ARCO Plus

About this programme

The ARCO Plus performing arts and media project has been developed over the last nine years. We aim to offer high quality creative opportunities to young people aged between sixteen and twenty-two to help them get back on the road to full-time further education, training or employment.

ARCO Plus is designed to provide foundation skills in performing arts and media subjects in a supportive environment. In this way, we hope to empower students to realise their own potential. Students build a portfolio, perform live and attend performances and events. At the end of their time with us, support and guidance is available to help our young people gain employment, work placements or move on to full-time college courses.

Audio Listen

To qualify for the course, applicants must be aged between sixteen and twenty-two years old and able to attend the daytime sessions. No previous qualifications or experience are required, just a willingness to get involved and total commitment to what we are all trying to achieve.

ARCO in Action

ARCO Showreel with Interviews from WAC on Vimeo.

Contact
If you need more information, please contact camille@wac.co.uk or natalie@wac.co.uk.  You can also call them on 020 7692 5876 or 020 7692 5877. 

Course details
The course is FREE and runs for seven months from January until July each year. It is part-time and we take up to sixty-five students who attend for fifteen hours per week between Monday and Friday.

Students take three subjects in all. The first area of study is 'step up' and this is an opportunity for students to look in depth at what they want to achieve and how to ensure that they get there. They can then choose two more subjects from the following list, in which they will specialise:
    drama
    video production
    digital design
    music production
    vocals.

The course is overseen by the examination board of the Open College Network. Each subject area is broken down into three modules which can be achieved at either level one or level two. The qualifications you will receive are nationally recognised and will help you to progress in your chosen career.

Who this programme is designed for
Young people between the ages of sixteen and twenty-two who have experienced difficulties within the mainstream educational system, or have not achieved the qualifications they wanted.

Your tutors
Our tutors for this programme are very experienced in their field and most have worked with us for several years. The tutors we choose for each project will be specialists in the subjects you have chosen to do.

How to join

If you would like to join ARCO Plus, or if you would like more detailed information on any aspect of the programme, please contact Camille Curtis, the ARCO Plus Co-ordinator, on 020 7692 5877 or email her at camille@wac.co.uk.

Prices and fees
As we have said, the course itself is free to students taking part. You will need to support yourself while studying with us and we can help with advice about this if you need it.

Students attending ARCO Plus and who are between the ages of sixteen and eighteen may be eligible for Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) . If you think you might qualify for this allowance, please enquire as soon as possible and don’t wait until your course starts to apply. It could mean that you would receive up to £30 per week in term-time, which could make all the difference to your ability to study. You can find out more about EMA and how to apply by clicking on this EMA link.