer down here and I'll just sit in the kitchen. I can't sit in my room with it just being quiet.” Brittany’s also, along with Tom, a sore loser, apparently, when Elinor’s board games are thrown into the mix.
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I think you've got to try. You can't just think you're instantly going to make friends with everyone, because everyone's different, everyone's got different personalities.” Tom McQuade BA (Hons) Criminology and Criminal Justice
Yet another budding criminologist, Elinor is the group’s level-headed, unofficial leader, capable of keeping some semblance of order. The one who loves cooking, hates “mess, especially leftover food”, and supplies the board games…and baulks at the very suggestion that she cheats at Monopoly.
But despite the occasional drama involving dirty dishes, strike systems and only half-serious threats “to throw people's plates away”, hall life is a democracy.
There will be 2,259 students living in halls on campus by the start of the 2016/17 academic year. Most students arrive in September with the same overwhelming mix of excitement, anticipation, anxiety and insecurity. Some, like Imogen, take advantage of the chat groups set up on Facebook for freshers, allowing them to get to know their new hall-mates a little before they begin uni. Others, like Cyril, just play it by ear, relying on natural charm and good humour, and maybe a little Dutch courage:
“I was really nervous, didn't know anyone here. I quickly made friends with my flatmates, and then we all went to buy alcohol. We had a little gathering in our flat, and everyone in the whole building came. I met all these guys and things sort of clicked.” Tom’s philosophy – and advice – is ‘in for a penny, in for a pound’. Although a ready supply of tempting communal nibbles helps:
“I think you've got to try. You can't just think you're instantly going to make friends with everyone, because everyone's different, everyone's got different personalities. Yeah, we argue, but everything's alright in the end.”
Halls of residence are often a young person’s first experience of living away from home, with all that entails – cooking, cleaning, washing, financial management – as well as the social anxieties that may accompany your arrival. It can sometimes be overwhelming, but it’s a totally natural response, as students adapt to their new environment:
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That was quite a big thing for my parents. They ask me, 'do you feel safe when you're there?' And it's ‘yeah’.” Elinor Rhodes BA (Hons) Criminology and Criminal Justice
“I always say if they’re homesick, ‘give it one term, and then after Christmas if you still feel the same, at least you’ve tried,’” says cleaner and regular student confidant Janet. Homesickness is an ever-present, but understandable, threat during that first term. Imogen certainly “didn't think [she]'d make as many friends and change as much as a person.”
A good group, and, it has to be admitted, a beautiful campus, certainly help, and Elinor “never really felt homesick at all”:
“I remember going home in November – the first time I went home after starting uni – and when I got back onto campus I remember being really relieved. You know how a lot of people say they're relieved to sleep in their own bed when they go home? I was relieved to be back on campus and in my own room. I think I'd just got used to being here.”
In fact most of the hall-mates came back early following the Christmas break because they actually missed campus life. Cyril admits to missing the camaraderie of halls, the opportunity to chill out with the guys.
And they do a lot together. Halls is a great place to share – anything from advice to shopping to nights out in the SU and Ormskirk’s exclusive nightclub Alpine to shoulders to cry on. Even, occasionally, study time. The one thing they don’t have to share, though, is a toilet and shower, which no-one seems to mind at all, funnily enough.
As with any family, though, it’s not sweetness and light all the time. Personalities occasionally rub up against each other. Brittany and Tom don’t have much time for “drunk inconsiderate people” – and accommodation officers are on hand to mediate reasonably and sensitively – but all agree that campus security maintain a very safe environment:
“That was quite a big thing for my parents. They ask me, 'do you feel safe when you're there?' And it's ‘yeah’,” says Elinor, “If I’m in my house at home alone and I hear a creak, I immediately think someone's going to kill me, but if I'm here and I hear a noise, I don't even flinch. I feel safe all the time.”
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Arrive with an open mind. Not everyone's going to have the same interests as you, but everyone is keen to make friends!” Chenille Mason BA (Hons) Musical Theatre
Brittany seconds that: “You can walk across campus at literally 3am in the pitch black and know that security are somewhere or someone's awake.”
So what practical advice can they offer to next year’s intake?
For Cyril it’s all been about the experience – “be open to anything, enjoy it,”, and Chenille is quick to back that up: “Arrive with an open mind. Not everyone's going to have the same interests as you, but everyone is keen to make friends!”
Elinor suggests you “have a chill-out strategy”, somewhere to go when things get on top of you, “whether it's going into your room just listening to music, or watching Netflix, or, I dunno, getting out a mindfulness colouring book, you just have to have something to be able to be yourself for a little while.”
To maximise the potential of your time in halls Brittany says “you have to make an effort if you want people to make an effort with you.”
Typically pragmatic, Tom identifies pasta as a kitchen cupboard essential, something that goes with most things, and you won’t find rotting at the back within a week.
It’s hard to believe that this close group has only known each other for a few months. They’ve worked hard at breaking down barriers and building up their own little community, and now finish each other’s sentences, smile at each other’s funny little ways, and engage in the playful banter that only comes when you’re really comfortable. You arrive at university with all kinds of preconceptions, anxieties and social misgivings. This group of students were no exception.
But it’s often said that laughter is the best medicine, and this group laugh together. A lot.°
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L-R: Kieran, Tom and Lowri
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ometimes it’s all about being in the right place at the right time. 2nd year Film Studies with Film Production student Lowri Gronow, found herself there when up and coming Liverpool band Sugarmen needed a director for the video of their latest single, Plastic Ocean. Along with fellow students Kieran Croft and Tom Williams, Lowri accepted the proposal thrown their way by lecturer Carl Hunter at indecently short notice. She even cancelled a long-planned weekend in London.
“Suddenly it all went dark on set. While Tom went off to get batteries, me, Kieran and one of the band members were looking back at the footage, and I thought, ‘I know that it’s a little bit dark and you can't really see them, but it looks better.’ Kieran was thinking the same thing. And then the band's frontman said he liked it too.”
Tom says this experience is the highlight of his time at Edge Hill so far: “Working on this kind of live project has its ups and downs. You get to have the band in a position of comfort, so it makes them forget about the cameras and creates a really chilled out, fun environment. The problems occur when they feel out of their element and you can see that they're not enjoying it!”
