For most of the students who boarded the ferry to Brittany in March, it was the first time they had ever left the country. For one, it was the first time he had properly spoken to his classmates.
The student had been part of the same group at South Devon College since September but largely kept to himself. It took two weeks in France for that to change.
“He came back as the life and soul of the party,” says Kate Pollard, one of the lecturers who led the trip. “These students had been with him since September, and it wasn’t until the trip that he really started to talk. To see that transformation was something else.”
South Devon College’s Turing Scheme trip to Brittany has been running since the original Erasmus programme, with more than 200 students having made the crossing in both directions over the years. Organised by Business and Qualification Development Coordinator, Paul Singer, the two-week programme combines college workshops alongside French students, industry visits, surfing and independent exploration of the local area. This year’s highlights included tours of superyacht manufacturer JFA and Pogo Yachts, and a visit to the Cité de la Voile in Lorient which also included a tour of a former French navy submarine.
For Finley, the industry visits were the highlight. “Talking to people my age, learning about the culture and visiting places like the yacht building factory, which is an area I am considering going into in the future, was the most valuable part for me,” he said.
Frank found the experience just as rewarding. “The trip deepened my understanding of marine environments and helped me build confidence, independence and teamwork skills while working with others in a completely new environment.”
Accommodation this year was in the town of Pont l’Abbé, giving students the freedom to shop, visit the market and get around independently. Paul prepares students with French lessons before they leave, but the real test comes in the moment: ordering coffee in a cafe, navigating a shop, responding when a stranger says hello.
“When they come running back and say, ‘We managed to order and the lady said hello,’ that’s the result I want,” Paul says. “It sounds small, but it isn’t.”
Kate noticed the shift partway through the trip, when students began stepping in to help her with French rather than the other way around. “I would be about to ask who wants water, and one of them would say, ‘No, that’s not how you say it, Kate.’ And then they would just take over. It was really something quite special.”
One of the highlights of the fortnight was an informal evening hosted by Paul, Kate and the students for French students and their tutors, Fabrice and Thomas, where students came together over a traditional British meal. What began as a simple social event quickly became one of the most memorable moments of the trip, with many French students choosing to attend and spending the evening talking and laughing despite the language barrier.
“It did exactly what I wanted it to do,” Paul says. “It created those really good friendships.”
Belle described a similar journey during visits to St Gabriel school, where South Devon College students attended lessons alongside their French peers. “On the first day I was nervous because it was a new environment, but I went back and loved it. I made friends and learnt that French students have a lot more freedom at school, which I found really interesting.”
The connections made during the trip have continued long after it ended. A group of French students made a reciprocal visit to South Devon College in June, and one cross-channel friendship has since turned into a planned home exchange organised entirely by the students themselves.
“It is the first time I have ever seen two students arrange something like that entirely on their own,” says Paul.
Fellow student Nicole perhaps summed up the experience best. “It was probably the best two weeks of my life. Some people on the trip were quieter, and I thought it was a real opportunity for them to open up. We all bonded through everything we did together.”
For the tutors, that is exactly the point.
“By the end of the two weeks they are like different people,” says Kate. “Watching them get comfortable, to the point where it just comes naturally, is just incredible.”
Paul added: “The students come back tired, but they come back full of stories and experiences. They’ve challenged themselves, grown in confidence and achieved things they never thought they could.”
South Devon College students benefit from a wide range of enrichment opportunities, including international Turing Scheme projects. To find out more, visit one of our upcoming Drop-in sessions.
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