Bodyswaps grant helps City of Portsmouth College students gain confidence through immersive learning

City of Portsmouth College has obtained a rare grant to explore immersive learning through an innovative programme called Bodyswaps.

The College is one of only 28 organisations to be accepted onto Bodyswaps’ new grant programme, where students get to benefit from the technology and innovation it provides without charge.

Bodyswaps offers interactive, AI-powered roleplays on VR, PC, and mobile, giving learners the opportunity to develop confidence and speaking skills. For City of Portsmouth College, the grant will help support students in Early Years and Law across the next three months. Using the technology, the students can practice conversations and even job interviews, receiving feedback and trying different approaches in a safe, supportive environment.

Bodyswaps’ Open Conversation feature also allows staff to create specific roleplays that link directly to their teaching, giving students opportunities to apply what they’ve learned through relevant conversations and scenarios.

With Early Years, it forms part of an NCFE research initiative focused on professional discussion skills, while with Law, it will explore how roleplay can strengthen communication and confidence for future careers.

Janie Gonsalez and Paddy Ferguson from the Bodyswaps team visited Sixth Form Campus to provide on-site training, with City of Portsmouth College’s Jack Pauley, Head of Digital, Quality & Innovation, on hand to see it in action.

“We’re excited to see how a little more space to practice could make a real difference to our learners’ confidence,” said Jack. “One of the things I’m particularly excited about is the AI roleplay functionality. Staff can upload a specific job description, and learners can then take part in a simulated interview, with questions tailored specifically to the role they’ve chosen. It has so much potential for building confidence, developing employability skills and increasing engagement.

“It’s also really accessible. Our students can experience the platform through VR, on a laptop, or even from home, giving them the opportunity to practice in a safe environment where they can build their confidence at their own pace.”

Janie Gonsalez, Global New Business Lead at Bodyswaps, added: “We’re delighted to be partnering with City of Portsmouth College on this project. Confidence in conversation isn’t something you can learn from a textbook. It comes from repeated practice – having the space to get things wrong, reflect and try again. What stood out during our visit to the Sixth Form Campus was how many possibilities staff could see for their own learners, across a huge range of different curriculum areas. We’re really excited to see what the staff create, and what the students achieve, over the next three months!”