What is Fashion @ CSM; & how do you navigate the course!
Having worked in Outreach/Widening Participation (WP) for over 10 years before stepping into my current role leading Knowledge Exchange in Fashion at CSM, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges WP students face—not just with access and progression, but also with retention. Fashion at CSM is a rigorous course, and traditionally the cohort often includes students from quite affluent backgrounds, with plenty of cultural capital, confidence, and often prior exposure to the creative industries. For students from marginalised backgrounds, this can be intimidating and isolating, and many face barriers like imposter syndrome and difficulty navigating the academic culture. We need to do more than just offer a place—we need to prepare them properly and support them once they’re here!
This intervention I’m developing is all about supporting WP students through both access and progression, Insights into the Fashion Courses and Pathways, but also making sure they are supported once on the course. My work will be focused in Further Education colleges, vocational BTEC courses ( not the perceived golden route of studying A Levels ). I intend to run a pilot in two Further Education colleges—New City College in London (in person) and Carmel College in the North East (online). Both colleges have strong Fashion BTEC programmes and we already have CSM students from both, so there’s a real connection, and I have spoken to them about the intervention.
The intervention includes an initial session where I introduce the Fashion course at CSM—giving insight into the curriculum, teaching style, and expectations. I’ll work with FE tutors to help tailor student project briefs, and they’ll help identify potential applicants (while I stay mindful of not missing others who show potential). From there, I’ll run three one-to-one tutorials with selected students to support their portfolio and project work.
Once these students are at CSM, I want to continue supporting them with check-ins at the beginning, middle, and end of their first year. I’ll gather reflections and data on how the intervention helped them adjust and thrive. Peers are also keen to try similar work in their own regions—so this could grow.