“I was at a meeting at The Label [the University’s student-run recording label], when Carl asked us if we'd be interested in the work, as experience, something to put your name on. We didn't even question it, we were like, 'yeah, of course.’ They were in a bit of a panic, and wanted it to be shot, edited and done within a week.”
All three students get very animated when you ask them about what they love about film and filmmaking. They are interested in their craft, how they can push that knowledge and break new ground. Like Kieran, Tom admires Scorsese, but also the American master’s own influences, such as Russian Mikhail Kalatozov, a pioneer of long single takes. Watch any Scorsese film, and there’ll be a virtuoso long-take in there somewhere. That kind of know-how is what the course exposes you to.
In an industry renowned for its fiercely competitive nature, opportunities like this are to be grasped with both hands, if not by actually clamping your mandibles down hard around the wrist of the person holding the invitation. Starting out as music video directors doesn’t seem to have harmed the careers of fully-fledged film directors such as Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Her), David Fincher (Fight Club, Gone Girl), and Michael Bay (Armageddon, Transformers).
The band had a clear idea of what they were after – performing live in front of a psychedelic backdrop, a nod perhaps to Liverpool’s rep as a musical home for all things psych (the city even has an annual psychedelic music festival), but translating ideas into finished product is always a challenge. And right on cue the lights went out:
“This shoot was quite experimental. It was great fun playing with the different projections, seeing which best accentuated the band and room. It was also a fun problem-solving venture, sizing up some handheld/motion shots without interfering with the projections.”
Thus began “a very busy week” of editing and polishing before the final cut was ready for public consumption. In this instance, the band had a vision for their video, and it was the Edge Hill trio’s job to capture that on celluloid. As cinematographer, Kieran saw opportunities to emulate professional role models, such as Michael Ballhaus, who has worked with Martin Scorsese:
Lowri came to the course with little practical film production experience, just an avid interest in film. With no production portfolio she was unable to join the Film and TV Production degree, but she was offered the opportunity to take the combined Film Studies with Film Production option. This has worked out well:
“I've studied books, and my love for that's carried on into film. I do like all the different theories and ideas behind making them. I feel like it puts a lot of pressure on me to make a really good film, if I was ever to make a film. You watch The Shining or
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The Thin Red Line, and years and years of thought went into making them, and it would have to be to a really high standard, otherwise you compare it to other films and think, I just didn't do the right thing.”
Great films should make demands of the viewer, thinks Lowri. Great films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, her favourite film:
“I like it because it doesn't make sense, I like films where you're left thinking, 'what have I just watched?' And then it gives you the opportunity to think for yourself, and fill in the blanks. I find that really exciting in film.”
Lowri is drawn to the idea of film-maker as auteur or artist, but only once she’s learnt the ropes, served her apprenticeship, mastered her craft. She’s already got a couple of placements under her belt, working as a production assistant at Cloth Cat Animation in her native Cardiff, working on an animated version of Raymond Briggs’ Ethel and Ernest, about his parents in wartime, and featuring the wonderfully elastic tones of Jim Broadbent and Brenda Blethyn. The film will be shown on the BBC later in the year. Her mentor at Cloth Cat also sent her to improve her editing skills with other filmmakers, such as S4C:
“It was a bit nerve-wracking, because S4C's a Welsh-speaking channel and I don't speak Welsh, and they didn't accommodate for that at all. I got the job of marking it, so using a clapperboard and announcing it, and I had to do it in Welsh!”
(Technical aside: clapperboards are used to sync up sound and pictures, as they're recorded on separate devices. The "clap" is the marker to match up the sound and visual tracks).
Lowri must have done something right, though, as she hopes to go back next year. And she’s also landed some experience on popular Channel 4 childbirth reality show One Born Every Minute later this year.
So where will their time at Edge Hill take them?
“I want to get the skills necessary to do what I want to do. I love working with people, but I'd like to have creative control over projects, and make stuff I feel is important to me, and that says something about me. I haven't got my unique style yet, but I always have ideas – every song I listen to, every scenario I think, 'oh, that would make a good film'.”
Editor Tom has Hollywood-sized dreams: “I know it's a generic dream for a film student, but you have to go where you're wanted and, for people who want to go into film, that is LA. When I was 16 I got told by a lot of people that I should choose
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a more sensible career path. My advice for young people who want to do film is don't let other people tell you what you should and shouldn't do because it's your life and your future to mould!”
Of course, vaulting ambition can be a curse – read about the making of Cleopatra, Heaven’s Gate or Apocalypse Now and weep. But without taking risks, taking yourself out of your comfort zone, you risk your potential just gathering dust.
Director Lowri is familiar with the doubts that can afflict anyone starting out on this path:
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“It's really daunting and really scary and you feel like you can't, but you can. Anyone can pick up a camera, but it's what you do with it – it's about networking, it's about talking to people, it's about finding ideas that no-one has thought of.”
While cinematographer Kieran is looking to his innovative predecessors for inspiration:
“On a film where the budget didn't allow problems to be fixed by throwing money at it, they had to improvise. Just as most student filmmakers and "no-budget" filmmakers have to. The cinematography of a film like Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead serves as an anthem to what can be achieved with focused creativity.”
At heart, Lowri, Tom and Kieran are film fanatics. They are willing cheerleaders for an artform that sustains its ability to surprise and inspire. “A film will affect you differently on the big screen. Really immerse yourself in what you enjoy,” says Lowri.
They say that if you love your work, then it doesn’t feel like work at all. With any luck our students won’t have to ‘work’ a day in their lives.°
edgehill.ac.uk/media
Find out more about film and tv production courses at: edgehill.ac.uk/courses/ film-and-television-production edgehill.ac.uk/courses/ film-studies-with-film-production
A Cinematographer or Director of Photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the head of the camera crews, and is responsible for artistic and technical decisions related to the image.
The Film Editor works with the raw footage, selecting shots and combining them into sequences to create a finished motion picture.
Generally, a Film Director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, and visualises the script while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, production design, and the creative aspects of film-making.
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A BLACK FOOTBALL SUPPORTER’S STORY here are four statues of black British people in the United Kingdom. Three of them are of footballers. Nurse, and unsung contemporary of Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole takes her place alongside the first black professional footballer Arthur Wharton, war hero Walter Tull, and ‘the three degrees’, as named by manager Ron Atkinson, when they played together for West Bromwich Albion. Actual names: Cyrille Regis, Lawrie Cunningham and Brendon Batson.
