Celebrating Black History Month across Novus education departments

In October, Novus education departments across establishments have been hosting events and activities in celebration of Black History Month. Not only does this give learners the opportunity to showcase their skills and knowledge, but also helps them to develop their Cultural Capital by learning about different cultures and communities. 

HMP High Down Black History Carnival 

For the first time, HMP High Down hosted a 'Black History Carnival' event where Caribbean and Black culture was celebrated through entertainment, arts, food, competitions and sporting events. The event took place in the gym with over 100 learners attending to take part in the activities on offer. 

One of the best features of the carnival was the food; rice and peas, curry and rice, jerk chicken, fried dumplings, fritters and Jamaican patties, all cooked and served by learners. 

Novus barbering trainer, Annette also hosted a competition for her learners to show off their fading, grading, cutting and clipping skills. They had 40 minutes to create the most drastic before and after hairstyles using only hair colouring and clippers. Annette then judged the entries and was amazed by the skills on show. The winners won a box of sweets and a £10 voucher. 

The event also sparked interest from barbers who have been cutting hair on the wings for a long time but had not considered getting the formal qualification! The event was a huge success and will undoubtedly get bigger and better as interest grows. 

Events like this give learners the opportunity to showcase the skills they've learnt in their vocation i.e., hospitality and barbering and helps them to further develop their skills and experiences. By organising events like this that tie to commemorative observations and holidays, it helps learners develop their Cultural Capital and learn about different cultures. 

Commemorating Black History Month through reading at HMP Hewell

HMP Hewell have been commemorating Black History Month through their reading strategy across education and in the library. The library has lots of books written by Black authors and have created displays showcasing these books. Various activities were also created such as word searches to further engage learners in Black History Month. 

Displays have also been created throughout education, with tutors showcasing the work of prominent figures in the Black community to promote a love of reading. Not only were learners able to engage in a national event to help spread awareness and celebrate Black History Month, but they were also given the opportunity to further engage in reading in a relaxed and positive atmosphere. 

Taking part in events like Black History Month exposes learners to different cultures and communities so that they can gain the knowledge and understanding of different communities that may be different to themselves. Through events like this it enables learners to develop their Cultural Capital and build empathy and tolerance towards each other. As well as giving them the opportunity to showcase the knowledge and skills they've gained and developed through engaging in education. 

To learn more about how we engage learners in education, take a look at the news section.