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Imagine! Belfast Festival of Ideas & Politics

imagine! belfast festival of ideas & politics

Belfast

The 8th Imagine! Belfast Festival proved to be a successful offering involving 147 events and 359 speakers & performers during 21-27 March 2022. The eclectic week of talks, workshops, theatre, poetry, comedy, music, exhibitions, film and tours attracted an audience of 9,210 online and in-person attendees. Most of the events (82%) were free as the festival returned to live events after two years operating online. Although Covid continued to impact on our programme with 17 events cancelled due to illness, we were still able to roll out a huge range of events including headliners such as Michael Ignatieff, Tom Robinson, Helen Thompson, Michael Longley, Ece Temelkuran, Bill Neely and a host of exciting arts and cultural events – with many sold out or oversubscribed. We have conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the festival through an audience survey(3.5% sample). Our survey found that 95% of respondents felt the festival satisfied their expectations. It was particularly pleasing to find that 60% of audience members were attending a festival event for the first time and 37% of the sample had never been to a festival venue before, which suggests that we were able to reach new audiences and introduce them to new venues and partners. Other outcomes included: 12% of attendees came from outside Northern Ireland. Of these, 13% stated the festival was the main reason they were visiting Belfast. Audience spend: Our sample spent an average of £35 attending our events Number of festival partners: 52 Number of international participants: 40 with 27 events organised by participants from outside UK & Ireland Number of free events: 121 – 82% of total events Average ticket price: £7.8 Number of workshops: 14 Number of venues used: 35 Media coverage: Total number of items: 98. Reach: 4,022,796. AVE: £181,881. PR value: £545,644 Positive feedback was also elicited from survey respondents, detailed as follows: 95% of respondents felt the festival satisfied their expectations with only 1% reporting dissatisfaction (increased from 94% in 2021) 95.3% of people answered the question ‘after attending the festival, would you be more likely to attend other politics-related events’ (88% last year) 97.8 of respondents stated they were more likely to recommend the festival to family and friends after attending one of our events with 1.6% stating they felt the same When asked whether the festival promotes Belfast and Northern Ireland in a positive way, 98.4% said yes, with 1.6% responding as ‘don’t know’ People appeared to be reasonably well informed about the festival. 92% of the sample stated they were either well or somewhat informed about the festival prior to attending an event Respondents overwhelmingly found the subject matter of the event/performance as the main reason for attending the festival. However, familiarity with the speaker/performer was also cited as a factor. We also asked whether respondents considered themselves to be disadvantaged and found that 21% of the sample considered themselves to fall into this category which suggests were able to significantly engage with vulnerable and less well-off sections of the community. We invited the public to suggest and organise events in November 2021 and received a record 98 proposals, most of which we were able to support. This was a higher than expected level of public participation in the festival which resulted in more events than planned taking place in the 2022 programme. We also had a greater variety of events with more place-making events, exhibitions, music and discussions/workshop events compared to previous years.