The lives and careers of ‘the three degrees’ feature heavily in Pitch Black: The Story of Black British Footballers, a new book by social science lecturer Emy Onuora, and it’s no surprise. As black football pioneers, they, more than their black predecessors who were viewed more as a novelty, paved the way for the acceptance of black footballers in a British professional game that was largely, and overtly, racist. They helped build bridges between the club and black communities in the West Midlands, and became role models for the next generation of young, gifted, black players. By the time Cyrille Regis played his last professional game, for Chester City in 1996, racism was heading for the exit in most British football grounds.
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Emy grew up following football in the 70s and 80s: “Nothing got blown away with the emergence of the three degrees. What it did do was inspire generations of footballers who came after them and who cite them as influences – if they can do it, I can do it. The generation of people who came just after them almost bow down to them, paving the way for other black players to come through.”
In his book Emy discusses not only the players, but the context within which racism was allowed to thrive in political, social and media institutions. Tensions around policies such as Stop and Search, or sus laws as they were widely known, which enabled police officers to stop a person they suspected of criminal activity. An unjustifiably large proportion were non-white. Riots rooted in racial unrest were a feature of the early- to mid-80s.
He talks about how authorities seemingly allowed racism to prosper outside grounds, while clubs were indifferent to widespread racism on the terraces, and remembers Match of the Day accompanied by a soundtrack of depressingly familiar racist abuse each time a black player received the ball. Occasionally a commentator felt compelled to show his disapproval, but largely, the media was silently complicit. Anti-racism campaigners on the other hand were treated as trouble-makers. Incidentally, the paltry fines handed out to clubs whose fans have been found guilty of racism within grounds, compared to those who transgress, for example, financial agreements – see Nicklas Bendtner’s pants-gate at Euro2012 – suggests that the attitudes and priorities of football authorities are still somewhat at odds with popular opinion. The anti-racism campaigns of recent years have helped to highlight the continuing struggle to rid football of racism for good.
Racist publications such as the National Front’s Bulldog magazine, sold in and around most football grounds, proudly compiled tables of the most racist fans. Everton fans regularly featured, and it can’t have been easy for Emy to grow up a fan of the club. He remembers experiencing at first hand football racism at around 12
“Nowadays it's kind of nice going to the match,” he says, “There are a few black faces there, not many, but I feel safe. More overt racism in society as a whole is just not tolerated any more. The ‘n’ word is probably the most offensive word in the English language.”
years old. Striker Garth Crooks was targeted, as Everton took on Stoke. “In the 80s I must admit, it was really just an unpleasant place to go and watch football,” he says.
As a season ticket holder he avoided the world-famous Merseyside derby – normally the must-see game of the season – following Liverpool’s signing of John Barnes because he “couldn't handle what I knew was going to happen – I wasn't scared for my own safety – and I subsequently found out from lads who did go that it was particularly bad.” For his part, Barnes took it with his usual on-field grace and panache, famously kicking a banana that had been hurled onto the pitch (and probably putting it into the top corner).
Talking to Emy about attending football matches in the 70s and 80s, phrases such as “poisonous atmosphere” and “wave of abuse” crop up a lot, and he remembers thinking, “'why am I paying good money here to sit through this?', and taking my child along, as well. I'd always considered myself an anti-racist, so why wasn't I boycotting it? I was always challenging it but you get fed up, for the most part my protestations were pretty futile.”
As the 90s progressed, though, racism became increasingly unfashionable. Along with increased public exposure of football matches through lucrative tv deals, a generational shift, perhaps, saw increasing intolerance towards social and racial prejudice generally (although some may argue that immigration issues have now become the focus of many lapsed racists’ ire). Emy’s club too saw the light, with the introduction of quality players like Kevin Campbell (who was also made captain).
Identity is often contradictory, and never less than complex. As well as being the supporter of a club during “some particularly dark periods”, Emy’s Nigerian heritage provided a direct link to a family that experienced a life outside of the UK. How did he feel about growing up as part of a Nigerian family living in Britain? What was his relationship with the England football team, for instance?
“There was this idea that being black and British were incompatible: that saying, ‘there aint no black in the Union Jack’, that's the generation I grew up with, so me and other people of that age consciously rejected the idea of Englishness, because the idea of Englishness was a very exclusive one. It was a definition of Englishness that didn't include me. So, like a lot of people my age, I just rejected the whole idea of Englishness, and English football. And it's never really returned, so I've never been an England fan in that respect.”
His children’s experience of living in England is “radically different”:
“They may still be six times more likely to be stopped and searched, and I remember my young lad went through a whole period where he was consistently stopped and searched, but in general they've grown up in a society that has radically shifted in its relationship with black communities, and also with racism as well, where overt racism is no longer tolerated. There are still covert forms, but certainly the overt forms of racism are just not tolerated.”
And they now watch football games in an atmosphere largely free of racist pollution, although there may be other reasons for them not to attend – ticket prices being one. But that’s another article.
An early foray into writing saw Emy getting involved in football fanzine culture. These fanzines were the preferred medium of comment, protest and general cultural insight for the discerning
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independent football fan during the 70s and 80s. Emy co-edited What’s the Score?, a Merseyside-based rag, while friend and Edge Hill honorary graduate Peter Hooton produced The End, a ‘zine for and by Liverpool FC supporters. Emy appreciates their value, especially in providing a soapbox for football fans who found publications such as Bulldog offensive and dangerous:
“I loved The End, it was really funny, and I also liked the fact that the fanzine always had a kind of anti-racist stance at a time when it wasn't fashionable to be antiracist at a football match. Once fanzines got going, every team began to have one. In the 80s at any rate, every one of them had certain principles attached to them. They were always a bit anti-establishment, always anti-football establishment, anticlub establishment, and also anti-racist.”
Fanzines played a role in changing attitudes towards many things, black footballers certainly being one of them. So, with black players – and professionals from most corners of the globe – now established regulars in most, if not all, British football teams, who does Emy regard as the stand out black player from those distant days when professional black footballers were finding acceptance? Many of the players are cited in his book – he liked Mark Walters, Garry Thompson and Danny Thomas at Coventry [and later Spurs], Garth Crooks, but ultimately he grudgingly nominates John Barnes, even though he “played for the wrong team”: “It's not exactly scientific, but when I carried out a survey [while researching the book] about the best black British player [Barnes] was overwhelmingly cited as the best, and I think he's a worthy winner.”
