Tackling inequality
The college’s commitment to inclusion and diversity includes close ties with its local community – students take part in projects with local schools and faith groups, and work in community woodlands.Â
Short courses help the college widen its outreach. Its annual Ecological Futures Camp is a residential experience for young people living in towns and cities, which introduces them to the basics of ecology. The college works closely with partner organisations to make sure a diverse mix of young people take part. Â
The college is teaching skills that can be applied locally, in an area facing economic challenges. Talgarth’s last major employer, a hospital, closed down in the 1990s. The college’s work supports the growth of sustainable jobs, in Talgarth and other rural communities.
A radical heritageÂ
The college’s founder Ben Rawlence was inspired by the original Black Mountain College, which operated in the United States from the 1930s to 1950s. The North Carolina institution offered a radical model of education – students worked on the land, practiced the arts and studied philosophy.Â
Ben believes that by pioneering alternative approaches and pedagogy, the new Black Mountains College will unlock human potential and help drive the cultural change needed to thrive despite the unfolding climate crisis.   Â