The Abbey College

the abbey college

Abbey College Abbey College in Malvern is Number 1 for student progress out of 4470 Schools and Colleges in England (most recently published by the Department of Education). Abbey College offers a variety of high quality and flexible programmes, in the academic field, pre-university level and in the English language field. We are a boarding school with traditional values, and our diverse international student body gives us a very modern outlook. We offer a fully residential package with fees covering the majority of what students need from the moment of arrival to the moment of departure. Abbey College Mission Statement – To be a learning community of global citizens, helping individuals to achieve their potential and study at the university of their choice. Academic Courses Academic courses are any that last for eight or more weeks and occur during term time. Academic courses are divided in two main bodies. Our younger students concentrate on preparation for pre-IGCSE/IGCSE examinations. At the higher level, students work towards either the traditional AS and A Level qualifications or our specialist university foundation programmes, both of which lead directly to university entry. Abbey College in Malvern Academic Courses A Message From The Principal Welcome to Abbey College in Malvern Situated in the outstandingly beautiful Malvern Hills, near the stunning and culturally rich town of Great Malvern, Abbey College provides an internationally recognised education and pastoral care you can trust. Having developed our high quality education and boarding with a family atmosphere over more than half a century, today’s school welcomes students from around the world onto British academic courses as well as onto English language courses. Whether you join us to study IGCSEs and A levels or for a two-week summer course in English, you become part of the Abbey College family. We are an inclusive school where standards of achievement are high. Our academic courses lead to world-renowned British qualifications. Examination results have been outstanding in recent years. Our experienced teachers and boarding staff are professionals who go the extra mile to ensure that all students are offered the opportunity to fulfil their potential both in and beyond the classroom. The result is that, whether they are seeking places at top universities in Britain and around the world, or returning to continue their education in their home country, Abbey College students are well-equipped to take the next step in their education. We are equally proud of our excellent academic performance and of the extra-curricular opportunities for sport and the arts, community service, touristic visits and adventurous activity that are available at Abbey College in Malvern. We take seriously our responsibility to prepare young people to make their way in life as confident, caring and responsible citizens of the world. The health and well-being of our students remains a priority and despite the prevalence of the coronavirus (COVID-19) the College has implemented measures that aim to minimise the risk of infection for both students and staff. If you would like to find out whether Abbey College is the right school for you, we would be delighted to hear from you. Daniel Booker – Principal Local Enquiries You’re invited to contact us at any time to arrange a tour of the school. Activities on the day will include: School Tour Meeting the Teachers Hear from our Headmaster Learn More About our Scholarships

Thinking Big Community Interest Company

thinking big community interest company

London

We are a group of individuals from different backgrounds and with a broad range of experiences. Collectively we have worked in and with statutory services, private business, charitable and voluntary organisations, and across many sectors including health and social care, education, heritage and industry. Each Director brings a rich array of knowledge and perspectives and we are bound by our common interest in building a fairer society. We like to be creative and to seek the involvement of others in generating new ideas, both to overcome existing challenges and in Thinking BIG about new ways to improve experiences and outcomes. After a number of years of talking about ideas, we decided it was time to take action. We looked at different models for forming a charitable, not-for-profit organisation, and took advice from some who had gone before us in this sector. As a result, we formed Thinking BIG as a Community Interest Company, dedicated to engaging in training, and projects with individuals, groups and organisations, in pursuit of the overarching aim - to promote social inclusion, opportunity and wellbeing, by making a positive difference to services and people's lives through meaningful training and community engagement. There are no share holders, no dividends and no spurious expenses. Any funds raised are put entirely into the running of projects for the benefit of the community. As for the name, we asked the people we work with what words they thought captured what we do. We want people to Think BIG when considering new projects and activities, not to be limited by what is already out there. A little imagination and passion goes a long way, and we're on an exciting journey. We have experience of achieving outstanding outcomes, both with organisations, and with individuals. Our training is designed, delivered, evaluated and quality assured, with organisations benefiting from improved employee ability, confidence, performance and wellbeing. Our community projects have made a positive difference to people's lives, and include collaborations with The National Lottery Community Fund, the Police and Crime Commissioners for West and South Yorkshire and their Violence Reduction Units, Menston Parish Council, Bradford Metropolitan District Council, Kirklees Council, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, and Yorkshire Mentoring. Our Story Our aim is to promote social inclusion, opportunity and wellbeing by Thinking BIG. To achieve this, our vision is to facilitate positive experiences, progress and sustainable outcomes; empowering people through education, training, skills-building and having a collective voice in shaping future services and lives. Much of our work is with individuals and groups who face barriers to inclusion, opportunity and/or wellbeing, and others who can support these very people. Children and adults can be vulnerable or disadvantaged by many factors including disabilities, ill-health, poverty, abuse, isolation, marginalisation or being in care. They can also find it difficult to keep themselves and others healthy and safe, or to access opportunities, services or employment, as a result of missing out on appropriate education, training or support. We can help to achieve goals and aspirations which improve lives. Others who support vulnerable people include families, friends, carers, schools, and involved or potentially supportive professionals, volunteers and services. These people can also face challenges which need to be recognised and addressed and they can be empowered in their roles through dedicated support and training. By choosing to use our training services for their teams, organisations can benefit from outstanding workforce development whilst simultaneously supporting their communities, as money raised is invested back into meaningful activities and projects

