Confidence, Careers, Commuting and More…

The Platform team have worked with South Bristol Youth Charity (SBY) on a package of learning designed to enhance understanding of local career pathways, and how to access them in a way that is healthy, sustainable, and economical.

SBY is a charity dedicated to empowering young people to succeed in south Bristol and the wider South West. Through a range of diverse programmes, support packages, and projects, they strive to help young people improve their life chances and opportunities. Platform work hard to help young people access healthy and sustainable travel, help them to understand the diversity of both railway careers and reaching careers by rail, and support young people in overcoming real and perceived barriers to train travel. So, when a collaboration opportunity presented itself, the Platform team were keen to jump onboard.

Over 7 trips, 92 students from 7 secondary schools across Bristol accessed the package, which was designed to have maximum impact across each day.

The students began by meeting Mark Nixon from SBY in Bristol City Centre, kindly hosted by Burges Salmon or PWC across different days. They were then joined by one of the Platform team, who presented a shortened version of the pre-travel safety, confidence and behaviour workshop, equipping students with the knowledge to make safe decisions when accessing the railway.

The groups then walked to Bristol Temple Meads station to do some familiarisation and some learning related to reading departure boards, finding platforms, and purchasing tickets. Students then boarded a GWR train to Avonmouth for a commuter experience.

The purpose of this part was to help students gain a better understanding of some of the benefits of choosing rail-travel in the future, as commuters. Students on the trips were delighted to be able to access free wi-fi and charging points, as well as enjoying sitting with their friends, interacting with others, and enjoying the splendid artwork along the Severn Beach line.

On arrival at Avonmouth, the groups travelled to Avonmouth Community Centre to begin the career aspect of the trips. Students were greeted by Sam from the centre, who welcomed the groups and provided them with the wider context of this wonderful community space and its projects and events.

Students were then given the opportunity to engage in a career workshop with the Platform team and, on many of the trips, were visited by representatives from local businesses who joined the team to present on the career opportunities in the area. This included visits from Bristol Port Company, Severnet, Nisbetts, and representatives from GWR.

Equipped with a wealth of information about career pathways in local areas, students then made the return journey to Bristol Temple Meads and, following some lunch, concluded their afternoon with further activities from SBY. They had the following to say about the train trips:

“Fascinating safety talk, the train journey is very relaxing and calming.”

“First time I’ve ever been on a train, it’s so relaxing…”

“Really fun learning something different that’s important yet not in a school environment.”

“Best train journey I’ve ever been on, only train journey I’ve ever been on…”

Mark Nixon, Project Coordinator from South Bristol Youth, said, “The team at Platform Rail have provided the perfect package for our students on the SBY Insight into Apprenticeships programme. The blending of safe travel awareness, commuter experience and overview of the rail sectors apprenticeship opportunities is just the ticket!”

Emilie Dawson, Platform’s Learning Development Manager, said, “This project has been wonderful. It has been brilliant to piece together so many elements that I hope will be helpful to these young people as they go forward into employment or training opportunities. SBY have been a dream to work with and I very much hope we can collaborate on future projects.”

There is one session left on this pilot run, with exciting future plans in place with SBY coordinators from other areas.

Thanks to GWR for providing complimentary travel for rail education, meaning neither the schools nor SBY had to purchase tickets for the sessions.