SWOTNET @ YEL Learn to Earn

Hi All,


SWOTNET had a fantastic day with the Young Enterprise London, Learn to Earn team at Grieg City Academy today.


SWOT were asked by the energetic and persuasive Selina Patel to assist as a volunteer for the day and we joined Gosbert Chagula from YEL and Maureen Arhagba from the Grieg City Academy, alongside Irini Poyiatzi, Cllr Reece also taking on the volunteering duty.


The day was broken up in to small task based segments where the students are asked to consider their futures, outlining concepts such as "what is success, who they consider to be successful and why.
After talking with the students we then asked them all to outline what they thought they might do in order that they might be successful.
As you might imagine there were some brilliant ideas coming from the students about how they envision their futures, worryingly, although not surprisingly given modern life, many of the young students also equated success with money.
One of the brilliant aspects of the day was that the course allowed us to really explore the reasons so many students saw money as a mark of success. The course materials enabled us as volunteers to engage with the students and get them to really consider what they think it means to be successful .
We covered discussions on jobs and as a volunteer, SWOT spoke about how we got started in business and we explored some of the problems and challenges we faced.
Using the course materials we covered how taxation and living costs impact our lives and we got the students to work out what jobs they might like and then we got them to budget for life as a new employee in their chosen field. The experience was eye opening for many of the students as they began to realise how expensive life as an adult can be.


I have to say, as a business that exists because of schools, it was a great opportunity for SWOT to give something back and engage with the students who we found to be warm, fun and inspiring. SWOT will be keeping our eye out for some of the students who expressed an interest in IT.


Once again, many thanks to Young Enterprise London, to Selina Patel, Maureen Arhagba and most of all, the students of Year 9.


For more info on Learn to Earn see http://www.young-enterprise.org.uk/london


SWOT