David Weatherly Education

david weatherly education

Honiton

David has nearly forty years of educational experience as a teacher, senior manager, local authority consultant and school improvement adviser. His work with individual and groups of schools across the UK and abroad is always focused on ways of achieving improved outcomes for pupils through the professional development of teachers. David’s annual training programmes around the country attract hundreds of teachers and receive outstanding evaluations. He also contributes to Early Years and Primary SCITT, Teach Direct and university PGCE programmes. Whether working directly with teachers and senior leaders in schools or writing new learning and teaching materials, David always seeks to improve the engagement and raise the performance of children and young people at all stages through the carefully planned progression of key subject knowledge, concepts and skills. David’s focus is always on learning and in particular on identifying challenging subject outcomes which are made accessible to pupils through key question led enquiries both inside and outside of the classroom. He has particular expertise in designing cross curricular learning programmes which integrate the teaching of English and Mathematics as part of relevant and engaging investigations which support pupils to study places, issues, people and events at depth rather than on a superficial level. His enquiry-based approach teaches important subject knowledge whilst emphasising the significance of teachers allowing time and opportunity for pupils to master key subject skills and outcomes by ‘doing less better’. David has been a Harper Collins author at primary and secondary levels for many years and his Primary Connected Geography framework published in 2016 was highly commended by the Geographical Association and was his third such publications award. The corresponding Primary Connected History scheme was published in 2018. As well as Geography and History David also has particular expertise in developing Education for Sustainability (encompassing environmental education, global citizenship and outdoor learning) and associated sustainable schools programmes. In addition to his national programme of Geography and History training David also provides bespoke support to individual or federations of schools and to subject leaders across the United Kingdom and internationally. He teaches regularly. David Weatherly Secondary School Deputy Headteacher I came on your course in January - in fact I also came to one the year before. I just wanted to let you know that I just presented my subject audit to staff and senior management and it was very well received. Lots of people were inspired and it is down to your course. We now have a really clear vision for Geography and we are looking forward to getting together and revitalising our planning for September. We have a lot of changes to make, but the positivity I am getting from people is awesome. I just wanted to say thank you for your help and for inspiring me. Your courses have honestly been the best I have been on in my career. Primary School Deputy Headteacher A fantastic, inspirational course which, as a deputy and English subject leader, I found matched what we want to do in school perfectly. A wonderful antidote to today’s education ‘policy’ - thank you so much. The discussion of the skills that the children needed (at a teacher level) and the assessment teachers should be planning and looking for (at a co-ordinator/managerial level) was beautifully, simply and eloquently presented

