A story of love, jealousy, betrayal and triumph over the odds captured the attention of 40 young people this week, who were in Cambridge for a Taster Day organised for young people in local authority care.
A story of love, jealousy, betrayal and triumph over the odds captured the attention of 40 young people this week, who were in Cambridge for a Taster Day organised for young people in local authority care.
It wasn’t the latest TV reality show or EastEnders storyline.
It was the story of Cupid and Psyche, first written down in 200 AD, and the subject of one of the oldest paintings in the Fitzwilliam Museum.
Ably guided by Julia Tozer, Head of Education at the Fitzwilliam, the young visitors gradually solved the puzzle of the painting, and worked out that, just like a modern graphic novel, the artist was telling a story to his audience.
The 15th century painting shows Psyche, so beautiful that she challenged the rule of the goddess Venus, being cast out by her family and left on a mountain, from where she was carried off by Cupid.
Like all the best soaps, the story ended on a cliff-hanger as the other half of the painting is not held in the Fitzwilliam.
Having been coached in new ways of looking at art, the young people spent time drawing and sketching other paintings in the gallery before exploring repoussé craft techniques in the museum’s studio.
The Fitzwilliam workshop was just one session in a full day’s programme put together by the Cambridge Admissions Office for children in care. The free one day event also included an interactive maths session, lunch at a Cambridge College, a discussion about higher education and the chance to hear from and ask questions of a careers advisor about school choices and aspirations for the future.
Marcus, 15, from Essex, said that the best part of the day had been the careers talk. He’d been able to ask for advice about his goal of becoming a barrister specialising in family law. “This has been a really worthwhile day. I know much more about my options as a result. But I don’t feel under pressure to come to Cambridge. The sky really is the limit.”
Jasmine, 16, from Wembley, was inspired by a talk from Mohammad Razai, who came to the UK as a refugee from Afghanistan aged 15 and is now a Cambridge medical student. “Today has helped me understand more about what will be required of me to become a doctor,” she said. “Mohammad’s story was the best bit. Cambridge will definitely be one of my UCAS choices.”
Lizzie, 15, from London, is worried about having to pay tuition fees but was reassured by hearing more about the range of bursaries and scholarships available. “It was nice to experience one of the top universities. The help with the costs sounds really good.”
The Taster Day forms part of a wide-ranging programme of events and activities specifically tailored to the needs of young people in care, which has been put together by the University. Other events include free subject-themed day visits to Cambridge for students in years 9 to 12 , e-mentoring between current care leaver undergraduates and prospective applicants in care. There is also an Open Day Travel Fund to help young people who are in (or have recently left) care with the cost of travelling to any of the Cambridge Open Days or other events that take place through the year.
The University of Cambridge welcomes applications from UK students from all backgrounds and has been awarded the Frank Buttle Trust Quality Mark in recognition of its work to ensure that children coming from care are supported in applying to, and studying at, Cambridge.
For more information about open days and events for children in (or previously in) care and care leavers, visit /admissions/undergraduate/care/
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