Lightning Talks selected:

We moved our entire operation into a school playground. This is what we learned.

by Elle Docx, Communications Director, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

In this Lightning Talk, the speaker will discuss the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment’s recent relocation to a residency in a local primary school, covering a range of aspects of life in the playground for the Orchestra including safeguarding, managing press demands, earning the trust of the pupils and maintaining the OAE’s mission.

This Lightning Talk is aimed at any organisations in the KQ who are thinking about working more closely with the community. The talk may ease any concerns delegates may have about working with the community, and perhaps to make them aware of some of the less obvious challenges.

The Place: Partner Schools Programme – building genuine local impact

by Emma Bellerby, Creative Learning Assistant Manager, The Place

The Place believes that creativity should play a part in the education of every child and young person. Their Camden Partner Schools Programme works with a third of all primary schools in Camden to offer children creative dance education and meaningful opportunities to watch, create and perform dance over the course of an academic year. The programme includes 14 partner schools, providing a platform for over 700 children. Through the pandemic, The Place doubled down efforts to support its most vulnerable communities and found innovative and collaborative ways to deliver creative and physical activities for children through the Camden Partner School Programme, without compromising quality. This resulted in over 50 bespoke videos distributed digitally to schools and parents, which were viewed over 2000 times.

In this Lightning Talk, delegates will be inspired by the co-creation practices applied through this project, the lessons in slow and genuine relationship building with schools and the heartfelt stories coming out of creating meaningful impact with and for our local community.

Student-Driven Diversity in Veterinary Sciences

by Dr Grace Mackintosh Sim (Success and Engagement Manager), Dr Lavinia Economu (Vet) and Emmanuel Oloyede (Vet student), Royal Veterinary College

Students and staff in the fields of Veterinary Medicine and associated animal careers have been working hard to challenge a lack of diversity during recent years. This lightning talk will explain the sector’s initiatives at different levels, and show how the RVC turned the digital shift caused by the pandemic into an opportunity to reach new audiences.

Dr Lavinia Economu, recently graduated vet surgeon, will describe how she set up Animal Aspirations, a source of inspiration and encouragement for students to see many role models and hear about their journeys into veterinary medicine. Animal Aspirations has partnered with Ebony Horse Club in Brixton to link aspiring young vets from disadvantaged backgrounds with equine specialists at RVC for real experience handling ponies at its Equine Hospital. Lavinia has been able to scale the initiative up by liaising with other universities, and Animal Aspirations sections now exist in several vet schools.

Emmanuel Oloyede is taking over leading RVC’s Animal Aspirations as Lavinia goes into her veterinary career.  He will explain the vision for the future of the programme.

Creating Greater Social Impact Together – Local Learnings
by Rose Alexander, Community Manager, Regent’s Place

A lightning talk about building local partnerships and collaborating for change. An example of the power of a place-based approach.