dbb coaching

dbb coaching

Rediscover your strengths and find the fulfilment and freedom you deserve Life is busy. You have a busy career and a lack of passion has crept in to your daily routine or you just don't feel fulfilled in what you are doing. It may be impacting your wellbeing, your work performance and your relationships and you are feeling stuck? Many of us are at crossroads in our career or emotional life? We can feel lost, unsure, ambivalent, or unhappy at times and burnt out with our job. As a Fulfilment Coach, I can help you understand and rediscover your strengths so you can find the career you want and the life of fulfilment you want to lead & deserve. I will help you find what you want to do and how to achieve it successfully. I believe that all of us have the strength not just to survive, but to truly thrive in our career and life overall . ABOUT ME Hi. I'm David, personal & professional qualified coach - here to help you find meaning, fulfilment and freedom in your life and career! I love helping individuals find their goals and then go and achieve them so that they grow in their career and find fulfilment. We have one life. Happiness and fulfilment are all about aligning the three facets in your life - self, relationships and work. I worked as a sales leader in corporate, tech and startup sales for 20 years and was very successful! Then through a mixture of wanting to be a better husband, Dad and friend; then losing 2 jobs in 15 months in a global pandemic, I rediscovered my strengths - a passionate curiosity and ability in helping people. Coaching can be tranformative and can enable us to live the life we really want. We can absolutely be happy and have the life we want! If you are ready to grow and go on that journey, then I can help you find the fulfilment and happiness for which you strive for in life and work. Here's how: ℹ️We DELIVER tailored 1:1 coaching packages that are focused on your unique challenges Through proven techniques and tools we HELP you go from surviving mode to thriving in your life and career by helping you discover your strengths and working with you to achieve the goals you need to reach to lead a fulfilled and happy life. We SUPPORT you throughout the program so you are in control of the changes you want to make ⬇️ Interested in learning about how we help? ⬇️ Email me on: david@dbbcoaching.com or BOOK TIME IN MY DIARY FOR A FREE CONSULTATION - https://calendly.com/dbbcoaching/intro Get in Touch Book a free consultation THE MENU TO MAKE CHANGES IN YOUR LIFE Get back that feeling of fulfilment THE STARTER 60 minute 1:1 starter session to focus on you and one specific problem you are currently feeling - be it in your life or career. Using proven coaching techniques, we will explore the issue and together work on a plan so you leave feeling revitalised with some clear actions to move forward Studying at Home Image by Denys Nevozhai THE MAIN COURSE A 3-month opportunity to transform how you feel about yourself and make the changes to rediscover YOU. Invest in yourself and transform your life so you get your passion back for life and find the fulfilment and freedom you desire, be it at home or for your career. What's included: - 6 x 60 min 1:1 coaching sessions that works around your busy schedule - We will identify the areas of your life and career where you want to see improvement - Address those limiting beliefs and understand why you feel the way you do - Discover your strengths and align those to your career - Unlimited support via Whatsapp / Email and phone during the 3 months

Amalfi Corporate Solutions Uk

amalfi corporate solutions uk

London

Based in Surrey we are Automated Penetration Testing specialists, cyber security advisors, GDPR consultants, virtual DPO’s, cyber security awareness trainers, password management guru's, email security kings and offer the most flexible and cost effective IT support for SME's Automated penetration testing from Pcysys, Cycognito and Neuralegion overcomes the limitations of traditional periodic human based penetration testing thus improving and maintaining your security posture. We offer solutions for automated penetration testing of your infrastructure with Pcysys Pentera, your applications with Neuralegion and your Web Attack Surface/Shadow IT with Cycognito . In response to questions related to automated penetration testing a research VP at Gartner is quoted “I think we can risk saying Pen testing as it is today will cease to exist” We work with customers large and small Image British Film Institute Image Image Image Image Data Protection Officer - DPO Services Innovative program - from one day per month - no long term contract - makes having your own DPO affordable. Support Services With no complex on-boarding process we simply take on what you have and run with it. We don’t do ‘packages’ or introduce complexity, our contract is two pages, our price is fixed and our service is top drawer. Automated Penetration Testing Automated Penetration Testing – the bad guys never sleep. It is no longer enough to test once a year or rely on outdated technologies to detect weaknesses and attacks. AI and ML with real-time detection are now must have technologies. Email Security Health Check - FREE 30 seconds is all it takes for this Email Security Health Check and it is FREE. Works for in-house/cloud hosted/O365/GSuite. Test to see which of 17 email bourne threats get through your defences. Security Services From fully managed security awareness training programs and managed email protection systems which automate removal of malicious content to simple endpoint malware we cover the whole spectrum. DMARC - FREE email protection recommended by City of London Police and Global Cyber Alliance It is FREE and just needs to be configured and enabled. It helps protect against phishing, Business Email Compromise, Whaling and Spoofing as well as reducing SPAM Get a Personal Service IT support contracts get a personal service rather than a helpdesk Our range of services, enterprise in class but delivered at an SME price point, are designed to help you protect your data whilst not breaking the bank. Why Amalfitech For SMB and Enterprise Our solutions are tailored to the size of the company whether small, medium or large. Our small and mid-size business solutions are designed with costs and sustainability in mind, so you won’t get offered a low entry point and then get hit with high cost professional services. Everything is upfront, open and above all we are honest. Run by Techies Our customer facing staff are techies. The company is owned by techies. We don’t do high pressure sales. We just offer great advice and service. No Weekend Rates Is your current support company taking you offline during the working day to fix problems, or charging out of hours/weekend rates for services? Our fixed price unlimited, all-inclusive remote support packages have no extra charge for problem solving out of hours or at weekends. . IT Security Specialists and IT Support We are a GDPR and Data protection consultancy, IT security specialists and IT support company for small businesses. We are run by techies for the benefit of techies. Virtual CISO and DPO GDPR, PECR and Compliance Managed Security Internal Fraud Prevention Automated Penetration Testing Security Awareness Training IT Support and Maintenance Cloud Cost and Performance Optimisation The 'IT Sanity Check' for CEO's Image Image IT Solutions We provide new and creative solutions to difficult problems. Our goal is to help you through the minefield of rhetoric and marketing to make the best choice you can make, within your budget and that above all it works. Automated Penetration Testing Attacker and Insider threat Detection Email Phishing Testing, Prevention and Training Email and File Encryption Email/File/SharePoint Backup and Archiving VOIP Unified Endpoint Management OS and Application Containerisation Anti-Malware

