Come along and find out about the Big Bang South West 2016 Event. How you can take part and what it could do for you…
Judges at The Big Bang Fair, Photo by Pinnacle
You are invited to celebrate the launch of The Big Bang South West, the region’s largest celebration of youth Science and Engineering. During 2015/16 The Big Bang will reach over 12,000 young people in the South West. The year’s activity culminates in the headline event hosted by the University of Exeter where we are joined by 2,000 young people who are talented, creative and bursting with enthusiasm for a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.
The event fuels the future talent pool in the region and is the perfect place for students to discover career opportunities on their doorstep. It gives employers a chance to highlight their offer and stop the migration of talent out of the South West.
The success of The Big Bang South West is built on a fantastic partnership of education and employers. There are numerous opportunities throughout the year to be a part of it. You could be a competition judge, a project mentor, an exhibitor at the Fair or, an event sponsor helping to make this Big Bang the best regional event in the country.
The Big Bang South West 2016 Launch is:
on Wednesday 11 November
at Exeter Science Park, Babbage Way Clyst Honiton EX5 2FN GB
between 17:00 and 18:00 hours.
To view the Big Bang 2015 videos and gallery click here.
Aaron and Dan prepare for RWC 2015 Tonga v Namibia match (c) Nick Hook
What do a young person, a Managing Director, a local charity, a national retailer and the Army have in common? They are all part of a journey originally designed to help Aaron move from worklessness towards employment but which turned out to be something much, much more…
Aaron–The Young Person–the mentee
Aaron, has mingled with business leaders, watched two RWC 2015 matches and met HRH Prince Harry but his achievements have been much more profound and his prospects are even more positive. Aaron joined REEP* after leaving Southbrook School in Exeter and having struggled to get on the employment ladder. Intensely shy, quiet and lacking in self confidence, Aaron worked steadily through the intensive ten day programme presenting his vision of his future to employers on the final day. Working with Dan, his mentor, Aaron formulated an action plan, learnt new skills and gained in confidence through volunteering and working, and recently attended the Army Careers Office. Aaron has a quiet smile, a sense of purpose and now recognises that he has something to contribute too.
Dan–The Managing Director–the mentor
Dan initially became involved in REEP through Astley Media’s generous in-kind PR support of REEP. Intrigued by REEP, Dan volunteered for mentor training and, once completed, he was partnered with Aaron. Dan provides Aaron with continuity. He is a trusted and valued person who has the time and the training to mentor him, as well as providing very practical support. It was Dan who waited anxiously as Aaron went for his interview with the Army. Dan has been on a journey too. He has learnt more about young people and the challenges they face, used his mentoring skills at work and more widely, and become a champion for REEP and now BEEP˚.
Hospiscare–the Local Charity–the placement employer
Hospiscare in Devon provides high-quality care and support to the terminally ill. Much of Hospiscare’s income is derived from their charity shops. Volunteers greet customers, prepare donations for sale and work on the tills. The Cowick Street, Exeter branch and its “happy band” opened its doors to Aaron. More than a staging post, volunteering at Hospiscare has improved Aaron’s confidence, required his commitment, demanded routine and enhanced his skill set. Hospiscare gained a young volunteer, an insight into the challenges facing some young people and met Aaron, someone who will never forget the opportunity to work with Hospiscare.
Tesco–the National Retailer–the employer
Tesco Express in Exwick is Aaron’s employer. Once Aaron had gained confidence and valuable work experience at Hospiscare, he, with new positivity, and Dan began to work on his next steps. Sitting together they researched job adverts and planned a campaign. Aaron’s application to Tesco was successful and now Aaron is part of the Tesco team.
The Army–the destination–the future employer?
For Aaron, a career in the Army has become his destination. Only months ago, this seemed far too remote a dream. But now Aaron’s continued progress through training, mentoring, volunteering, employment and, most recently, his interview with the Army Career’s Office (while Dan waited patiently for him to reappear), make his future career a real possibility!
To find out more about REEP and BEEP please contact Sandra Sampson on 01392 873939 or email sandra@sampsonhall.co.uk
Work Experience enables young people to sample careers, get a real sense of a particular work sector, to demonstrate their interest and passion for the area and to get a general introduction to the world of work. We know that young people who have Work Experience are more likely to be successful in their job search, but often the quality of the Work Experience depends upon factors other than interest and motivation. Sometimes Work Experience Placements are the result of parental contacts, second preferences and the ‘luck of the draw’. Employers who host Work Experience placements vary too. Some employers see the advantage of show-casing their sector or their organisation, of talent-spotting and of Corporate Social Partnership, whilst others squeeze-in something less than the best or do not participate at all. Where Work Experience works it makes a huge difference to the young person and benefits the business too.
Our World-class Work Experience Placement pilot will, we hope, become a flagship of our work. We aim to provide un-paralleled opportunities for quality controlled, accredited, Work Experience in Exeter and the Heart of Devon. For this initiative we are teaming up with Industrial Cadets and Education Business Partnership SW. Through this pilot our employer members will provide challenging and motivating accredited one week World Class Work Experience Placements at Silver Level (30 hours) for a group of pilot schools.
