DCG Impact Review 2024 - Flipbook - Page 17
SEVENTEEN | STRATEGIC PRIORITY ONE
• Moral character development, with a focus on
honesty, reliability, compassion, learning from
others and tolerance of all faiths and beliefs
• Mental wellbeing development, including positive
relationships, social survival, self-help and
mental strength strategies
Character development is given prominence at the
Freshers Fair which this year took the theme of ‘the
power of belonging’ and highlighted opportunities
for students to enjoy a sense of shared community.
Additional tutoring sessions also supported them
with their con昀椀dence and resilience.
THE FACTS BEHIND THE HEADLINES
Fake news – and how to spot it – is the theme of a
trailblazing national programme spearheaded by
DCG students.
DCG was the country’s 昀椀rst college – and second
educational establishment – to join and shape the
two-year Media Literacy Ambassador Programme
launched by the Guardian Foundation with funding
from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
and evaluations by the National Literacy Trust.
Among many other activities, DCG celebrated
initiatives such as International Women’s Day;
special workshops tackled issues like managing
money, business start-ups and alcohol awareness;
and community engagement was strengthened
through events such as Cuppa with the Coppa.
And a visit by an 11-foot monument known as the
Anti-Violence Bee – made from thousands of
recovered weapons – brought a stark message to
students on a campus tour.
With character development so high on the
agenda, the year also saw many students
displaying genuine compassion in their support for
good causes.
Various charity events were held, for instance, in aid
of the earthquake victims in Türkiye and Syria, men’s
mental health projects and breast cancer research.
A cross-curricular collaboration involving GCSE Plus
and Creative Media students, the project began
with a news editing workshop at the Guardian
Education Centre of昀椀ces. This was followed by a
visit to DCG by journalists who ran sessions on
fake news and educating your peers.
Twenty-four young people have since become
accredited ambassadors, delivering training to
fellow students to educate them about media
misinformation and how to assess news stories
critically to determine the facts behind the
headlines.
A huge thank you to the team at DCG
for their amazing support, organisation
and sheer hard work in piloting
and trailblazing the Media Literacy
Ambassador Programme. It has been
amazing to see how the ambassadors
have grown in con昀椀dence, developed
skills and deepened their understanding.”
Margaret Holborn
Head of Secondary and Higher Education
The Guardian Foundation