GymFun

gymfun

Newtownabbey

Founded in 2005, GymFun Gymnastics Club began as a Newtownabbey based Gymnastics Club specialising in recreational gymnastics. We work in partnership with Ulster University and are based at the Jordanstown Campus. We provide fun-filled classes, training, participation and performance opportunities for boys, girls, teenagers and young adults of all abilities. The name GymFun reflects our approach to the sport of gymnastics. Our motto is ‘Serious Smiles' which captures the spirit of all of our activities. We focus on developing children's fundamental movement skills and confidence through a positive and FUN environment. We believe that all children can benefit from postitive gymnastics experiences and that this can help them develop the physical literacy needed for an active life. We fully subscribe to the belief that gymnastics is to sport and physical activity as the alphabet is to reading. We therefore emphasise the mastery of gymnastics skills rather than competitive success. It is our belief that all children, regardless of ability, should be provided with an enjoyable, high quality, recreational gymnastics experiences to enable them to achieve their potential. We strive to ensure our classes are run to the highest standards and we are constantly evolving our programme. Our Membership GymFun Jordanstown is one of the largest recreational gymnastics club in the Newtownabbey. In our Jordantown classes we have over 450 GymFunners training with us every week! Our members include primary and post primary boys and girls of all abilities. Most members attend once a week for a one hour class. Some members train up to 2.5 hours per week. Gymnasts progress, at their own pace, through 4 levels (Enjoy - Learn, Perform, Master) of the GymFun programme . As our members get older we work closely with them to plan and structure sessions that will meet their motivations and needs. Many of our teenage gymnasts are also training as GymFun Leaders through membership of our Young Leaders Academy Quality Marks At GymFun Gymnastics Club, in keeping with our 'Serious Smiles' approach, we believe in providing professional recreational gymnastics provision and strive to ensure that our member's gymnastics experiences are as positive and happy as they can be. GymFun is the proud recipient of the British Gymnastics 'GymMark' accreditation. This quality mark is in recognition of the safe, child friendly, effective environment we have worked very hard to develop. We hope that this accreditation helps reassure parents and carers that they are choosing the right club for their little GymFunners! In 2018 GymFun became one of Northern Ireland's first clubs to have been awarded the British Gymnastics Equality Standard accreditation. Affirming our commitment to provision of inclusive, fair and equitable experiences to all our members regardless of their potential or ability. Our Coaching Team GymFun Coaches are amongst some of the most experienced recreational coaches in Northern Ireland. Many of our coaches (Sinead Connolly, Kelly Morrow, Pippa Davis, Molly Davies) are actively working for British Gymnastics (as Development Officers and/or Tutors and/or Assessors) and help to develop the sport across the province through this work. The majority of our coaching team are studying sport Ulster University undergraduate or foundation degree. Education, training and continuous professional development are a focus for all of our team. We hope this commitment to constant learning, improvement and change is reflected in the quality of our GymFun classes. GymFun Student Employability Programme Developing the gymnastics coaching workforce is one of our priorities at GymFun. We work in partnership with Ulster University and British Gymnastics NI, delivering the GymFun Student Employability Programme. This programme is unique in the UK and is the most significant contributor to recruiting, training and deploying new coaches into the sport of gymnastics in Northern Ireland. We are proud to say that many of our graduates have gone on to open their own gymnastics clubs and/or are working in full time gymnastics careers, impacting the development of the sport across the province. Irish Football Association Partnership We are also working with the IFA Young Girls Excellence programme. This work involves providing gymnastics specific strength, conditioning and flexibility training to the IFA junior girls squads. Through this innovative initiative it is hoped that the young aspiring footballers will enhance their fitness, physical strength and body management and in turn lead to improvements on the pitch!

