Learning in practice at The Portal Centre for Social Impact with Lisa and Rose

At Poplar Works and Making for Change, student placements are about more than skill building – they are about creating meaningful connections between education, industry, and social purpose. Welcoming students into our studios creates space for shared learning, supporting emerging designers and encouraging fresh perspectives within our work.

"The Portal Centre initiatives create vital space for children who receive very little art education to explore their creative potential and see creativity as an option for their future." – Rose Reeves, BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles: Knit, LCF.

In this interview, we speak to Lisa, a second-year BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology: Womenswear student at London College of Fashion (LCF), UAL, who recently completed a placement at The Portal Centre for Social Impact as part of the Making for Change team. Alongside this, Rose, a BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles: Knit student, offers a reflective account of her placement experience, highlighting the value of community‑led creative education. Together, their experiences demonstrate the impact and importance of student placements rooted in social purpose.

What have you been up to on your placement?

During my placement in Making for Change, I worked as a design assistant, supporting the team with production work and pattern cutting projects. I helped with sample preparation, technical development, and studio tasks, and gained practical experience in the day-to-day running of a design and production workspace. I was also involved in a charity school uniform project for children in Africa, contributing to the design and production process of the uniforms.

Has anything surprised you while working at Poplar Works/ The MFC unit?

I was really surprised by how closely creative design connects to real social impact. I did not fully expect to be part of such a purposeful project while learning technical skills, and it made me see benefiting fashion in a much more meaningful way. The supportive, collaborative atmosphere of the studio also stood out to me.

What has felt most meaningful to you?

The most meaningful part was contributing to the charity school uniform project for African children. Knowing that the work I was doing would directly support young people and provide them with practical, durable clothing felt really rewarding. It made me realise the positive influence fashion design can have beyond the commercial industry.

What has challenged you in this role?

One challenge was balancing technical precision with fast-paced production demands, especially when working to timelines for the uniform project. I also had to adapt quickly to different pattern cutting and production methods, which pushed me to become more flexible and confident in my technical skills.

Is there anything you will take away from this experience and use in your future practice?

This placement has given me real industry experience in production and pattern cutting that I can directly apply to my future design work. I have also learned how to work collaboratively in a professional studio and how to use fashion design for social good. The combination of technical skills and purpose-driven design will influence my approach to womenswear in my studies and future career.

The most meaningful part of this experience was seeing the impact of our work in real time. Hearing feedback directly from the children, what they enjoyed, what they learned, and how they planned to continue creating at home using recycled materials, was incredibly powerful. I also deeply appreciated that this was a paid placement, recognising and valuing my time and labour.

One of the biggest challenges for me was confronting the reality that accessible art education is often the first to be cut when budgets are reduced. Organisations working to address this gap rely heavily on external funding to survive, despite the clear social value they provide.

This placement has given me invaluable insight into what kind of world is possible when human and community needs are prioritised. I will take forward so much from this experience: how to create and deliver accessible community workshops, the importance of collaboration and material research, and the need for creative spaces rooted in care and inclusion.

Looking ahead, I would love to incorporate what I have learned into my own practice, collaborating with others, delivering slow‑craft and textile workshops within my local community, and continuing to listen to what people want and need from creative education.

Overall, this was an incredibly valuable experience, and I would highly recommend applying to work with The Portal Centre for Social Impact to anyone interested in helping facilitate creative, community‑led work.

Lisa and Rose’s experiences reflect the wider value of student placements at Poplar Works and The Portal Centre for Social Impact. By creating opportunities for students to work on live, purpose‑driven projects, placements support technical and professional development while strengthening community‑led practice. They offer space for learning, contribution and reflection, benefiting students, organisations, and the communities they work with, while reinforcing the role of creative education as a force for social good.

• Read more LCF Stories
• Find out more about Making for Change projects
• Discover more about Poplar Works