As Salford Uni alumni, I can truly say it was an honour to be back! Since graduating with a 2:1 in Journalism, I've been fortunate enough to realise my dreams as a writer, have work published and maintain a vibrant portfolio career, which includes managing Scribble Ink.
My return to the old stomping ground was an emotional experience - bursting at the seams with unsurprising excitement, nostalgia and a pinch of envy. Since 2008, the university has joined forces with Media City. Their campus is a blend of academic excellence and creative industry. A media student who is able to access BBC and ITV studios while on their way to a lecture, will almost certainly have a story or two to tell before they even reach their third year! Further, the old Adelphi building (a haunted campus that will leave you remembering smells, as opposed to theories worth noting in an essay) has been completely refurbished. With its contemporary village feel, plush new student digs and polished Enterprise Centre, there's a lot to be excited about, especially now...
Scribble Ink and the School of Arts and Media Campus have united for the purpose of offering students a skill-swap opportunity. In summary, this collaborative project is for those who need a case study for any stage of their degree course. Whether it's an assignment for a journalism, creative writing, marketing, sound or film module, or just pure work experience, students will support various stages of producing content for Scribble Online eCourses.
They have the option of filming, editing, marketing and even trailing future nano courses, they will be credited for any published work they're part of and a written reference or testimonial will be available to them upon request. What's even more appealing about this skill-swap, is that it not only helps students meet the demands of their course spec., everything they do, is real world context. In other words, Scribble Ink is not only available as an academic case study, but I am a genuine client, which means the work produced and reference received can be added to CVs and portfolios, thus ensuring students do not graduate with a blank canvas - they have something they can present to potential employers, clients or at the very least, something to brag about at a Nando's dinner party!
I'm only offering something I would have loved to have when stumbling about campus, trying to figure out the world and my place in it.
The skill-swap was well received by both students and professors alike. We're currently ironing out its details, with the aim to go live in early 2018.
I'd like to thank Gareth Petit, Harry Hosker and Nancy Porter for giving me the time and space to introduce Scribble Ink to a new community of learners, and I look forward to sharing more information as the project continues to flourish.