Businesses and schools help children look to the future

Release Date:  19-Mar-2010

Up to 300 children in Bristol are taking tours of workplaces in the city this month, as part of a new drive to help youngsters think broadly about their passions for the future.

On Thursday 18 March, children from Bank Leaze Primary School, Lawrence Weston will be visiting Rolls Royce, the Council House, the harbour master and Spike Island, to get an insight into various worlds of employment as part of the “My Future My Choice” programme.

Research from the first phase of the programme demonstrates that 40 per cent of children shifted to a wider horizon from a narrow view of their future.  From considering roles such as footballer, hairdresser, teacher and 'don't know' responses, children were thinking about possibilities such as zoo keepers, engineers, architects and marine biologists.

To help children and parents get the most from their visits, Bristol City Council has devised “Explore My Future” workbooks and packs, where responses will be used to help plan future secondary education needs. The packs include stickers and I-spy games to illustrate their explorations in the city and can be continued with friends and family.

Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Cllr Clare Campion-Smith, said: “It is important that we give children a realistic and positive opportunity to explore their own passions and how that might relate to future employment.  Explore My Future has been developed with schools and employers to help expand experiences for children across the city.”

Parson Street Primary School took part in a tour earlier this month. Headteacher, Mark Lacey, said: “This has been an incredible opportunity for our children to raise their aspirations in terms of what they can aim for and achieve in the future.  It has given them a much broader view of the world of work and shown them what is possible.  We are sure that this will help them take their learning ever more seriously as they realise what an impact it will have on their future life chances. 

“The opportunity to carry out this project with Bristol City Council, ABLAZE and local businesses has been fantastic and really helps us to address the Every Child Matters Outcomes of 'Enjoying and Achieving', 'Making a Positive Contribution' and 'Achieving Economic Well-being.”

Other visits that are taking part as “Explore My Future” include the BBC, Cabot Circus, Bevan Brittan, the Bristol Evening Post, Bristol Airport, ISG Pearce, GE Capital, the Planning Inspectorate and GE VG Oil and Gas.

Anne Williams, Bristol site leader for GE, said: "It was a pleasure to host the visit and an absolute joy to meet such enthusiastic, well-informed and polite children. Making a difference - to both employees and the community - is important for us at GE and what better way than to share our business and our values with young people who are just starting to think about what the future might hold for them."
 

If the pilot is successful this year, up to 3,000 children in the city could benefit next year.

Author:   Katharine de Lisle 0117 922 2732

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