Plymouth Marjon University

THIS WEEKEND!🤩🌳📆

Come and join us for our Open Day, this Saturday from 9am! We are due to finish around 3pm. But don’t worry if you cannot stay for the whole thing, the day is completely flexible, so you can arrive and leave when you like.

Can’t make it this time? Our next Open Day is Saturday 03 October, so put the date in your diaries now!📆

Available to join us? Book your spot via the link🔗

https://www.marjon.ac.uk

In case you missed it, Early Years Expert Jayne Garcia was on BBC Radio Devon on Friday, discussing the success of children's TV programme Balamory, which has returned to the BBC after 20 years.

💭What makes good tv for young children?

Jayne explains all, in her interview on BBC Radio Devon.

🎧Listen here from 1:22: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002x1pw

💬 Breaking the stigma and building support
A Plymouth Marjon University student is helping to change the conversation around menopause.

Helen Elwood, a psychology student and researcher, has launched a Menopause Café to create a safe, welcoming space for women to share their experiences, access support, and connect with others.

The initiative grew from Helen’s own experiences and research, identifying a real need for more open, stigma-free conversations.

The first café brought together women from across Plymouth to talk, learn, and support one another, helping to break down barriers and empower women at every stage of their menopause journey.

At Marjon, we’re proud to see our students using their learning to make a meaningful difference in the community. 💙

👉 Read the full story via the link in comments and find out more about support available in .



Plymouth Menopause Network

📣We are proud to support the campaign, standing up for safe, respectful communities.

As a university with strong roots in sport, coaching and football, we’re committed to developing professionals who lead with integrity, care and responsibility on and off the pitch.

Sport has the power to unite and inspire, but only when people feel safe, supported and confident to speak up. That’s why we’re backing this campaign and its clear message: if something isn’t right, don’t ignore it - notice, act, and support one another.

Our students are not only trained to succeed in their careers, but to lead with empathy, awareness and accountability. Because creating positive environments in sport and beyond is everyone’s responsibility.

Dan Tyler, Head of Sport and Physical Activity at Marjon, says: “Sport can change lives, but only when built on respect and trust. Speaking up is a vital part of leadership, and we’re proud to support a campaign that encourages people to do just that.”

Across our partnerships and communities, we continue to champion inclusion, respect and fairness - from grassroots football to education and beyond.

⚽As the World Cup begins, we’re joining partners in saying:
👉 Play your part
👉 Call out abuse
👉 Blow the whistle

Supporting the next generation of journalists and public communicators🎉

We’ve partnered with University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust to launch a new volunteer placement programme, giving our journalism students valuable, real-world experience in NHS communications.

A big congratulations to second-year students Lola Kingsland-Wain, Caitlin Kerswill and Ella Ward, who are the first to take part.

Over the coming months, they’ll work with the Trust’s Communications Team, gaining hands-on experience, telling important stories, and learning what it’s like to work in a busy NHS environment.

This is exactly what is brilliant about Marjon - creating opportunities for students to develop their skills, build confidence, and make a positive impact in the world.

From covering major events to uncovering the human stories at Derriford Hospital, we’re looking forward to seeing what they achieve.

A huge thank you to the team at UHP (including Marjon graduates!) for supporting our students and helping nurture the next generation of journalists and communicators.

Good luck Lola, Caitlin and Ella - we can’t wait to see your stories! 👏

🗓️To find out more about Journalism and other courses at Marjon, come to our Open Day on 20 June. Register through our website.

🌱 New research shows young people thrive when learning works differently

New research led by Plymouth Marjon University is helping to change the conversation about young people who are often labelled as “disengaged” or at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training).

Dr Tracy Hayes explains:

“We often focus on what is wrong with young people. Our research shows we should be asking what is wrong with the environments that don’t work for them. The young people we worked with were curious, creative and highly capable - they just needed spaces that recognised their strengths.”

The Bridging Worlds project, led by Dr Tracy Ann Hayes from Marjon alongside partners at the University of Salford, worked with neurodivergent young people aged 13–15 who had been struggling in mainstream school.