At this stage our employers are each meeting with Industrial Cadets and Education Business Partnership SW to plan and accredit each Work Experience opportunity and to ensure that the necessary insurances and paperwork are in place. Once the placements are agreed they will be offered to young people in our pilot schools for young people to start the application process. Although Industrial Cadets has its roots in STEM industries we are piloting it across our complete range of employer members.
The Industrial Cadets Silver Award accreditation offers clear advantages to the young people and to their hosts as all join the Industrial Cadets Online Network with advice and tools for during and after the placement, including advertising work opportunities. Each young person who successfully completes their Work Experience receives, among other things, a certificate which details their experiences and achievements.
Our employers are enthusiastic about holding a joint graduation ceremony of all our World-class Work Experience Industrial Cadets silver award graduates in June 2016.
Once the pilot is completed we will be in a position to consider growing the scheme in more ways than one!
Celebrating with HRH Prince Harry Photo from Exeter Chiefs Official in “HRH Prince Harry Visits Sandy Park”
Ten young people who have been working hard as part of the REEP programme met HRH Prince Harry before the Nambia v Georgia RWC 2015 match at Sandy Park on 7 October. For these young people who have struggled to gain self-confidence and to make positive steps towards work, last night was a milestone and an opportunity to tell Prince Harry about their aspirations, work and the difference the REEP programme has made. Matt B who featured in a recent BBC Inside Out programme chatted to Prince Harry about his forthcoming apprenticeship organised through Exeter College and Charlie Houlden thanked Prince Harry for coming to see them and presented him with a gift of Exe Valley beers!
For Ryan, Matt and Charlie it is less than a week since they addressed an audience of business people at the Great BEEP Launch held at the Innovation Centre, University of Exeter; a testament to the increase in their new self-confidence and to the compelling nature of their achievements.
The good news is that Prince Harry, business leaders, council officials and many members of our community believe that “every individual matters” and they are ready to support and celebrate success.
We have launched a new charity BEEP (Business Empowering Employment Programme) and we are looking for businesses to get involved. If you would like to find out more visit BEEP or please contact Sandra Sampson of Motiv-8SW on 01392 873939.
Employers, business leaders, mentors, the Motiv8-SW team and REEP* partners all got together on Thursday 1 October at the Innovation Centre, University of Exeter, for ‘The Great BEEP Launch’.
All agreed the stars of the show were three young people. Matt, Charlie and Ryan captured the audience and shone! They demonstrated in a few minutes the power of the REEP initiative in helping young people to gain confidence and make positive steps towards employment. Matt, who had been featured in BBC One’s Inside Out programme, watched himself and his REEP journey as it was screened at the start of the launch. Matt, Charlie and Ryan were inspiring! Many professionals at The Great BEEP Launch would have declined the opportunity to address the audience and yet these young people, who only months ago, felt ‘written off’ kept everyone in rapt attention.
The Great BEEP Launch aims to make the immensely successful REEP sustainable by replacing Rugby (RWC 2015 Legacy Funding) with Business support. In order to do this a new charity BEEP (Business Empowering Employment Programme) has been set-up and business engagement is sought at a variety of levels, not just to gain sponsorship but as active Corporate Social Partnership.
Enthusiasm for BEEP is strong but as Mark Shepherd, Chair of Exeter and Heart of Devon Employment and Skills Board, said “Employers need to be behind BEEP and to remember that ‘every individual matters’”. If you would like to find out more visit BEEP website or please contact Sandra Sampson of Motiv-8SW on 01392 873939.
Ten months ago we set out to pilot a work-readiness programme with a difference. A young person-centred journey of discovery with employment as one of the destinations. Realised through an intensive initial programme with the benefit of ongoing support from trained volunteer mentors. Our collaborative endeavour reaped rewards and what we hope will continue to be longer term relationships between mentees, mentors and the REEP Team. Motiv8-SW have ‘gone the extra mile’ and continue to do so; every young person and mentor knows that help is at hand.
To reward their fabulous efforts and celebrate their achievements, the young people and their mentors were promised, at the outset, a ticket to attend a RWC 2015 match at Sandy Park courtesy of the RWC 2015 Legacy Fund. Last week the young people began their World Cup Match day celebrations with a pre-match lunch and catch-up meeting in Dart’s Farm Estuary Room, this was kindly sponsored by Midas and Darts Farm. They then headed off to the Tonga v Namibia RWC 2015 match at Sandy Park. Aaron and Dan had indeed picked the winners!
Preparing to head-off to watch Tonga v Namibia
In order to continue this immensely successful initiative we have launched a new charity BEEP (Business Empowering Employment Programme) and we are looking for businesses to get involved. If you would like to find out more visit www.beep-uk.org or please contact Sandra Sampson of Motiv-8SW on 01392 873939.
Greater Exeter Skills Partnership is an independent body and voice for employers, aiming to improve employment across Devon and beyond.
Greater Exeter Skills Partnership 