IPC Media Schools’ Design Programme
A cross-sector partnership for the benefit of young peopl
Businesses interested in exploring how this model of cross-sector
partnership could be extended into their own working environment, can email A New Direction or call 020 8536 5380
The IPC Media Schools’ Design Programme is an innovative and original graphic design and media work-related learning programme, promoting creativity, educational achievement and young people’s enjoyment of learning, whilst developing skills directly linked to employability. Bringing real benefits to IPC Media as a business, and providing meaningful opportunities for young people through local schools, this is a leading example of cross-sector partnership in action.
IPC Media is a leading UK consumer magazine publisher with a diverse
print and digital portfolio. Its more than 80 brands include TVTimes,
Woman, Marie Claire, Soaplife, Country Life, NME, Wallpaper* and
goodtoknow.co.uk.
The programme was initiated in 2005 to complement Time Warner’s (IPC Media’s parent company) community focus on youth and arts education, giving students an insight into magazine design, and why they might want to consider it as a career option.
A New Direction brokers the relationships between IPC Media and the
schools, and provides the framework, quality assurance and evaluation
for the programme. Through refining the model, A New Direction
continues to develop and support the delivery of the programme.
The partners work in collaboration with the London College of Communication (University of the Arts, London), Croydon Education Business Partnership and Croydon College on the delivery of the programme.
The Programme
Objectives of the programme:
- Strengthening links with local schools
- Encouraging secondary school students to consider a career in magazine design
- Developing graphic design skills that are directly related to employability
- Encouraging employee engagement through the participation of IPC designers
- Creating opportunities for IPC to meet potential employees of the future
Who is it aimed at?
Students are recruited on the basis that they are taking a relevant GCSE course such as art or graphics, and have a genuine and proven interest in design. The 2008/09 programme was aimed at Year 10 students from three Southwark (the borough in which IPC’s headquarters is based) secondary schools: St Michael & All Angels Academy, St Saviour’s and St Olave’s School and Sacred Heart R.C. Secondary School.
The programme is also being expanded to Haling Manor School in Croydon, where IPC bases 15 of its titles and 170 employees. As a result of their work, a number of the students are entered for the ABC Level 3 Desk Top Publishing qualification.
Programme Structure
Stage 1.
Students attend 10 after school training sessions in design software delivered at the London College of Communication, providing expert teaching in the inspiring environment of a higher education establishment.
Stage 2.
Students undertake a ‘work simulation’ week at the LCC, during which they produce work that is published in the Schools’ Design Programme magazine, ‘4 Real’.
Stage 3.
Students complete a work experience placement at IPC, working alongside art editors on IPC magazines. In 2009, nearly half of participating students produced work of such high quality that it was published in the magazine on which they worked.
Benefits to IPC
The programme has many direct benefits to the business. It represents a training and development opportunity for art editors at IPC in terms of teaching, coaching and mentoring skills. Employees appreciate the opportunity to be able to contribute positively to the local community.
The programme also provides the chance to review students for possible longer work experience placements, as well as early access to potential future employees, and enables the company to get much closer to a key audience than they could achieve in any other way.