Young filmmakers from Bideford College help tell powerful poverty stories in North Devon

Media students from Bideford College put their filmmaking skills into practice at a recent event which aimed to raise awareness of poverty in North Devon.

Year 12 students teamed up with North Devon Moving Image community interest company to film a presentation highlighting the next stage of the Ilfracombe Poverty Truth Commission, which sets out to connect people who have first-hand experience of poverty with community leaders and improve understanding of the issues involved. 

Building on skills developed in their BTEC creative media lessons, the students had the opportunity to capture a live event and apply their learning in a real-world setting.

Launched in September 2024, Devon’s first Poverty Truth Commission was set up by the county’s Integrated Care Board and is delivered by One Northern Devon with One Ilfracombe, which are part of a partnership of organisations that recognise how unfair and avoidable differences in social, economic and environmental conditions can affect the opportunities people have to lead healthy and happy lives.

Supported by Exeter University, the Devon Communities Foundation charity and other partners, the Ilfracombe Poverty Truth Commission brings people with lived experience of poverty together with local leaders to understand challenges and design long-term solutions.

The Bideford students filmed key moments as stakeholders reviewed progress and planned the commission’s next steps. Their work gave them hands-on experience in media production while contributing to a project with a real local impact.

Dr Claire Ankers, principal at Bideford College, part of Athena Learning Trust, said: “Our media students did brilliantly filming the Poverty Truth Commission event. The vocational nature of the BTEC creative media course gives them real-world experience, and opportunities like this allow them to apply their skills in a professional setting while contributing to the local community.”

Bideford College was rated good for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and sixth form provision by the education watchdog Ofsted.

 One Northern Devon envisages a future for the district where “people   live happy and healthy lives in safe, clean and connected communities where people are supportive of one another and aspirations are achieved through equal access to the best education and employment, whilst living in decent homes and enjoying our world-class natural environment.”

It says: “We are all about collaboration to improve the quality of life of the people of North Devon and Torridge, protect our shared natural environment and address local inequality. In northern Devon, people in the most deprived communities can expect to die 15 years earlier than those in our most affluent. Our partners have come together out of a moral and social duty to address this inequity and directly address the key issues facing northern Devon through our quality of life strategic priorities.”