Christine Bissex-Foster presented The College Merthyr Tydfil's Key Action 1 VET mobility project as an example of best practice when working with learners from areas of multiple deprivation. She presented this at the Erasmus+ Learning Networks Widening Participation event that took place on 28 June 2019 in Birmingham.

1. THE COLLEGE MERTHYR TYDFIL
ERASMUS+ KA1 PROJECT
Christine Bissex-Foster – Head of Erasmus+, Enterprise and Skills
The College Merthyr Tydfil – 4th smallest FE college in Wales – part of The
University of South Wales Group which includes us, USW and Royal Welsh College
of Music and Drama
The Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) found that NEARLY half of
Merthyr Tydfil has been ranked in the bottom 20% of the most deprived places in
the country
Total students – 2678 consisting of:
351 A level students
1550 vocational students
316 Higher Education students
305 GCSE students
58 AAT students
40 Adult Community Learners

2. THE COLLEGE MERTHYR TYDFIL
ERASMUS+ KA1 PROJECT
OUR LATEST PROJECT (WHICH ENDED MAY 2019) INCLUDED 284 LEARNERS & 52
ACCOMPANYING STAFF FROM THE FOLLOWING VOCATIONAL AREAS GOING TO OUR 2
GERMAN PARTNERS
CONSTRUCTION
HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
MOTOR VEHICE
BEAUTY
HAIRDRESSING
BUSINESS
IT
CHILDCARE
TRAVEL & TOURISM
MEDIA
SPORT
WE ARE ALSO PART OF COLEGAU CYMRU’S BID WHERE WE HAVE ANOTHER 172
STUDENTS & 60 STAFF GOING TO 7 PARTNERS IN
SPAIN, FRANCE, GERMANY & SWEDEN

3. THE COLLEGE MERTHYR TYDFIL
ERASMUS+ KA1 PROJECT
The experience for our students is life
changing; some of our students have never
been abroad or completed work experience.
They go out as children and come back as
adults. This video is just one example of how
Erasmus can change lives
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTJ048Xxd
uQ&feature=youtu.be

4. THE COLLEGE MERTHYR TYDFIL
ERASMUS+ KA 1 PROJECT
The statistics below show that students who have attended
Erasmus+ are more likely to complete their vocational
courses
Division Vocational areas included
in Erasmus + Bid
Divisional
success rates
No of
participant
Main qualification
pass
Erasmus+ participant
success rates
Division total Increase in
Success for participants
Technology Motor vehicle
Engineering
15/16 82% 10
10
8
9
80%
90%
85% 3%
Construction Construction 15/16 84% 19 17 90% 90% 6%
Construction 16/17 89% 19 19 100 89% 11%
Business
Management
Business studies
Travel and
Tourism
15/16
83% 24
11
23
10
96%
91%
94% 11%
Hair and Beauty Hairdressing
Beauty 15/16
76% 12
12
11
11
92%
92%
92% 16%
Care and
Access
Childcare 15/16 79% 11 10 91% 91% 12%
Computing Information
Technology 15/16
87% 24 24 100% 100% 13%
Totals 133 123

5. THE COLLEGE MERTHYR TYDFIL
ERASMUS+ KA 1 PROJECT
Top tip!
Always get the buy in of your senior
management and heads of division before
applying for funding for groups. If staff aren’t
committed getting students to go is difficult.
The backing of Senior Management is essential
when issues arise.