SPEED-You-UP Exhibition
In October 2022, the BU team organised an exhibition of the SPEED-You-UP project for the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022. The ESRC Festival is celebrated annually across the UK and brings together universities, professionals, and members of the public to explore research by UK universities across a range of topics in social science.
The two-day exhibition, which was held in Boscombe, a historic and vibrant part of Bournemouth, showcased the voices of young people and school staff who have participated in the project. The event was open to the public, including young people, parents, schools, welfare organisations, and local businesses in Bournemouth.
To complement the exhibition, on the first day, young people accompanied by a parent or guardian participated in a workshop on entrepreneurship and developing a business idea. The workshop was delivered by a SPEED-You-UP coach, Adriana Crear, from WSX Enterprise and involved discussions, exercises, and hands-on activities on the meaning of entrepreneurship and networking, identifying interests, strengths, and positive traits. Young people participated actively in the workshop and all proposed business ideas from their respective interests! From graphic design and developing games to automobile services and choreography. Young people also discussed their ideas with the group and exchanged feedback. They were enthusiastic about the experience of teamwork and how to develop a business idea.
On the second day, the BU team and stakeholders from welfare organisations engaged in an interactive session on the purpose of SPEED-You-UP, its benefits for at-risk young people, and prospects for community development. Stakeholders in attendance were all inspired by the project’s results and keen to collaborate!
Networking Event
In September 2022, the BU team participated in a networking event in Bournemouth called Working Together in Dorset, organised by WISE Ability Services. Several organisations in Dorset, supporting residents through training and other essential services, were in attendance.
A directory of organisations and projects represented at the event has been created, which includes information about the SPEED-You-UP project! This directory is a free resource and will help forge new connections and collaborations!
Conference Presentation
In June 2022, the BU team attended the Philomathia Social Sciences Research Symposium at the University of Cambridge and gave a presentation on competency-based learning & entrepreneurship education. Attendees learned about SPEED-You-UP’s objectives and model of entrepreneurship education. It was an opportunity to interact with UK-based and international academics, researching education, work, and livelihoods.