But ultimately, Emy reserves most respect for the three degrees – Regis, Cunningham and Batson – who started a football revolution:
“An important part of the postWindrush generation is football, it's an integral part of its history, and those three have played a pivotal role.”°
The Road to Kicking Racism Out of Football Arthur Wharton becomes the first 1889 professional black footballer when he joins Rotherham Town. He becomes the first black player to appear in the football league in 1894/5.
West Ham Utd become the first team to field three black 1972 players in the same team: Clyde Best, Clive Charles and
Ade Coker. It’s not until 1978 that WBA become the second team, with Cyrille Regis, Laurie Cunningham and Brendon Batson.
Anderson makes his debut for Nottingham Forest before 1974 Viv becoming the first black footballer to play for England in 1978. John Barnes becomes the first black 1988 recipient of both the Players’ Player of the Year Award and the Football Writers’ Player of the Year.
Alexander becomes the first 1993 Keith full-time black manager of a professional
football club, Lincoln City. Paul Ince becomes the first black player to captain England. ‘Let’s Kick Racism Out of Football’ campaign was officially launched by the Commission for Racial Equality and Professional Footballers’ Association, becoming Kick It Out in 1997.
Rehman becomes first British Asian to play in the 2004 Zesh Premier League, for Fulham against Liverpool.
Ince becomes the first British born black manager 2008 Paul to manage a team in the top flight of British football – Blackburn Rovers.
11 people were charged with directing homophobic 2009 After chants at Portsmouth defender Sol Campbell, Kick It Out
launch a campaign to Kick Homophobia Out of Football. In 2011 comedian and author David Baddiel makes a film highlighting issues of anti-semitic chanting.
Milan midfielder Kevin Prince-Boateng walks off the pitch 2013 AC after being racially abused in a friendly match against Pro Patria. He is asked to join a FIFA anti-racism task force.
The percentage of the BAME population attending Premier 2015 League matches continues to increase season-on-season.
Pitch Black: The Story of Black British Footballers is published by Biteback Publishing: www.bitebackpublishing.com
In 2002/03 2% describe themselves as ‘non-white’ in the Premier League National Fan Survey Research Report. By the end of the 2014/15 season the percentage had reached 16%.
www.kickitout.org
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MY HEROES: ANDY SMITH Associate Head of Sport Studies and Sport Development Professor Andy Smith’s research interests centre on the sociology of sport, physical activity and health, with particular reference to youth and mental health and wellbeing. He is a co-author of five books, including (with Ken Green) The Routledge Handbook of Youth Sport. As you may gather, he’s also an avid fan of Aston Villa. Nelson Mandela
Professor Andy Smith
“South Africa’s first democraticallyelected President with a steadfast commitment to tackling racial prejudice, Nelson Mandela once said: ‘Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.’ This is now a very famous statement about sport and one which has been influential in reinforcing the many positive views people, including students, have of sport. While powerful and appealing, it’s a one-sided view of sport. Sport may indeed act as a vehicle of positive social change, but equally it may not. Mandela’s comments provide an important starting point for considering these issues. Developing students’ (and others’) critical awareness of how sport actually operates, rather than how they think sport does and ought to operate, is at the heart of the sociological study of sport and of my own work. This is why Mandela, who made an indirect but nevertheless significant contribution to the intellectual study of sport, is in my view just as worthy of the title of ‘sporting hero’ as his more obvious and deserved accolades.”
edgehill.ac.uk/sport
Frank Bruno MBE “Born in 1961, Frank Bruno MBE is a British former professional boxer who famously won the WBC heavyweight title in 1995 against Oliver McCall at Wembley Stadium, and twice fought Mike Tyson. I often recall listening to Bruno on the radio in the middle of the night as I didn’t have satellite tv. I vividly remember how hard those fights must have been, and how brave (or stupid!) the boxers were. But an ability to get hurt in the ring is only part of the reason for selecting Bruno as a sporting hero. More significant is his willingness to discuss very publicly his experience of mental illness, especially after the rather disparaging front-page headline (‘Bonkers Bruno’) which appeared in The Sun newspaper in 2003, as Bruno was sectioned under the Mental Health Act for the first time. Since then, he has regularly spoken in public about his experiences (often with his family) in order to challenge the stigma which surrounds mental illness, including at events at which I have been present. Inspiring stuff – in and out of the ring.” Paul McGrath “The best player in my lifetime to have represented Aston Villa, and a winner of the 1994 league cup against Manchester United. No other justification should be necessary! But, like my other choices, there is a backstory. While watching McGrath I knew little of his experience of mental illness, dependence on alcohol, the death of his only sister, his upbringing in an Irish orphanage, or his experience of physical abuse. This only came to light when I read his brilliant book, Back from the Brink, in which he also recalled many more positive experiences of matches at which I was present and from which I developed even more sympathy for his (and my) dodgy knees! Like Bruno, I have had the pleasure of meeting McGrath recently and he was just as inspiring then as he was during my childhood.”
Explore our new sports facilities at one of our Open Days: edgehill.ac.uk/opendays
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The Questionnaire Edge Hill Students’ Union president Steven Rouke tells us about Ormskirk’s best pints and snacks and his newfound appreciation for Justin Bieber. Best place to enjoy a pint? Obviously the Students’ Union (SU) bar on campus, £2.50 for a Fosters! Best place for a big night out? The Quad on a Wednesday for the biggest night in Ormskirk. Socials are not to be missed, they’ll be the cornerstone of your social activity during your time here. Best place to get a cheap bite? Nom on campus do fantastic pizzas, nachos, fries, burgers, dogs and much, much more, all at student-friendly prices. Best place to relax in the sun? There’s a lot of greenery on campus, and I love the garden beside the Faculty of Health and Social Care. Coronation Park in Ormskirk is a gorgeous place to chill on sunny days.
