THE GSUS Live bus returned to Holsworthy Community College on Thursday, February 20, to help students put Christian teachings into practice.
The trailer, which visited the college back in 2017, provides an alternative learning environment for pupils to get hands on experience in religious studies. The multimedia classroom will be available for the use of both the community college and local primary schools and will remain at the college for one week before moving on to Shebbear College.
Holsworthy Community College’s youth chaplain Ruth Jones said: “It is a lorry trailer that arrives on site, parks up securing the trailer. The cab leaves the trailer on site for the week before returning on Friday, February 28, to move it on to Shebbear College.
“Connect Mid Devon, a Christian schools work charity, have arranged for the GSUS Live trailer to return as it proved really popular with the college last time, February 2017. Fairly soon after I started volunteering within the college, I was asked by the head of humanities if it could return again.
“There is also a new cohort of students who haven’t yet had the opportunity to experience a lesson in the trailer, so it’s great to be able to offer that to them. There is still a buzz if you speak to some of the Year 10 students about visiting GSUS Live last time.”
Ruth said it was an exciting way for pupils to get hands on with learning about religion, but does not seek to convert or preach, only to educate.
She said: “The GSUS Live trailer allows students to play agony aunt/uncle to a fictional teenager who is experience different struggles. It allows them to look at how they may apply some of the teaching they learn about Christianity and understand how a Christian can be guided by the Bible and other Christian sources, such as music videos and quotes from influential speakers.
“The Head of Humanities, Jason Scott, highlighted some of the benefits to the students as follows: The GSUS Live trailer offers a different experience of religious studies especially giving them views of Christian beliefs in a different environment than a classroom. The trailer isn’t here to evangelise but to inform in a fun and interesting way.”
The mobile classroom has a fully functioning multimedia computer suite as the core of the hardware. It is designed to take classes of up to 32 Key Stage 3 pupils for a 45 to 60-minute lesson and will provide students with a stimulating environment in which they can investigate Jesus’ teachings on forgiveness, fear, and rejection.
Local primary schools were also invited for a lesson.
The project is funded by individuals, churches and Christian trusts.
To find out more about the GSUS Live experience visit www.gsuslive.co.uk