Instead of asking them to sit still and fit in, the project offered something different:
🌳 outdoor conservation activities
🎮 creative digital world‑building
🤝 trusted adults and space to be themselves

At a time when many families and communities are worried about attendance, mental health and exclusion, this research is a reminder that when learning is flexible, inclusive and designed around people, young people don’t disengage, they flourish.

Learn more via the links in the comments

💙 Turning lived experience into positive community impact

Marjon alumna Georgie Pickering is using her own journey to make a real difference for others – supporting parents, young people and workplaces through honest conversations, practical workshops and advocacy.

From her time studying Sociology with Community Practice at Marjon to building a career rooted in people, purpose and compassion, Georgie’s story is a powerful reminder of how education can empower individuals to create meaningful change in their communities.

👉 Read Georgie’s inspiring story via the link in comments.

🏆 Big news for Marjon!

Our partnership with Argyle Community Trust has been recognised on a national stage, winning a prestigious BUCS award for developing the future sport workforce.

Dan Tyler, Head of Sport and Physical Activity at Marjon, said: “This award is a powerful recognition of what can be achieved when higher education and community sport work together with a shared purpose. Our partnership with Argyle Community Trust is built around giving students authentic, high-quality experiences that prepare them for careers in sport, not just in theory but in practice.”

Darrel Harris, Higher Education Coordinator and Head of Football at Argyle Community Trust, said: “We’re incredibly proud to receive this recognition from BUCS. The partnership between Argyle Community Trust and Plymouth Marjon University has always been about creating something that bridges the gap between higher education and careers in sport. To see the impact the partnership has already had on the future workforce is a huge positive and something we believe will continue to grow even further moving forward."

A huge well done to everyone involved 👏

Read the full story linked in the comments.

Big things happening off the pitch 🌳

Plymouth Marjon University Sports Journalism students have become the first big signing of the summer as part of new partnership with Plymouth Parkway FC ⚽

The agreement will see students supply all the club’s media content for the coming Southern League Premier South season and beyond, giving them invaluable matchday experience at Bolitho Park.

It marks a step forward for both the club and the university, giving Marjon students the chance to work in a real football environment while contributing to Parkway’s ever-growing media output.

There is already a strong link between the two. Head of Operations Mike Parrish first became involved with the club during his time as a Sports Journalism student at Plymouth Marjon University, where he was taught by programme leader, Mike Baker.

Speaking on the partnership, Parrish said: “This is a wonderful club, and a brilliant base for students to really get a feel for the type of media work that goes on around a football club. For both myself and Mike, we’re really excited about the opportunities this creates for students to come in, take ownership of content, and work in front of a big audience.”

Baker also welcomed the partnership, highlighting the benefit for students: "It's such a good opportunity for our students to put into practice what they learn in the classroom, in such a professional environment, and at our 'local' club. It's also really nice that they will be learning alongside one of their own; knowing they can follow in the footsteps of someone like Mike, and learn so much from him, is a real source of inspiration for them. It's going to be a great season!"

Plymouth Parkway have developed a strong presence in non-league media in recent years, including the ‘Round Our Way’ documentary series, and the partnership will allow students to play a part in the club’s content moving forward.

First year Sports Journalism student Mark Parsons said: “I’m really looking forward to working with Parkway next season. It’s a great chance to build experience around a club that’s pushing forward.”

Fellow first year Emerson Elphick added: “It’s a great opportunity, as Parkway is the biggest sports club I have worked with before. I’m really excited to get started.”

Work is already under way to prepare students for the new season, with plans in place to introduce them to the matchday setup at Bolitho Park ahead of the first fixture of the new season.

🗞️ Marjon expertise in the New York Times
We’re proud to see lecturer Leah Phillips from Plymouth Marjon University quoted in The New York Times. The article explores why contemporary cultural references, including TikTok, are appearing in updated editions of older books, and what this means for how young people engage with reading today.
👉 Read the New York Times article via the link in comments.
💬 What do you think?
How should publishers keep older texts relevant for today’s readers while staying true to the original work?