Cultural Olympiad Action Group Interim Report Prepared by London College of Fashion London College o

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Cultural Olympiad Action GroupInterim
ReportPrepared byLondon College of
FashionLondon College of CommunicationUniversity
of the Arts London30/11/2007
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Overview of report

• This report is presented in 3 sections
• Process to date
• Summary of the AGs 1st meeting (presented as a
  SWOT in preparation for the Business Plan)
• Recommendations
• Ideas for discussion at the 2nd meeting of the
  Cultural Olympiad Action Group

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Process to date

• First meeting - 2nd November
• to explore how the HE FE sectors could
  contribute to the Cultural Olympiad
• presentations brainstorming activity
• Subsequent meetings with Podium Rocket Science
• Team identified themes opportunities
• A blog is currently being developed

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• Summary of the Action Groups
• first meeting on 2nd November
• STRENGTHS OF THE SECTOR
• S.W.O.T.

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Strengths

• The core strengths of the sectors are their
  diversity and ability to
• Reach diverse groups that include young people
• Access new and emerging talent
• Subject and staff expertise
• Reach, from local to international
• Ability to influence behaviour
• Possession of existing and successful models and
  mechanisms that provide platforms from which to
  develop initiatives to support the Cultural
  Olympiad / 2012

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Strengths

• The HE FE sectors
• have experience of delivering cultural projects,
  outreach, partnerships.
• Have existing funding that could be used e.g.
  HEFCE Strategic Development Fund, ESRC/ AHRC,
  foundations, sponsorship, Leverhulme
• Ability to lever funding through value added
  activities and projects AimHigherand employer
  engagement initiatives

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• S.W.O.T. WEAKNESSES
• (Barriers to engagement)

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Barriers to engagement

• Inherent bureaucracy in a project of this size
• Resulting in a lack of clarity on how to engage
  with the primary 2012 bodies and other regional
  London wide bodies - makes it difficult for HE
  FE to keep in the loop
• Issues around the four nations and their
  involvement

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Barriers to engagement

• Communicating the USP of HE and FE sectors to
  others
• What is their role, what are the benefits for
  them and other sectors?
• What can HE FE offer to business (SMEs/
  micro-business, multi-nationals)?
• Funding
• Time invested in bidding potential
  duplication of effort

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• S.W.O.T. OPPORTUNITIES

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Opportunities for the sector

• 2012 goes beyond the 6 weeks in London 5 year
  programme, national reach, linking across the
  education sector into communities
• Strengthening developing new relationships with
  partners
• Engaging with business as co-producers sponsors
• Exploring new projects ways of doing things
• Student involvement in competitions

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Opportunities for the sector

• To be involved in the development of cultural
  awareness co-operation
• Hosting participating in events
• Showcasing talent through events
• Creating transferring new knowledge
• Offering accreditation for volunteers
• Generating 3rd stream income
• Engaging with employers
• Research conferences

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• S.W.O.T. THREATS
• (Issues)

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Issues

• Inter-relationships with other strands identified
  by Podium
• Some existing projects have low age thresholds
  that exclude FE HE students
• No designated funding reliant on other funds
  being diverted that FE HE can tap into to
  enable projects to happen
• Articulating the benefits to partners
• Engaging businesses as partners
• Difficult to evaluate opportunities without
  detail

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• RECOMMENDATIONS TO MOVE FORWARD NOW IN THE
  FUTURE

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Recommendations

• To move forward now in the future
• We need to share intelligence by identifying
  gatekeepers to key documents for the FE HE
  sector underpinning Olympic strategies plans
• A point of entry into LOCOG is required for FE
  HE (via Podium?)
• Influence policy lobby funding bodies to ensure
  flexibility in the funding resourcing of
  programmes to enable FE/HE to make the most of
  the Cultural Olympiad opportunity

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Recommendations

• We should learn from past experience
• E.g. The Cultural programme around the
  Commonwealth Games (Manchester), festival (in
  Nottingham)
• Olympics in Beijing Sydney
• FE HE should NOT be bound by definitions but
  based on our contribution around the values and
  ethos of Olympism

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Recommendations

• For example, we should think broadly e.g.
  Schools Olympics
• Ensure the HE FE contribution is strategic,
  sustainable embraces Olympism. For example,
  focus on
• Development, empowerment, achievement
  inspiration to enable individuals to be their
  best
• Cultural awareness respect
• Creative excellence

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• IDEAS FOR DISCUSSION
• AT THE NEXT MEETING
• OF THE CULTURAL OLYMPIAD
• ACTION GROUP

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HE FE involvement

• In this section of the report we have identified
  three broad areas that HE FE could be involved
  in
• Skills audits mapping
• Training
• Research
• We have then suggested specific projects at each
  Tier that could be discussed at the next
  meeting

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Skills Audit Mapping (1)

• Stage 1 is an audit of prospective institutions,
  courses, staff students to map specialist
  skills interests that could underpin all 3
  tiers of Olympic events
• To provide information on numbers areas of
  expertise of students
• To identify key departments individual
  academics who have skills knowledge e.g.
  potential choreographers, composers

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Skills Audit Mapping (2)

• There is a need to map existing HE FE
  activities related to the Cultural Olympiad
• To build on replicate good ideas
• Identify hubs of activity
• To add value to existing HEI activities
• Need to identify key networks in the HEI cultural
  network e.g. CHEAD/ NALN

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Training (1)

• HE FE could become involved in a number of
  areas of training for volunteers, staff
  services e.g.
• Cultural awareness training
• Interpretation of the site, Olympics
  individual sports
• Language training
• Events management training
• Evaluation methodologies

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Training (2)

• This could be
• Delivered as face to face training
• Development of contextual materials related to
  culture events management
• (an audit of existing provision would be required
  in the first instance)

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Research

• Research underpins all three tiers of events is
  a USP of HEIs
• Potential activities could include
• Pure applied research
• Qualitative quantitative projects
• Centres of excellence e.g. CIO at LCC
• Funded Doctoral projects
• Series of seminars/ mini conferences (similar to
  Beijing model)

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Potential involvement of HE FE

• Tier 1
• staff students participation assuming skills
  fit
• Tier 2
• have expertise to evaluate projects, test
  concepts undertake visitor market research
• As audiences and front of house
• Link tier 3 activities/themes to tier 2 where
  appropriate

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Potential involvement

• Tier 3
• Primary area of involvement
• Development of specific events and programmes at
  national, regional and local levels.
  Coordination is key
• Pragmatic approach needs to be taken - can build
  themes around the Cultural Olympiad into the
  curriculum e.g. through project work
• Could be a national initiative with opportunities
  for dissemination
• Could increase participation by offering
  workshops guides to help encourage
  networking partnerships in the sector

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Potential involvement

• Tier 3
• Use pre-existing widening participation
  programmes e.g. Aim Higher to develop projects
  around the Olympic values e.g. citizenship
  through culture - local global citizenship
• Competitions linked with employers where possible
  e.g. around citizenship, sustainability, global
  British culture
• Show casing talent.
• Experiential learning

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Potential involvement

• Tier 3
• Link into existing projects that have run with
  other partners e.g. Sorrell Foundation Creative
  Partnerships
• Employer engagement
• Work with schools
• Exhibit work in the community to inspire others

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Authors facilitators

• Debi Hayes Alix Slater
• London College of Communication
• Ursula Hudson
• London College of Fashion
• Lesley Payne
• Advisor to Pro Rector, UAL