Tracey Duncan Taking Care of Training

tracey duncan taking care of training

Developing a blended approach to training As a child I dreamed of having a relationship as you saw in the films, galloping along a beach, tackless, with the wind in my hair in complete harmony with my horse. As I grew up I followed many horsemen/whisperers and played with the riding school horses in my own way. I fell in love with a new arrival that was on trial; he was proving way too much for riding school customers and was going to be sent back. I pleaded with the owner of the school and she said "I’ll give you a chance to turn him around". He was about 6 years old and I was about 13 years old at the time, and he’s only just retired from the riding school at the grand old age of 30. He was one of her best ponies. From this I went on to riding the neighbour’s horses, and this is where I caught the eventing bug. I went to an Agricultural College and gained a First Diploma, National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and BSC in Equine Sports Performance, as well as gaining my BHS Stage 3 and PTT. Alongside my degree I was working for top international Eventer Francis Whittington. I have always been interested in good horsemanship, but my current horse, Woo, is the reason that I now believe in it being the most effective way of communicating with horses. Woo was bought from a dealer’s yard – chosen in part for her undeniable jumping talent, but also because I couldn’t bear to see how unhappy she was on that yard. She had a look in her eye that said “Don't leave me here”. The nerves of the dealer’s groom when asked to show her and her skittish manner should have been the warning signs that this was not an 'easy' horse, not to mention that the dealer had said I would be her 5th home this month! After I got Woo home, it was very apparent as to why the groom had dreaded riding her so much. Not only was she 'crazy' to ride, she was just as dangerous on the ground, both when led and in her stable. All of my trainers at the time advised me to have her put down or to sell her (if I could!) because she was so dangerous, but something inside me knew that she was misunderstood. I could sense that she didn't want to react in the way she did all the time. I found a form of horsemanship that helped micro manage her, but I wanted more. After attending a Horsemanship event in 2009, I haven't looked back. It gave me the direction and tools to build a meaningful relationship with Woo. She is now the best partner I could have ever dreamed of. She has gone from a horse that I was advised to put to sleep due to her being so dangerous, to my best friend and soulmate; she has toured the UK with me demonstrating our partnership. She's gone from physically shaking in a show jumping arena and stopping at fences to loving show jumping and being a great team member for the local riding club, and is successful at British Eventing. For me good horsemanship has become more than something to turn to in order to resolve problem. I have found it a more effective foundation for any horse’s training. I believe good horsemanship is the best way to start and to develop any horse's training. It can help whether you want to learn how to understand your horse better, enjoy your horse more (and that could mean having a horse that loads easily), stands still to mount, jump whatever you ask, being calmer at shows, or if you want to ride bareback and bridleless. I am passionate about good horsemanship and competition and enjoy the two becoming one. I have spent the best part of a year over in the USA, learning and developing myself as a horseman and teacher. I continue to strive to be better each day as a horseman and instructor My approach starts with listening and reading your horse, identifying what are they trying to tell you, and what do they need from us for the partnership to grow. How can we adapt the way we are with them so they are happy and you can have a harmonious relationship.

