Widening Participation & Outreach Programmes
Outreach matters!
As a graduate company established during our university experience, 2engage are passionate advocates for higher education. We form partnerships with people who share our passion and strive to inspire the next generation.
Our programmes are designed to slot into university events and engagement with feeder secondary schools, colleges and the public. Our repertoire of theatrical presentations and participatory workshops are helping people make more informed decisions about higher education, regardless of their background or socio-economic situation.
If you deal with widening participation in HE, public engagement or induction, then 2engage can enhance the experience you offer making the events on offer more varied, more engaging and more memorable. We already have great working relationships with several Universities and guarantee that people will leave our sessions with a feel-good factor.
We have a range of engaging theatre performances and participative workshop activities that will:
- Raise aspirations
- Widen participation in FE and HE
- Break the ice and build rapport
- Increase the awareness of UK higher education
- Dispel myths about higher education
- Share the latest information and guidance
First Generation Workshops for Pre-Freshers
First Generation is an initiative run by Manchester Metropolitan University which aims to break down barriers to higher education. This programme focuses on the first generation in their family to go to university, inspiring them to take the big step into higher education.
Key outcomes: First Generation Session:
Raising Ambitions
Through this programme, prospective first-generation students are inspired to raise their ambitions and confidence, seeing how other students have achieved their goal makes it feel more achievable. Young people are shown how students have been helped to secure their place at university, and have been provided with financial, personal and professional support throughout their studies; and even after they have left university.
Developing Confidence
Through a series of skill-development sessions and personal mentoring, young people (from school to university age) will work on improving their self-confidence and independence leading up to the moment they finally fly the nest.
Reaching Potential
They will also benefit from financial support through a £1,000 bursary in their first year to set them off to a good start, and the opportunity to attend a work-place residential event.
Transforming Lives
Manchester Metropolitan University’s aim for first-generation students is that it breaks down barriers before, during and after university. They would love for the initiative to expand beyond just their University, throughout the UK, inspiring more first-generation students to confidently transform their lives and reach their potential.
So where do 2engage come in?
2engage were commissioned by the Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador Project Coordinator, to create a series of workshop sessions to support this programme, focusing particularly on transition and peer support. In partnership, we created bespoke icebreaker and networking sessions aimed at prospective students, encouraging them to form friendships and learn how to support each other better.
We helped them to develop their confidence and ability to work with new people through a series of tasks in small groups. We wanted the success of this cohort to celebrate together so we challenged them to come up with new ways to improve the experiences of transition for other first generation students.
We helped them to identify possible barriers and fears, and gave advice on how to overcome these and support one another. We believe that this is an important programme and would like to see other ‘First Generation’ initiatives spread across the UK.
Theatre Presentations for University Outreach Days
Moving Up follows Year 6 students Chris and Sophie as they prepare to start secondary school. Through a mix of humorous characters and relatable transition scenarios—like making friends, facing bullying, and getting lost—the performance explores the realities of moving to secondary school. It aims to ease common anxieties and debunk typical myths about the big change ahead.
Suitable for Year 6
Choices is about making informed decisions about your educational future. Considering options can be a stressful
time. This theatre presentation aims to ease some of those fears and highlight the importance of making well-informed and realistic decisions. We all have strengths, weaknesses and ways we learn best. Choices is an entertaining and informative way to help young people make the right choice for them.
Suitable for Year 9
The University Challenge explores how university can open a diverse range of career opportunities and life paths. Through real-life examples, students learn about the importance of lifelong learning and the value of support networks in overcoming career challenges. The performance also debunks myths surrounding higher education, encouraging students to consider university as a viable and rewarding option for their future.
Suitable for KS3-5
Useful, engaging and interesting.
The students seemed enthralled by the performance and the humour. They will remember the day much more clearly because of it. Of the 179 pupils who attended both outreach days, 97% either agreed or strongly agreed that the ‘Choices’ performance was useful, engaging and interesting.
It made them think about their own potential career progression.
The 2engage ‘Choices’ performance was amazing, it really helped the young people focus on what options to choose and made them think about their strengths, weaknesses and their own potential career progression.
Lots of fun, and very informative at the same time!
The ‘Moving Up’ transition performance was one of the best performances we have been involved with from 2engage. It kept all of the pupils engaged and touched on the relevant topics that pupils were concerned about, in a fun and clever way! It was pitched at the right level and prompted lots of questions! Lots of fun, and very informative at the same time!
It was pitched at just the right level.
‘Moving Up’ was highly engaging and interactive. The children thoroughly enjoyed watching the performers address all the worries and doubts that they might have about going to high school. It was pitched at just the right level allowing the ‘too cool for school’ kids to let their guard down and really think about what issues going to high school might bring for them. The children who might be genuinely nervous about going I think would be reassured about what to do if something went wrong – like getting lost. All worries were covered and the show allowed the children to start getting excited about their new experiences and leaving primary school. It certainly made me think about how exciting being 11 was.
The performance was superb!
The performance was superb! It was a huge hit with the children (and us!). On the evaluation forms many if not all said that it was their favourite activity of the day.
Both staff and students thought the production was fantastic
Both staff and students thought the production was fantastic, it was obviously well received and made an impact on the whole year group. I will certainly recommend this production to colleagues in other institutions and would definitely like to work with you again on future projects. Thank you.