We are part of this community: an interview with Natalie Brett

London College of Communication does not just have strong ties to the vibrant local community in SE1 – it is an intrinsic part of it, says Head of College Natalie Brett.

“It’s an incredibly diverse area; there are so many things going on around us, and it’s a huge melting pot for our students to connect with and help inspire their work,” says Natalie Brett, and she should know.

Natalie has been Head of College at LCC and Pro Vice-Chancellor of University of the Arts London since 2013. “In total, I’ve been at the University 23 years, and I’ve been working in this borough for about 11 of those,” she said.  “Many of our staff and students live in Southwark and, out of all six UAL Colleges, we have the largest number of students that actually come from the local area.”

LCC itself has been around for even longer, dating back to 1894, and was known as London College of Printing up until 2004. It is part of the fabric of the community in Elephant and Castle, where it has been based since 1963, and its work with local groups, schools, charities, businesses and social enterprises has only served to embed it even further in recent years.

Natalie says: “Before I got here, the College was already doing a lot of outreach with local schools and community groups. For a time, it focused on school outreach as funding was ringfenced for those age groups, but what we’ve been doing more recently is rebuilding the community work.

“I really believe that we make a big difference to the local area, and we want that to continue” – Natalie Brett

“We are a part of this community and we make a major contribution in both education, through our links with local schools, but also economically. There is a lot of talent in our college that can help this area. Our Business and Innovation team have built things up gradually during my time here, and the current team, led by Tim Hoar, is absolutely brilliant. Gill Henderson, who is our Cultural and Communities Manager, has helped to generate real momentum and impact through her strategic work with both Southwark and local community partners.”

Fresh bonds between LCC and its surrounding area have been forged through bespoke partnerships, organised by B&I, which match the creativity of the College’s staff and students with local community projects and initiatives that can flourish by tapping into their talents.

Alongside LCC’s commitment to social justice, and promoting collaborations between the College and local organisations to help solve society’s big challenges, is a determination to support and nurture the new generations of graduates entering the creative industries.

“Encouraging local young people to explore their options in the arts and higher education should be something that every university strives to achieve, and it’s something we are very good at,” says Natalie proudly. “We’re really interested in helping students have a better experience and give them that developmental boost.”

Some of that comes via LCC’s outreach programme, tailoring a more student-led and industry-focused approach to projects. The crown jewel of LCC’s outreach activities is the Talent Works programme. “We’ve got a very diverse group of students, and we want them to use their talent to help the local community, but also ensure they are rewarded for their work,” Natalie explains.

A realisation that many community groups and small businesses in Southwark do not have access to high-quality communications skills led the B&I department to establish Talent Works, which provides paid opportunities for LCC students to work on ‘real world’ project briefs at no cost to clients.

Over four years, around 170 students have worked on nearly 100 partnerships, providing invaluable experience as they look to expand their portfolios, and delivering fresh approaches and innovative thinking for local organisations. “Talent Works is brilliant,” says Natalie. “I receive a lot of positive feedback from students, local groups and businesses, and individuals that have been involved in its projects.”

Natalie explains that LCC’s approach is informed by its own diversity and vocational ethos. “We are definitely not elitist. We are the most diverse College in the University, and the reason for that is twofold. It is because of where we are; people feel comfortable here and they don’t feel intimidated, and the other thing is our subject areas make sense because our course titles are what you see in job descriptions.”

LCC plans to continue playing a vital role in the local community as it prepares to move into a new building in Elephant and Castle. Natalie says: “We want to be a hub that supports and provides resources for graduates and local businesses, and our new building will help us do this. I really believe that we make a big difference to the local area, and we want that to continue.”

Being a part of a future-facing university, LCC is committed to continuous evolution, and to best support its students as they prepare for their careers. “I think this is a very unique College,” Natalie adds. “We’re constantly changing because we’re constantly looking at what’s going on around us and in industry, and I think we are often a step ahead. People look at us to lead.” 

Natalie Brett photo courtesy of LCC.Elephant and Castle photo by jacksprat85 via Flickr Creative Commons licence CC BY-NC-SA 2.0