Best place to get (cheap) groceries? It all really depends what you’re looking for. Aldi and Netto are there to give you some dirt cheap food when times are tough, but there are some really nice butchers and greengrocers in Ormskirk and on market days, for when your student loan is looking a little fuller. Best place for a day out? There are so many beautiful towns and villages surrounding Ormskirk, but for me it has to be Liverpool. Five quid for a day saver, and you get to spend the day in the cultural paradise which is Liverpool. Best place to meet people? For me it’s been my sports team, and it’s the same for many others. If sports aren’t for you, then get involved in a society – sign up during Freshers’ Fair. My society/ies? I’m not part of a society, but I am part of the rugby union team, and I was in the American football team. The amazing thing about sports teams at Edge Hill is that you don’t even have to play to join their social. Again, if sports aren’t for you then there are over 30 societies to join. And if that’s not enough, why not form your own society? Best place to go bike-riding? Anywhere! Venture in any direction out of Ormskirk (or even around Ormskirk) and you’ll see some beautiful scenery. Best bacon sandwich/sausage barm/tasty snack/full English? You’ll find an amazing full English served in the SU Bar from 11am daily – it’s even
served in a cute little frying pan. If you’re living in Ormskirk and feeling a little rough the morning after a night out, Hungry Hardmans deliver some huge barms. Best place to play pool? I feel like I’m repeating myself, but why would you look any further than the SU bar? Great food, music, drinks and pool tables. If you’re in Ormskirk and the SU just seems a little far, then have a look for the 22 Club, for snooker/pool/darts. Best place to get away from people for a bit? Ruff Woods above the football pitches. In my first year if I felt I just needed to get away from people, I’d go for a walk round the woods. It’s close, convenient and you won’t be disturbed. Best kept secret? Gingerbread! No, really. I’ve only found out recently that Ormskirk is genuinely famous for gingerbread. Best place on campus? If we’re talking about buildings, I genuinely love just chillin’ in the SU bar with a couple of pints. And I love the lake beside the Education and Health buildings. It’s just so beautiful and you won’t have to look far for a duck or ten. Best song to relax to/revise to/get ready to go out to? I love so many different types of music. If I’m relaxing, I’ll go for a bit of Ed Sheeran/Craig David/Kygo. If I’m revising, I’ll go down the grime route with a bit of Stormzy/Ghetts/JME/ Bugzy Malone. And if I’m going out, gosh. I’m a recentlyconverted Belieber, but apart from that, Sonny Fodera/Nora En Pure/Riva Starr.
Ed Sheeran and chill?
Best way to spend freshers’ week? If you like a drink then it’s simply spending the night enjoying the programme the SU has put on. If that’s not what you’re looking for, then the SU also puts on non-alcohol related events and there’s loads to get involved in. You’ll receive your programme nice and early. My advice is to dive into freshers’ – you only get three of them. Best university-related trip? At the start of this year the SU organised for our students to go to Edinburgh. And the sports teams go on tour in March/April. Best uni/campus improvement during my time here? In terms of service, the SU’s independent advice service has come a long way and has now some of the best advisors in the country. Physically, it has to be the new sports centre… oh my gosh, it’s incredible! Best way to spend the weekend/a day off? It all depends how stressful your week has been. I’ll either be in the SU watching sport all weekend, or heading into Liverpool for some shopping and shisha bars. There’s pubs, clubs, dry pubs (non-alcohol), shopping, restaurants, picturesque walks all in Ormskirk, or within 30 minutes of it. Three words to describe Edge Hill University… A hidden treasure.
edgehillsu.org.uk
Child’s Play
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Learning Disability Nursing in a 21st Century Children’s Mental Health Unit
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ursing can be a very demanding profession. It can also be incredibly rewarding. These conclusions cannot be taught, though, they have to be experienced. Which is why placement opportunities are an integral part of our nursing courses. Students complete 2,300 hours of placement, and spend 50% of their time in practice education, providing students with considerable experience, developing their ability to form positive in-work relationships, and familiarising them with vital Ra equipment such as ch el G the percutaneous ittons endoscopic gastrostomy tube (inserted into the stomach through the abdominal wall, in case you were wondering), and, er, video game consoles.
Student Learning Disability Nurses Mihaela Avram and Rachel Gittons have both enjoyed placements in the Dewi Jones Unit, an in-patient mental health facility designed to help children and young people aged 5 to 13, and part of the Alder Hey NHS Foundation Trust. It has, they readily admit, been tough, but both are looking forward more than ever to starting their nursing careers. So, what did they learn?
No day is the same. Rachel: “I was slightly apprehensive but very excited, as I’ve trained on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) units before. I had a variety of tasks every day, from allocating notes to checking the daily planner to 1:1 support for the young people on the ward. My knowledge and skillset have grown, in medication management, leadership, delegation, and group presentations and discussions.”
On a placement you can find yourself in unexpected situations. Mihaela: “I spent time supporting the kids in school. I learnt so much about how to interact with children with mental health conditions, such as Tourette’s, anxiety or Asperger syndrome. The teacher utilises the principles of Positive Behaviour Support, which in practice means the kids being offered ‘positive points’ each day, even if it’s just for showing up in class, which the children can then trade for rewards during their free time. She was just really kind and honest with the kids, which I think they appreciate.”
Games can play a vital role in mental health. Mihaela: “There were many video game consoles on the unit, and staff, children and students often compete at games such as Mario Kart. While it’s a lot of fun, it also teaches the children how to play as part of a team, how to accept loss, and not to get too upset when they come in last. Which didn’t happen once I joined in, as that place was quickly taken…by me!”
But the job can be very tough, for staff and children. Mihaela: “There were also some hard times. Some of the children had moments when they couldn’t control their emotions and needed supportive holding, or they needed to go to the seclusion room, and at those times students needed to leave the room, for the child’s dignity and for our own safety. These moments can be challenging, as there is screaming, kicking, or potential self-harming. At those times, I tended to step back, but stayed close enough to observe what the nurses and support workers said to the children, how they de-escalated rising tensions, or soothed the children when they were going through a hard time.”
Students are entrusted with responsibility from the start. Rachel: “I was required to present prompt sheets – an overview of patients’ status – to the core team, which could be quite daunting. The biggest challenge was realising that I was now responsible for a daily shift, and therefore all these young people, with the authority to make changes. Even though I’ve done countless shadow shifts, following different nurses each with different management styles, being the responsible adult, that first point of call, was nerve-racking, and it will continue to be even after M ih I’ve qualified.” ae la
Learning opportunities can occur at any time. Mihaela: “I think my most important lesson occurred one afternoon. A group of us – children, nurses and support workers – were chatting in the lounge. Two of the children asked to chat with one of the nurses, and returned after a few minutes. Curious, I asked one of the children what it was about. They told me that it was private. A little frustrated, I asked the nurse. Her response was, ‘if they said it’s private, it’s private’. That cured my nosiness. Relationships take time, and you can’t cut corners by trying to find out information they’re not ready to share with you.” When you begin your career, placements will help you hit the ground running. Rachel: “This placement provided a brilliant transition from student nurse to Registered Nurse Learning Disability (RNLD). The best moment was being praised for my effort and enthusiasm during shifts. Following my shifts in charge my appraisals were always positive, with suggestions for only minor improvements, which has been a big boost to my confidence.”
