Find out how young people in Blackpool are developing their enterprise skills
Young people in Blackpool are being given the opportunity to develop their enterprise skills through an authority wide project called HERO (Holistic Enterprise Realising Opportunities) funded by LEGI (Local Enterprise Growth Initiative).
The project enables enterprise facilitators to be based in every secondary school, special school and FE College across Blackpool plus the education diversity service to support the local teachers in embedding an enterprise culture amongst 14-19 year olds.
The aspirational project is offering a wide ranging choice of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for teachers and non- teaching staff across the town, resources for learners to trial innovative new enterprise activities, the development of systems to measure enterprise capabilities and a brand new Youth Enterprise Awards scheme for Blackpool, and much more. Education partners are also being encouraged to participate in achieving the Excellence in Enterprise Award scheme – awarded by Warwick University. Two schools and one college have now achieved the award.
HERO’s vision is to create a lasting enterprise culture amongst young people in Blackpool, to allow them to develop and enhance skills channelled into a “can-do” attitude for the future. HERO aims to create a sustainable enterprise offer for the schools and colleges in the town, whilst also linking education and young people to the economic development of the town.
To date, more than 6000 students have been engaged in some form of enterprise activity, and over 250 teachers have taken part in enterprise CPD. Key members of staff from each institution involved in the programme meet on a regular basis to share best practice and ideas and resources.
With the target group being 14-19, the focus and feel of the project is young and inspiring. The HERO Awards 2008 featured Kylie Minogue and David Beckham (well, look-alikes anyway!) and included entertainment from a boys dance crew and local breakfast show DJ. Students and staff alike received awards for their achievements in enterprise.
The HERO development team have also produced their own resources for schools to use in lesson time and focus on helping teachers embed enterprise into all curriculum areas.
Most recently HERO teamed up with StepUp, an Australian organisation who flew in especially to work with 400 students from across Blackpool. Helen Kerr, Make Your Mark, PR and Communications Manager described the event as “the best Enterprise week event we have ever attended…” Lucky students saw guest speakers including John Farnworth, the world’s greatest football freestyler, Helen Colley of Farmhouse Fare (responsible for bringing sticky toffee pudding to the supermarket shelves) and the outrageous Simon Woodroffe from Yo!Group, who delivered quotes like “everything that has happened in the world started with a thought by someone like you”.
To find out more about H.E.R.O contact Nicola Hall, Enterprise Development Manager or Alison Sadler, Schools’ Enterprise Officer on telephone 01253 478129 or visit www.blackpoolhero.co.uk