London South East Colleges staff and local community volunteers work together for students’ safe return to campus

Since Monday 8 March, when the staff and students at London South East Colleges (@LSEColleges) began returning to its campuses for face-to-face teaching and learning, the College has managed to carry out nearly 8,500 rapid flow Covid tests onsite. This amounts to a 70% take up of the test (overall since the beginning of February) and so far (as of Tuesday 23 March 2021) no positive tests have been returned.

With the government announcement on Monday 22 February that all schools and colleges could start the process of welcoming pupils and students back into classrooms, a rollout of lateral flow tests for all college users began just three weeks ago in the run up to the Easter holidays. A lateral flow test is designed to inform and allow those without typical symptoms of Covid-19 but who may be carrying the virus undetected to report this to the NHS via an app.

The tests began initially, and voluntarily (which it still is) back at the end of January in order for the College to allow its most vulnerable students and those who chose to take vocational examinations back on site. The operation was stepped up at the beginning of March in order to allow more students back (gradually) and so more testers were required.

The College’s HR department appealed for staff to respond and work as testers but still needed more hands-on-deck if it was to reach its targets. Over 80 full and part-time staff stepped up to the challenge and were given in-depth training before starting the operation with continuous supervision and support throughout. Subsequently, 45 local volunteers joined the teams at Bromley, Greenwich, Bexley and Orpington (six campuses in all) and the period of onsite tests will be completed this week (Friday 27 March) before a new system of home testing takes its place ready for the Summer term. Home testing kits are now being handed out free of charge.

The overall management of the lateral flow testing was done by Deputy CEO and Principal of Colleges, David Lambert and Vice Principal for Quality Assurance, Digital Experience, English and Maths, Tracey Davis.

Tracey said: “On reflection, I think we have handled this remarkably well. The tests have been carried out with clinical precision, in very clean and Covid-safe conditions and supervised extremely well. The staff and volunteers have taken the tasks at hand very seriously and I’m pleased to say that the students attending have behaved magnificently and with great respect; as well as complying to our current social distancing and mask wearing requirements.

“I would like to thank our wonderful volunteers who have attended day after day for their amazing community spirit – without them, I doubt we would have succeeded in the way we have. Also, thanks to our amazing staff who have taken part as well as maintaining their normal duties – this has been a very difficult balance and we have identified some real heroes – those who have gone well above and beyond the call of duty.”

Diane Diamond, Volunteering Services Co-ordinator at Community Links Bromley, helped to recruit the volunteers, mainly from individual applicants as well as local Rotary Clubs. She said: “The prospect of testing all students to ensure they could return to their studies safely was a huge task for London South East Colleges. We were delighted to be able to help with that task by becoming involved with the recruitment, which was crucial to the success of the testing programme. Using our knowledge of recruiting and managing volunteers, we were able to promote the opportunity to all the amazing local people who had come forward to volunteer during the pandemic.”

TESTIMONIES OF VOLUNTEERS AND STUDENTS 

Carol (71, from Beckenham) is one of our community volunteers helping to carry out our onsite testing programme this month. She said: “I’m a retired administrator and have always had a love of being an organiser; that is why I wanted to take part in this big operation. After so many months of lockdown, I just wanted to get out again and help the College get its students back in class. Being here with so many others taking part and doing their bit has been a real pleasure for me.” 

Mia (17, from the Electrical Installation Level 1) and Faith (17, from Early Years Level 2) arrived to get their Covid tests last week.

Mia: “I have no qualms about taking a test each week. I know that keeping track of the virus and preventing its spread will only go towards keeping us all safe and the campuses open for the rest of the year. I think it’s a sensible and thoughtful thing to do -and it doesn’t hurt at all.”

Faith: “I have no doubts whatsoever that these Covid tests will help to stop the spread of Covid -both in and out of the College. The test was slightly uncomfortable on the tonsils but really nothing to worry about. If it means I can come back into campus and be able to concentrate in the classroom surrounded by my classmates and teachers, then it is well worth taking the test. I also feel safer and confident of not picking up and passing on the virus too.” 

Rod and Andrew are Langley Park Rotary Club members and have been working with the College for many years on various projects (particularly with our SEND students) and recognise several students with awards for their good work and commitment to studying annually. They (and other Rotary members from around south London) were only too happy to lend a hand this month with the testing programme.

Rod: “We volunteer as Rotary Club members and always ‘put service above self’. That is our motto, and we are always happy to help anything that brings our communities together and keep people safe and well.”

Andrew: “We are always happy to be here and be of help. We (Langley Park Rotary Club) have a history of activity and collaboration with our local College and will always have plenty of volunteers on-hand during any time of need.” 

Andrew (21, from Orpington) is another community volunteer who wanted to fill several weeks before starting a new job. He said: “I start a new job as a Management Consultant in less than a month and so had plenty of time on my hands to take part in something useful and to help my community. I’ve really enjoyed this so far and glad to be ‘doing my bit’ to help the country get back to normal.” 

Black and White Photography and Dark Room Techniques student Dianne from our Greenwich Park Adult and Community Learning Centre was among those taking the Covid tests again last week. She said: “It’s actually very reassuring getting the test each week. At 70, I don’t want to catch Covid but I just cannot wait to get back in that studio and darkroom. That’s why it’s so important that we all get it done – young and old alike. It doesn’t hurt and the people who give you the test know exactly what they are doing.”