Learning to work effectively with other people is a vital aspect of any job. Mihaela: “My previous placements were in adult services, and relationships between adults can be quite different. The staffmembers at the Unit all have lovely relationships with the children, they’re all kind, patient, funny, and very interactive. This was so refreshing to observe.” And these are just a handful of observations from Mihaela and Rachel’s placements. Imagine what you’ll have learnt by the end of your placements.
They say that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become expert in a skill. By Avra this measure, by the time m Mihaela: “I wrote and presented weekly you start your nursing career reports about in-patients in meetings with you’ll be almost a quarter of the way to other professionals working in the hospital. becoming an acknowledged expert.° I also attended the core meeting, where I discussed with my team how best to help each child. This was such a privilege, and being a fly-on-the-wall helped me learn so much. I also wrote notes about the children’s day, participated in planning the care they received, and observed the edgehill.ac.uk/health nurses during medication rounds.”
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athan just wants to help young people. Growing up Nathan suffered from undiagnosed dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD, something which drastically affected his life chances. At 24 he joined Edge Hill’s Fastrack programme, during which he was properly diagnosed for the first time. His enthusiasm for the Youth Mental Health First Aid for Schools and Colleges course on his BA (Hons) Children and Young People’s Learning and Development programme is palpable:
“If I’d got that when I was at school my life would have been completely different, so I’m passionate about this. I just want to make a difference, and make their lives a bit better.
“This course has helped me realise, ‘oh, this is why I was acting this way’ and 'this is why I did this’, so I can bring my experiences into practice.”
Fellow students Lisa, Nicky and Kailey have their own reasons to welcome this addition to the programme, which provides students (or anyone who gets involved) with the tools to identify signs of mental health issues in children and young people, and offer simple, practical advice and guidance. Kailey wants to be a teacher, and being able to spot signs associated with mental health issues is vital. “Early intervention is key,” she says.
Nicky is familiar with mental health issues and believes the module will be hugely beneficial, both to those on the course and ultimately the group it is intended to help – children and young people:
“I think it’s taking the stigma away, and I do think it should be brought up in more courses for children, so that children don’t feel embarrassed, and parents and teachers can broach the subject in the future.”
Lisa agrees, and, only two sessions in, has already enquired about further courses on mental health issues. Latest research suggests that one young person in ten may experience some form of emotional or mental health problem each year, while half of young adults with mental health disorders first experience difficulties before they are 15. An increasing number of higher education students are accessing mental health services. Edge Hill offers student workshops in mindfulness, amongst many other options, and big guns like the University of Cambridge are following suit.
With the NHS under increasing pressure, and the UK police force recently claiming that much of their time involves incidents involving people with mental health issues, it’s no surprise that mental health initiatives targeting young people in schools are being trialled around the country. Prevention is far better than cure, as they say.
Damian Hart, Principal Mental Health Development Manager at Merseyside Youth Association, heads the team that delivers the short course, developed in partnership with course lecturers at Edge Hill:
“The course raises awareness of children and young people’s mental health. It looks at all the contributing factors – what can cause mental distress – but it also promotes a positive notion of what mental health is: how we think and the way we feel. It talks a lot about resilience which can really strengthen children and young people, and within the framework of the course we look at different strategies which can bring about change in young people’s mental health.” Resilience is a key word in approaching mental health, according to Damian’s colleague and Mental Health Promotion Worker Kath Thompson:
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“When we talk about resilience, with children we tend to talk about the Tigger factor, the ability to bounce back, but quite often we think about a young person’s ability to use situations to their advantage, to see something positive even in some of the really difficult situations, to see how they can learn and grow from that experience.”
Reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and developing the ability of children and young people to deal with challenging situations is the kind of progressive project that Edge Hill wholeheartedly supports. Health Project Worker Tony Niemen suggests the project is in part a response to appeals from the people it is designed to protect:
“What I’m finding is that young people themselves are highlighting factors about understanding mental health, and they’re wanting other people to be informed. Rather than talking about physical health and other health issues, a number of agencies are saying 'we want to know more about mental health’. It’s then starting to challenge the stigma that’s out there – people look at mental health as a negative or an illness, rather than looking at it as being a positive, 'my mental health is really good’. So I’m finding that a lot of the time young people are starting to ask that question, and the lecturers and the teachers are then coming to us and asking 'can you deliver on it?’”
Our degree in Children and Young People’s Learning and Development is designed to help you gain insight into children and young people’s learning and development, and is for anyone seeking a career in the children’s workforce in schools and other educational settings.
The Youth Mental Health First Aid for Schools and Colleges course consists of three sessions designed to give students – our future teachers, care workers, youth workers – the tools to offer help when needed. Leigh Horner is a Participation Worker with the Liverpool Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), a partnership of services which support the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people:
“Within the course we show the students techniques and ways to engage with people who may be suffering with mental health problems, who may feel like they want to approach a person – a teacher, a youth worker, maybe – and giving them the confidence to allow them to engage young people effectively to get the best out of them. So relationship-building with that young person, to gain trust with them, to be able to work with them.”
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And Leigh says the response from the students has been really encouraging:
“It’s been a really good mix between active learning, information giving, and, for the future careers that the students want to go on to, the feedback’s been that it’s been really useful. The contents of the course for whatever those individuals want to go onto in their life has been beneficial to them, and it’s been beneficial to me as well.”
One element of the course asks students to come up with their five-a-day: five things they can do to improve their mental health and improve their experience of life. It’s a great way of developing that resilience that will ultimately see them through difficult times. Presented with dealing with the very real prospect of study pressures, our students came up with a variety of options, from listening to music and singing in the car, to having a set day each week to themselves, text book-free. And something as mundane as brushing teeth can be co-opted into your toolbox, according to several mindfulness courses. The point is that these simple exercises really can – and do – have dramatic effects, and our students are learning to pass these techniques on to those who most need them.
