THE INSPIRATION PROGRAMME
GATSBY BENCHMARKS
An enrichment programme aligned to the Gatsby Benchmarks designed to transform lives
By the end of this year, schools will be required, by law, to meet the eight Gatsby Benchmarks, which include workplace experience and links to the curriculum. At a time when schools need help filling the gap in their careers education and enrichment activities, The Inspiration Programme will help them fulfil these critical obligations and inspire their students with meaningful career experiences.
Good career guidance is critical if young people are to raise to their aspirations and capitalise on the opportunities available to them. With young people needing to make decisions about their future careers earlier than ever before, good careers guidance is essential to support them with those difficult choices. Done well, careers guidance is a vehicle for social justice, enabling children from less privileged backgrounds to have access to the support more readily available to their peers and broadening their aspirations to careers and employment opportunities they hadn’t previously considered.
However, helping students gain real, practical experience in workplaces and linking it to the curriculum can be a huge challenge for schools. Costs and resources often compromise a school’s delivery of meaningful and enriching opportunities to help prepare students for life after school. Often, the job of securing this for children is handled internally by teachers, who take it on in addition to their already busy workloads.
Ensuring schools provide high-quality, practical careers advice and enrichment opportunities aligned to Gatsby Benchmarks
The Inspiration Programme is a one-year course delivered in schools and colleges across Buckinghamshire and surrounding counties, designed to equip students from years 10-13, with the relevant skills needed to become work-ready.
With direct access to employers and aligned to the Gatsby Benchmarks, it helps students experience real-life situations outside the classroom, while engaging them in meaningful and enriching opportunities to help them prepare for life after school.
Over the last two years selected schools have been working with Action4Youth’s The Inspiration Programme, to provide students with a well-rounded careers programme to help them thrive in their next steps after school. The year-long enrichment programme has enhanced young people’s opportunities, education and wellbeing. It has empowered students to build their confidence, resilience, reflection, reasoning, critical thinking, collaboration and problem-solving skills so they can become work ready and prepared for the next stages of life.
As well as aligning to the Gatsby Benchmarks, this unique enrichment programme also meets Ofsted’s requirements, helping students develop essential skills for the future. Fill the gap in your school’s delivery of careers education and enrichment activities – call us on 0300 003 2334 or email tracy.palmer@action4youth.org
Video courtesy of ITV News Meridian: Taking on the role of police officers, these young people on The Inspiration Programme were part of a simulated raid on a make shift house to search the premises and arrest anyone found there.
Benefits of The Inspiration Programme
- A cost-effective and valuable way to enhance young people’s opportunities, education and wellbeing
- Ensures schools provide high-quality, practical careers advice and enrichment opportunities aligned to Gatsby Benchmarks.
- Meets Ofsted’s requirements through a unique enrichment programme, helping students develop essential skills for the future
- Ensures schools and businesses work together to expose students to the world of work, build key skills, and help them find their place in society
- Empowers young people to find their place in society and make a meaningful contribution to the community
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Mark was an unmotivated Year 12 student, regularly missing classes and becoming a habitual truant until he was introduced to The Inspiration Programme by his school. The changes in his communication skills, relationship with other students, engagement levels in class sessions and on trips to employment partners were clear to see. The value he attributed to these changes, is summarised when the school suggested to Mark that he can only continue with the Programme if he started to attend his other lessons.
Mark, The Inspiration Programme participant
Talk to us about filling the gap in delivery within your school's career experience and enrichment activities
Please contact Emily Davis, Director of Programmes on 0300 003 2334 or email emily.davis@action4youth.org
Alternatively, enter your contact details below to register your interest and we’ll contact you.
Real Stories
Real stories and contributions from young people, parents, staff, members and partners – inspiring young people to become inspiring young people. | All Stories
The Inspiration Programme develops confidence, communication and teamwork
The programme supports young people to have greater belief in their own abilities by becoming more skilled problem-solvers, better team-workers and stronger communicators. This is Charlie’s experience on The Inspiration
The Inspiration Programme helps Jasmine take new skills into a career in Public Services
The Inspiration Programme broadens the horizons, thinking and experience of young people. This is Jasmine’s Inspiration Programme story: “The pillar to do with police and criminal justice system was perhaps
Helping young people look at different career choices and university degree options
Tracy and Ray offer their first hand experience of The Inspiration Programme and how it can realign thinking, open up opportunities for new career choices, and even university degree options.
