Mindscreen Entrepreneurial Spirit Programme
What is this?
Having done some preliminary entrepreneurial work with Westerhailes Education Centre in Edinburgh, Mindscreen expanded the pilot project to include five other Scottish secondary schools and one English secondary school: Grange Academy, Cumnock Academy, Milne's High School, Drummond Community High School, Castlebrae Community High School and Kirkley High School, Lowestoft.
The project aimed to identify young people who exhibited characteristics similar to adult entrepreneurs and engaged them through an inclusive and flexible curriculum based on following a two year Entrepreneurial Spirit learning programme. The Entrepreneurial Spirit programme aimed to foster the skills, behaviours and attitudes required of successful entrepreneurs by following a curriculum which stimulates and develops the potential entrepreneurs interests, knowledge and skills. The project also aimed to support the personal, emotional and career development of all students in their S2 year (year 8 in the case of Kirkley High school).
The first year of the programme was undertaken by Mindscreen and was tailored to cover soft skills development, build team spirit, encourage student self-esteem and provide experiential business start up learning opportunities. The second year of the programme, covering business start-up and related skills, was undertaken by Young Enterprise Scotland, with involvement from Mindscreen facilitators that continued throughout the 2-year programme.
FLaT involvement?
FLaT support was provided to look at whether a more flexible approach to the curriculum would improve the school experience of the 20% of young people who become disaffected with school and who performed less well than their peers in terms of attainment.
Links with National Priorities?
2. Framework for Learning
3. Inclusion & Equality
5. Learning for Life.
Project aims?
To research, create and develop flexible and inclusive curricular options that can be used by the schools involved in the project.
To improve the self-esteem, self-awareness and confidence of all second year group students through use of personal behavioural, motivational, attitudinal and career planning reports.
To provide potentially excluded/disaffected students with tailored, motivational learning.
To work with students to increase their experience of inclusion in the educational process.
To train and coach personal social development and subject teachers in the interpretation and use of students' reports to assist with effective feedback, encouragement, management and motivation of each individual, according to their particular behavioural learning style and motivational needs.
Project outcomes?
Included entrepreneurial and enterprise work in the schools' wider curriculum.
Provided a better, more inclusive learning experience for disaffected and under-achieving students.
Contributed towards closing the attainment and achievement gap by raising motivation, esteem and ultimately attainment levels of the lowest performing 20% of young people.
Timescale?
The project was started in August 2002 and was completed in March 2005.
Level of support?
FLaT support was a grant of £170,000 plus evaluation costs.
Who are the evaluation team?
University of Glasgow - The SCRE Centre. Team Leaders - Professor Eric Wilkinson and Dr Valerie Wilson.University of Glasgow - The SCRE Centre. Team Leaders - Professor Eric Wilkinson and Dr Valerie Wilson.
Contact person:
Gavin Devereux, Mindscreen Managing Director & Founder Entrepreneur, 0131 554 4555, gavin@ttiuk.net