Senior Lecturer Paul Lees and the course deliverers at Merseyside Youth Association and CAMHS are justifiably excited about this partnership between mental health workers on Merseyside and the University because it provides the perfect springboard for a better understanding and awareness of mental health, embedding a positive, proactive approach to mental health into teaching and wider working practices.
“Being young has always brought its challenges: growing pains, academic pressures, making friends, finding your identity. Add to that the possible effects of austerity and poverty, which can exacerbate or trigger mental health issues, and the pressures new technology can bring. Introducing this Mental Health element means we’re now delivering a genuinely rounded degree programme, designed to train people to help our youngsters make the most of their opportunities,” says Paul. ‘Mental health is everybody’s business’ says the promotional literature of the Liverpool CAMHS partnership, and with the addition of a mental health element to our BA (Hons) Children and Young People’s Learning and Development programme, we’re taking responsibility. We’re providing simple, practical tools for students which will make them better at their job, while genuinely helping young people and ultimately changing lives. Which will make Nathan very happy.
edgehill.ac.uk/education
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POINTS Love it or loathe it, the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) is an institution. The 61st Grand Final was viewed by almost 200 million people in 2016, with 26 competing countries. A big fan of Bucks Fizz (the group, that is), Associate Head of Media at Edge Hill University Phil Jackson has written extensively on the ESC, and has acted as a go-to expert for the BBC, amongst others:
Phil Jackson
“Since 2008 I’ve travelled to the host country each year, and have been lucky enough to be accredited by the European Broadcasting Union, which means I can attend rehearsals, press conferences and really immerse myself in what we call the Eurovision Bubble.”
Phil is co-founder of the Eurovision Research Network (ERN). Since 2006 he has devoted his academic research to aspects of the ESC, and in 2014 contributed a chapter to the first edited academic publication on Media and Cosmopolitanism entitled ‘Welcome Europe!’ The Eurovision Song Contest as a Continuum for Cosmopolitanism. The ERN looks at the ESC from a range of perspectives, including fan behaviours and activities, what the branding of Eurovision signifies about its values, and the importance of the ESC as a media event culturally, politically, socially and musically.
Not everyone’s as knowledgeable as Phil, though, and Euro-virgins may need a little help to get up to speed with what is a fixture in the student social calendar. So, with Phil’s help, we’ve cobbled together a Eurovision crib sheet, to help you enjoy future contests just a little bit more (as Gina G might have said).
Read Phil’s annual Eurovision blog at: blogs.edgehill.ac.uk/eurovision
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The UK are the third most successful nation with five wins. Ireland are the big Eurowinners with 7, Sweden are second with six wins, while France and the mighty Luxembourg join the UK on five. Our winning ditties: Sandie Shaw with Puppet on a String (1967), Lulu with Boom Bang-a-Bang (1969), Brotherhood of Man with Save Your Kisses for Me (1976), Bucks Fizz with Making Your Mind Up (1981), and Katrina and the Waves with Love, Shine a Light (1997).
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Phil’s faves Bucks Fizz were created especially for the selection contest, A Song for Europe. Following their win in 1981, they had 13 UK top 40 hits over the next five years. Singer Cheryl Baker already had ESC history, coming 11th in 1978 as part of CoCo.
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The late Terry Wogan was the voice of Eurovision for many in the UK. He first lent his dulcet tones to the BBC’s Eurovision coverage in 1974, before taking up residence in the commentary hotseat from 1980 to 2008. There’s only so many ways you can gently poke fun at Albania’s latest entry, though, and in 2009 he passed the baton on to Graham Norton.
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Some big names have come a cropper on the Eurovision stage: The Shadows (1975, 2nd), Eastenders’ Samantha Janus (now Womack) (1991, 10th), Michael Ball (1992, 2nd), Sonia (1993, 2nd), Blue (2011, 11th), Engelbert Humperdinck (2012, 25th), and Bonnie Tyler (2013, 19th). Cliff Richard has appeared twice: he came 2nd in 1968 with Congratulations, although he had the consolation of topping the UK charts, while in 1973 Power To All Our Friends came 3rd.
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The first contest took place in Lugano, Switzerland in 1956, and was won by the host nation. Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion won in 1988, representing Switzerland, beating the UK’s Scott Fitzgerald by 1 point. We wuz robbed. Probably.
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Celine Dion went on to global superstardom, of course, but she didn’t get close to the post-Eurovision success of ABBA, whose Waterloo, winner in 1974, was voted the most popular Eurovision song of all-time. Abba went on to sell around 500 million records worldwide, and had nine UK number 1 singles.
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1974 was a big year for Eurovision. The performance of the Portuguese entry was the signal to army officers to launch the Carnation Revolution, which ultimately ended the dictatorial rule of Marcello Caetano, and The Wombles made an appearance. Disappointingly, rather than representing the UK, they were merely the half-time entertainment. ABBA no doubt breathed a sigh of relief.
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In 1998, Israel’s Dana International won with Diva. The contest’s first transgender winner pipped the UK’s Imaani to the title. Incidentally, this was the last contest to feature a live orchestra. Since then all artists have sung to a pre-recorded backing track. The Eurovision community has long championed a tolerant, equal and inclusive society, and in 2014 the self-titled 'bearded lady', openly gay drag artist Conchita Wurst, landed the title for Austria with Rise Like A Phoenix.
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Despite only finishing eighth in the 1996 contest, Gina G had huge success with her entry Ooh Ah Just a Little Bit, becoming only the second non-winning UK entry to top the UK singles chart. It also reached the US top 20, receiving a Grammy nomination in the process.
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Eurovision is enjoyed in many ways, and has long been a student favourite, for many reasons. One may be that it makes cracking drinking game material. Pick a country, set out your conditions – such as taking a gulp of your drink each time the singer winks at camera, drops to their knees, or makes a peace sign – and get the party started. Obviously you drain your glass if your country wins. Make up your own conditions, but ultimately, this is just a bit of fun, so always drink sensibly.
