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Legacy Careers ProjectUniversity commends local careers programme at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Download the full report from the University of Derby (pdf)

A University of Derby study has concluded that the Legacy Careers Project, a programme delivered by Future Foundations and the London Legacy Development Corporation, has provided schools with an impactful, appealing and cost-effective way of delivering a high quality career education programme. The project, aimed at developing the career aspirations of young people in the four boroughs surrounding Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has therefore been successfully extended.

The pilot programme was externally evaluated by the International Centre for Guidance Studies and was led by Dr Tristram Hooley. The evaluation looked at the work of the consortium led by Future Foundations and supported by Brightside, CC-Lab and the International Centre for Guidance Studies in their delivery of the programme to 770 students from five schools across the four East London Boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.

A high level of learning was observed throughout the programme by the evaluators with 60 per cent of students reporting that their self-confidence had improved, 50 per cent reporting their creativity had improved and 43 per cent reporting that their energy and motivation had improved. Students also stated that they enjoyed the experience and found it a useful programme to be involved in.

The aim of the Legacy Careers Project is to inspire extraordinary careers, drawing on inspiration from the career opportunities that are being created in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the surrounding area. The project enables young people to better understand their career options at the time they are making their academic and career choices and aims to equip them with the information, confidence and motivation they need to plan and manage their own careers.

“With the ongoing transformation work at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park set to create thousands of jobs over the next few years, it is important for the London Legacy Development Corporation to be able to support students in the local area in being able to learn the skills and techniques that will help them become the workforce of the future in east London. Following this successful project we will continue our work with schools to help raise aspirations and inspire extraordinary careers.”

Dennis Hone, Chief Executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation

5
Schools
770
Students
4
Boroughs

Download the full report from the University of Derby (pdf)

“This project has been incredible to deliver. By drawing upon Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park our delivery team, supported by sixth form team leaders, have brought careers information to life. We are passionate about enabling every young person to make a positive transition into the world of work and believe this project has helped young people in east London take an important step by exploring how they could contribute to their local community by creating a new business.”

Jonathan Harper, Chief Executive of Future Foundations

The pilot Legacy Careers Project was delivered in five schools between May and December 2013: St Angela’s Ursuline School (Newham), Cardinal Pole Catholic School (Hackney), St Paul’s Way Trust Tower Hamlets), Heathcote Secondary School (Waltham Forest) and George Green’s Secondary School Tower Hamlets). Delivered in Year 8 before the summer and then to the same group when they were in Year 9, 770 young people explored their aspirations, had the opportunity to be interviewed and worked as a team to develop a new business for Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The project came to an impressive close at an event that brought the top team and students from each school to Stratford Circus. The top teams then presented their business idea, competing against the other schools in front of a panel of judges. The business ideas were diverse, creative and enthusiastically presented and the Team of the Year Award went to St Angela’s Ursuline School. Awards were also given out on the night for young people who had gone the extra mile and improved the most in the project.

Download the full report from the University of Derby (pdf)

According to the report that has been recently completed by iCeGS, the evaluators noted the delivery of an effective and coherent career learning programme that aligned well with best practice in the sector. The evaluation concludes that the project was successful.  The key findings found that students who participated in the programme reported that they enjoyed the experience and found it useful with a high level of learning being observed throughout the programme by the evaluators.

Other key indicators of success were that 60% of students reported that their self-confidence had improved; 50% reported their creativity had improved and 43% reported their energy and motivation had improved. The programme also provided opportunities for a group of sixth form team leaders to lead and support a team of Year 8’s/Year 9’s. These students also reported improvements in their self-confidence (53%), leadership skills (47%) and other skills attributes.

In conclusion the programme provided schools with an impactful, appealing and cost-effective way of delivering a high quality career education programme.

Today helped me broaden my horizons and if I put my mind to it the possibilities are endless.

Student, St Angela's Ursuline School

Today was a wonderful day, I wish it could carry on like that every day and that we should do this type of project/workshop frequently.

Student, St Pauls Way Trust

Yesterday I was pretty sure what I wanted to be when I’m older but now I realise that there is more than what I thought there was.

Student, St Angela's Ursuline School

Today has been a very good experience and I have learnt a lot about what to do in the future.

Student, Cardinal Pole Catholic School

The students have had a positive and proactive attitude towards the project and it got them thinking about jobs and careers early, even jobs they didn’t know existed.

Teacher, St Pauls Way Trust School

Having the opportunity to lead, motivate and inspire a group of young people has been exciting as well as a great learning experience. Watching them grow and bloom over the 5 days throughout the project has been refreshing and fulfilling.

Team Leader, Heathcote Secondary School

Self Confidence Improved

Creativity Improved

Energy & Motivation Improved

Download the full report from the University of Derby (pdf)

For more information contact Kate Suart at Future Foundations on 0203 432 3450 or kate.suart@future-foundations.co.uk

Notes to Editors

Future Foundations (FF) is an education training organisation working with over 5000 young people aged 9 to 19 every year.  Our mission is to inspire young people to achieve their full potential and become leaders in their lives and within society. Our vision is a society where all organisations are led by socially conscious people, with every young person making the transition into adulthood with the foundations they need for their future.  We believe young people are the solution to many of the challenges faced by society today and we need to challenge young people to create their own future.  We are working towards achieving our mission by delivering coaching, mentoring and training programmes and through the development of the FF network.  www.future-foundations.co.uk.

London’s newest visitor destination, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, will be a place unlike any other. The south of the Park will reopen from 5 April 2014. More than a million visitors have already enjoyed the Park since it started to open in July 2013.

Visitors to the Park will be able to enjoy beautiful parklands and waterways, world-famous sporting venues, arts and events and spectacular views from the ArcelorMittal Orbit. As a new heart for east London, the Park will also provide new homes, jobs and a cultural and education quarter.

The London Legacy Development Corporation promotes and delivers physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the surrounding area, in particular by maximising the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

For more information visit QueenElizabethOlympicPark.co.uk, follow us on Twitter @noordinarypark and like us on Facebook facebook.com/QueenElizabethOlympicPark