Hereward College - Digital opportunities for young people
#CovConnects has been working collaboratively with Hereward College to support students to explore the digital world in meaningful ways.
Hereward College provides study programmes, learning experiences, and award-winning work placement opportunities for young people (age 16-25) with complex disabilities and learning difficulties.
Earlier this year, students from the college visited #CovConnects at One Friargate where they experienced a day of learning which included talks from partners at E.ON energy around career pathways, virtual reality experiences from Coventry Libraries and more!
Most recently, as part of the Festival of Social Science, students travelled to the HADO Arena in Coventry where they tried HADO, the augmented reality sport hailing from Japan, as well as different card and board games designed by Coventry University’s GameChangers research project.
Gordon Lowe, Job Coach at Hereward College, told us:
“At Hereward College, we truly cherished the opportunity to participate in the Festival of Social Science. It was a fantastic event that brought together a collaboration with local Coventry stakeholders and allowed us to create a fun and highly accessible experience for our Hereward students.”
“From the engaging card-based gaming provided by the GameChangers team to the exciting augmented-reality handball from HADO-UK. There was something for everyone. A heartfelt thank you to the Digital Inclusion Team for enabling us to take part in such a unique initiative. Your efforts made a significant impact on our students, enhancing their learning experience and fostering a sense of community.”
Jim Sephton, Managing Director of UK HADO, said:
"It was great to be part of the Festival of Social Science, and even better to see the way the students of Hereward College took to the sport of HADO. The inclusivity and level playing field offered by the sport gave all of the students a new route to engage with physical activity."
Dr Elizabeth Cook, Research Impact Officer at Coventry University, said:
“Collaborating with the Council, HADO-UK and Hereward for the Festival of Social Science was a fantastic experience. It was brilliant to see local Coventry stakeholders coming together to provide a fun, informative and accessible event for Hereward students that aligned so well with the Festival theme of ‘Our digital lives.’”
“The day really did have something for everyone, from card-based gaming from the GameChangers team to augmented-reality energy-ball blasting. Safe to say, we all had a great time, and I personally really enjoyed chatting to the students about their plans for the future and their current projects during downtime between games.”
Dr Petros Lameras, Associate Professor at Coventry University said:
“It was an inspiring and creative experience for all beneficiaries to come together, play, learn, and engage with games and technology. Hereward students had the opportunity to develop critical skills in information and data literacy, gaining insights on how to navigate online challenges in their daily interactions with technology.”
“As researchers, our goal is to create tools and processes that empower citizens to upskill and reskill, enabling them to use technology to their advantage.”
Interested in HADO? Visit their website to learn more about the sport in the UK.
Head to the GameChangers website to learn more about the research project.
Learn more about the Festival of Social Science in Coventry on the Coventry University website.
#CovConnects is Coventry City Council’s digital inclusion programme. It aims to support residents on their digital journeys, working in partnership with organisations both locally and nationally, improving access for all.