Inspiration Programme: Robert’s Story

The following case study demonstrates the impact of the Inspiration Programme on the lives of local young people:

Robert is 17 years old and studying his A-Levels at Milton Keynes Academy. He was a good student at the start of the Inspiration Programme but need help to develop confidence in himself and his abilities.

“Robert could be quite quiet at the start of the programme, he needed to learn to assert himself and voice his opinions. He has steadily developed his confidence and communication skills throughout the course and has learned to speak up in a group situation.”

Inspiration Programme facilitator, Geoff Cook

Robert enjoyed all of the trips and experience offered by the course, he recounts; “The trip to Waddesdon was really interesting and showed me what you can accomplish if you put your mind to it.

“I learned lots of facts at the fire station about health and safety and it taught me about fire alarms.

“The music session at The Stables was a good experience learning about all the technology used in music.

“The Business section was exciting to learn about starting your own business and I learned useful skills for the future, including all the processes involved in interviewing.

“We also followed the process of a criminal investigation – it was enlightening what the policeman had to go through.”

Robert would definitely recommend the Inspiration Programme to others considering it as he feels that he gained useful experiences and knowledge that he wouldn’t have otherwise had access too. He explains; “When I leave school I want to go into computing or game design and I’d also like to start my own business. I would feel more confident speaking to colleagues now and I learned to think about my body language. I’ve learnt the importance of creating a good first impression and how to present myself. I’ve also learnt that opinions are not linear and can change.”