Dear Colleagues.
I have decided to tell you about the World Gift Africa trip in the form of a serial. Each week in the staff bulletin I will write about each day to share something of this wonderful experience with all of you. For the first instalment I have decided to provide a bit of background for all the new staff that have joined our community this year. Here goes.
In January 2008 I was approached by David Ross the Chief Executive of a non profit organisation called Partners in Innovation. We had worked with David before and he was instrumental in helping me to set up Science 4U ( another story ). He came with an idea for a Great Debate where young people came up with a “ Big Idea “ to form a Solution for the Planet. Students would work in teams and after some input would formulate their idea backed up with a 5 minute presentation, a business plan and a skills action plan. As a school we agreed to participate and a successful bid for Enterprise funding meant that we had the resources to go ahead. Unlike other schools who had signed up we wanted to run this project with a whole Year group, Year 9.
In March 2008 we ran the project. Every team of 4 or 5 students formed from friendship groups, in forms, came up with an idea and in this first run 4 teams were selected to put their ideas through to the Regional Finals at Sheffield University. We won first and third place with a” A Pack for Babies a Pack for Life” and “ Throw a Party not a Punch “. The latter was a scheme to develop apprenticeships for Young Offenders. The winners went on to the National Final at the Palace of Westminster.
The project encourages links with partners and role models who can advise and help the big ideas become a reality. The 4 girls who thought of the pack for babies linked with CAFOD and Margaret Siberry, manager of the CAFOD team for the Diocese of Leeds . Competition at the London Finals was tough, however the girls won the hearts of the judges because their Presentation was spot on and they were the only team to think globally rather than locally. They also had a partner in CAFOD. By absolute chance, Peter Nanle, Project Manager for CAFOD Nigeria happened to be in London at the time and he came with us to the Final. He was able to advise the girls about their Virtual Pack, they listened carefully and came up with a credible package that would reduce maternal and infant mortality. After winning CAFOD came up with a challenge, market the pack successfully in the Leeds Diocese and we will consider putting it into the World Gift catalogue.
The girls gave generously of their own time, evenings and weekends, we went to Parishes, attended Conferences, we went to schools, the Local authority, and basically anywhere we could sell the virtual packs at £30 a time. The money rolled into the CAFOD Office in Leeds, after the Christmas and Easter campaigns the girls had raised £17.000. CAFOD were mightily impressed. They advised on Marketing and credited the girls with the idea. Never before had a pilot project been so successful. The support of the girls’ parents, the local community and the staff here in the College was phenomenal. In the College we raised an incredible amount of money over the Christmas period.
This project is a model for independent learning, even though the girls have had to miss some curriculum time what they have learned outside of the classroom is priceless. On this note, I would like to stress how much they ( and I ) worry about missing lessons which is unavoidable when involved in such a task and how much they strive to catch up. They need your support in order to balance all of their commitments and I would like to thank you again for assisting them. I am always willing to listen to any concern from colleagues.
After Easter we met with the CAFOD team from London and we were told that the renamed pack for Mums and Babies ( name change due to the Life charity and fully negotiated with the girls ) would definitely go into the World Gift catalogue due to be relaunched in September 09. The girls asked what impact is our pack having? and the CAFOD team invited them and me to find out. CAFOD want to show how young people can make difference to their world, and they were prepared to send 4 young 15 year girls to Nigeria to find out for themselves. Hence our amazing trip.