Client:  Lincolnshire Coastal Action Zone

Project: Aspiring Minds

Summary

On behalf of the Coastal Action Zone and the Coastal Communities Alliance in Lincolnshire, Fens Forward has designed, developed and will deliver the Aspiring Minds programme to Year 9 students in secondary schools located within the Coastal Action Zone area.    

Objective

The Coastal Action Zone required a solution to help alleviate the problems that affect young people within the coastal area of Lincolnshire.  Many young people are faced with a difficult and unstable economy which fluctuates dramatically during the year and added to this are poor transport links and facilities that can be closed during the winter months.  As a result many of the young people in the area have low aspirations and are unwilling to consider further education or work placed training schemes, furthermore the idea of a career or setting up a business of their own is seen to be well beyond their reach.  These circumstances, coupled with the current economic climate have led to many young people falling into a situation where living off state benefits is the most appealing option.

The solution had to be one that would raise aspirations, engage and motivate the young people involved in the project in a stimulating, accessible and interactive way and one that could be sustainable and rewarding for them.  The programme also needed to be cross curricular and flexible to appeal to schools as well as the students.

Solution

The solution has come in the form of Aspiring Minds; this interactive programme has been designed for Year 9 students and is cross curricular, covering the subjects of Maths, English, PSE, ICT and Careers Studies as well as helping schools to deliver the statutory requirements for Enterprise.

The programme has three main elements to it.  A series of five interactive workshops delivered to a whole year group in a day, rotating groups around the sessions.  The fifth of these sessions sets a challenge to create an enterprise, including the completion of an on-line business plan and a presentation of the enterprise to a panel of judges.

This Business plan, which is the second element of the programme, can be accessed through the Aspiring Minds website and the groups of students, who will have formed a Company, register their new company to receive a login and password.  The groups then complete the on-line business plan and use the different elements of the website to help with the completion of the form and the five minute pitch.  The business plan, which consists of twelve questions, will be completed during timetabled sessions in the schools.  This takes place at the school's own pace and can be completed over a period of two or three months, or shorter if desired.  The business plan can be accessed at any time during the day or night and this flexibility allows students to work on the project out of school hours or during rest breaks.

The third element of the programme is the presentation of the business plan and the five minute pitch.  The judging panel will consist of business men and women and representatives from the Coastal Action Zone.  Each group is given the chance to put their idea forward and at the end of the day the presentations and business plans will be reviewed by the panel and a winning team is put forward into an inter-schools final.  The overall winning Company receives a prize for each ‘employee’ and a reward for the whole company and the teachers involved.

Results

The programme has been very well received by schools which have found it not only appealing and complimentary to existing programmes of study but also very flexible.  With its cross curricular themes and links it has fitted in well with existing studies and enhances the work that the schools are already undertaking.  Local youth development workers have also given excellent feedback and see the programme as having genuine and tangible benefits to young people living within the area.

For more information about the programme please visit the Aspiring Minds website which can be found at www.aspiringminds.org.uk.