UWTSD was proud to welcome Michael Sheen to Swansea Business School to hear about students project work with Ysgol Crug Glas and Matt’s Café in the city centre.
At the start of the academic year, first year Business Management students were tasked with helping charities to raise awareness of their causes as well as helping them to raise money.
The organisations included a local school and a homeless charity with students having to arrange a range of fundraising and awareness whilst documenting their activities and campaigns by creating dedicated websites and social media.
Working closely with Swansea College of Art, Chloe Chignell, Ambia Haque, Heather Jackson, Najmeh Dadash and Natalia Mendel arranged art sessions at Ysgol Crug Glas. Chloe said: “It was so rewarding to be able to work closely with the pupils in such a creative and fun way. We all learnt such a lot from the experience. We also organised a coffee morning and a sponsored walk for the pupils so the school could buy a new ultra violet light for the youngsters there.”
The collaboration with Swansea College of Art also brought the students into contact with artist in residence Dr Jane Harrison which culminated in a project on the theme of Survival of Oceans, which looked in detail at the issue of plastics and pollution.
UWTSD’s Head of the Business School, Dr Maggie Inman said:
“We were delighted to welcome Michael Sheen to Swansea Business School. He was able to hear first-hand, how our students integrate into the local community helping to raise awareness of our local schools, charities and social enterprises and learning about business as they do so.
“Business exists within a community and therefore should be part of a community. What we teach here is not just about corporate business models, it’s about every type of business which includes community business and in particular social enterprise and we make sure our students understand that right from the beginning.
“We have created a different business model, where it’s NOT Business as Usual, where students engage with their local community and learn through working with a business right from day one. It’s a unique programme, where we can achieve UWTSD aim of transforming education, transforming lives.”
Michael was also given a tour of Matt’s Café, (Matthew’s House) set up to provide a safe and welcoming environment for the homeless and most vulnerable in Swansea.
UWTSD’s Business Lecturer Dr Gareth Hughes said:
“Michael took an incredibly keen interest in the students and likewise they engaged well with him. The students have been equally impressed with the excellent work being carried out by Thom and his team over at Matthew’s House – incredibly inspiring as well as eye opening for the students, who now have been given an entirely different perspective on some of the social issues happening in and around the areas they live, work and study. I sincerely hope that we at the business school are able to continue to build a relationship with Matthew’s House and make some small contribution to this wonderful charity.”
Thom Lynch, project manager at Matthew’s House, said:
“We were delighted to be able to share our vision and values with Michael Sheen. We also had an incredible photo opportunity too which has lifted the whole team.”