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In his book Nul Points, writer Tim Moore interviewed twelve performers who failed to trouble the scorers, to find out if their Eurovision score was the end, or just the beginning, of their music career. In 2003, the UK’s entry Jemini were on the receiving end of the dreaded ‘nul points’ after a woefully out-of-tune performance (due, they said, to a faulty backing track), the first time the UK had finished bottom of the leaderboard. It was the end of their career. Coming last soon became a bit of a habit, though, with Andy Abraham in 2008 and Josh Dubovie in 2010 both enduring this ignominious fate. Spare a thought for Norway, though, who have trailed in last a record 11 times. Now you’re ready to mix it with the biggest Eurovision fans, while rooting for UK entry You’re Not Alone. Or whoever you’ve got in the sweep, anyway (see 1 point).°
Love Music? Have a look at our range of music-based degrees: • • • • •
BA (Hons) Media, Music and Sound BA (Hons) Music BA (Hons) Music Production BA (Hons) Popular Music BA (Hons) Musical Theatre
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amie Stockley graduated in 2008 in Stop-Motion Animation. He is Art Director on the revival of the 70s classic children’s show The Clangers. He also works on CBBC show Scream Street, dealing with zombies and other monstrous characters, and recently helped set up studios for the company that produces CBeebies’ Twirlywoos.
I always wanted to work for Disney. Like most kids I was obsessed with cartoons, and constantly drew and sculpted plasticine figures. University helped me turn my hobby into a career. At Edge Hill I was taught by lecturers with industry experience, and became familiar with industry grade software and techniques. Visiting studios was an amazing feeling. I met guest speakers face to face – animators and Oscar nominated directors, most of which I have worked with since graduating.
I still think my final degree film Lollipoppin’ retains its charm and humour. It took me three gruelling months, locked away in a windowless room, and was based around an interview with my girlfriend’s mum, a lollipop lady. I built and animated a stop-motion puppet of her, using her quotes to form a five-minute narrative. It was worth it – I won the University’s Paul Cannon Media Film of the Year.
Contacting studios for my dissertation proved essential. After I graduated I had already made contacts and found work experience with Chapman Entertainment,
working on Roary the Racing Car and test-animating puppets. Work experience turned into a paid week here and there as an art assistant and runner, before my first long stint of work as a junior puppet maker. I worked in the workshop making hands and eyes for Tim Burton’s Disney feature Frankenweenie.
The Clangers was my step up into art directing. The Clangers is part of animation history, and the opportunity enabled me to combine my experience in set building, prop making, puppet fabrication and live shoot studio experience. I watched it in 1994 when it was rerun on Channel Four, encouraged by my mum whose favourite childhood character was the Soup Dragon. Watching inanimate objects I’ve designed coming to life still gives me that feeling I had as a child. As art director I interpret the script and storyboard, finding and designing relevant props and sets for each episode. Time is the biggest factor. We produced 52 episodes this season, averaging an episode every two weeks, and we make prop duplicates so shot clashes don’t hold up production. The biggest
surprise, though, was winning the Bafta for best pre-school animation.
It would be a dream for me to come up with and produce my own series, full of my characters and ideas. Then maybe an Oscar for the mantelpiece.
If a movie isn’t full of monsters, aliens and dinosaurs it’s not worth watching. Ray Harryhausen is my ultimate hero. He specialised in old movie special effect techniques.
After working at Mackinnon and Saunders I fully respect the effort that goes into creating each puppet. Puppets are hand-crafted with a steel framework then foam-baked to add shape to the body, before an intricate knitted skin is added. Each character is made by over thirty people. Energy, passion for the subject, and a Moleskine notebook are essential for new students. I have decades’ worth of notes which I go back to for inspiration. I never stop or switch off from animation, as almost everything can inspire a character or story.
My time at Edge Hill University was essential, inspiring and unforgettable.
“University helped me turn my hobby into a career.”
edgehill.ac.uk/media
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My Life in Books: Mari Hughes-Edwards The first book I remember reading The Hobbit, when I was five or six. I promptly became a lifelong Tolkien fan, but never imagined then that he would, as a medievalist interested in anchoritic theology, be one of the Middle English scholars on whose work I would later focus my doctorate. As a child I was very attracted to the comfort of the world of hobbits and to the food, and it’s also a very funny book. What impressed me most when I was little was the sense that adventure meant delight – not danger. The first book I fell in love with The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge. It’s just lovely. It tells the tale of the orphan Maria Merryweather who saves Moonacre Manor. Her extended family is divided into sun and moon Merryweathers – and her governess Miss Heliotrope and dog Wiggins add to the magical gothic romance of the story. I fell head over heels in love with the pink geranium scene really – pot upon pot upon pot lining the stairs of a castle turret, and I also fell under the spell of the gentle and mysterious character, Loveday Minette. The first book I bought I was raised in a manse where books were as necessary as air, light and water. The first book I remember saving carefully to buy for myself was, at the age of 17, JA Froude’s Nemesis of Faith. I suspect that that makes me a fairly unusual teenager. It’s the story of Markham Sutherland who loses his faith in the crisis of doubt partly occasioned by the discoveries of Lyell and Darwin, but really it’s about Froude himself. I was working on an A level project about the faith crisis in Victorian England, and I carefully (pre-internet) ordered this rare text at WH Smith. It’s still a very precious book to me, twenty three years later. The book that inspired my research The anchoritic guidance text edited by JRR Tolkien – Ancrene Wisse (c. 1220). The anchoritic life (which required permanent withdrawal into one tiny room for life, for God) attracted men and women, and this text was a handbook to help accustom them to a lifetime of comparative social isolation. You should only do a PhD if something lights a fire in you – and the reclusive way of life did that for me. I spent the next fourteen years reading about solitude, sociability and space, which eventually culminated in my own first book, Reading Medieval Anchoritism. I never lost sight of the fire Ancrene Wisse started in me. The book I wish I’d written Just about anything by Germaine Greer, but especially The Whole Woman, where she argues that the language of ‘fake equality’ leads women into double jeopardy and must be resisted. At the moment I’m still delighted by Roxanne Gay’s Bad Feminist. Gay makes herself vulnerable with blind-siding honesty, as she celebrates the power of imperfect women and feminism. One conclusion hit me like a truck: ‘Feminism has given me peace’. That it could (should) do this had never occurred to me. Now I can’t stop thinking about it.
Dr Mari Hughes-Edwards is Reader in English Literature. The main focus of her academic research/ publications is gender and sexuality. She is chair of GenSex, Edge Hill University’s Gender and Sexuality Research Group.
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