AV8 Flight School

av8 flight school

Where do I start? If you want to fly and operate drones professionally, the General VLOS Certificate (GVC) is the most practical and effective way to reach your aims. Legally you don't need any special training or certification to fly drones commercially (just a Flyer ID, Operator ID and correct insurance), however for most operators the limitations on where you can fly and how close you can get to people are far too restrictive to be practical. This is referred to as the Open Category. It is possible to fly with fewer restrictions in Open Category via the A2 Certificate of Competence (A2 CofC), however there are some strong caveats with regards to its usefulness and longevity (see the A2 CofC below for more info). The way to remove and reduce the limitations on where you can fly is by obtaining a CAA Operational Authorisation (an "OA") so you can operate in what's called the Specific Category. To obtain an OA, you first need to complete a GVC course with an approved training provider, like AV8. The OA is a formal permission that allows you to fly drones up to 25kg inside congested and built up areas and to within 50m of people. The important distinction to note is that this 50m separation distance is measured as an invisible "bubble" around the drone, as apposed to the 50m "cylinder" that applies in the Open Category. This effectively means that, subject to certain safety precautions, you have enormous freedoms in where you can fly, even to the point of flying overhead people if you're more than 50m above them if it can be done safely (and for no longer than necessary). An OA also provides you with a far more professional client-facing image, so much so that its estimated that around 80% of the UK's £42bn drone industry is only available to operators with an OA, since most clients specify it as a baseline requirement. If you're planning on flying for another drone operator, it will also very likely be a requirement that you have. a full GVC. The GVC is a pilot competency course designed to provide you with everything you need to obtain an Operational Authorisation (OA) from the CAA. It consists of some online study, an exam conducted under formal conditions, the creation of an operations manual, and finally a practical flight test. Once you've completed the course, you're awarded both the GVC and A2 CofC (our courses are modular!) and you can then use your shiny new certificate to apply to the CAA (see below for more info on the OA). Having a GVC brings a lot of flexibility and professionalism to your drone operations. You learn about flight operations, meteorology (the weather), flight performance, as well as the practicalities of planning and conducting safe and legal drone flights. Depending on your circumstances, the course can be finished in as little as a week, however most students complete it over the course of 4 to 6 weeks on a part time basis. The theory section of the course is completed online via our virtual learning environment; super easy to use and navigate and there are lots of quizzes and knowledge checks to keep you on track. Once you're ready, the exam is online and on-demand 24/7/365 (literally!). You'll connect with a proctor (a human being) who'll help you get set up and ready. The exam is multiple choice and covers the same areas as the knowledge checks. Because of the way our courses are structured we have a near 100% first time pass rate, however if you happened to have a bad day we provide you with some additional support and retakes of the exam are always free. With the exam complete you'll be able to log in to Flight Docs, our very own automated system for creating your operations manual. It takes around 30 minutes, after which you'll have a full compliant and formatted document sitting in your inbox. The final step is your practical flight test. We have a network of flight examiners across the whole of the UK from which you can choose the one closest and most convenient to you. We also provide you with the details of how the flight test is performed right at the start of your course so you can practice whilst you study. The test itself consists of planning for the flight, setting up, completing the various manoeuvres, responding to simulated emergencies and closing your operation down. It may seem a little daunting but we guide you every step of the way.