It seems better to me for a child to have these skills and never use them, than not have them and one day need them.
Kristin Cashore, Graceling
Here at The Hive, we like to hang onto the teenagers. After we have spent time nurturing younger children through activities at Croydon Children’s University™, we support the older ones to become responsible citizens who have a range of skills that appeal to local employers.
ROUTES is our innovative Employability programme. It is about local businesses, schools and the potential employees of tomorrow all communicating with each other to make a difference to the future workplace. The children we support now are the future workforce.
We are not talking about a quick work experience; tick the box, CV completed approach. Having worked academically for most of their lives, we don’t think it is fair on young people to leave school and enter the workplace without support for the culture change.
ROUTES formalises projects for young people to record and articulate their employability skills, gain confidence and communicate what they can do in a way that is meaningful to employers. Individual schools identify projects which already exist within the school, where students can gain experience of different ‘employability skills’.
Our current Routes Project is ‘Service to Others’
Our ‘Service to Others’ Programme aims to support vulnerable children by engaging them with the whole community. The project is a positive fun filled activity outside of school which will develop their entrepreneurial skills and broaden their awareness and empathy for the needs of others in their local community, We will support them to develop an informed understanding of what it means not just to be a responsible citizen but see themselves as positive role models and make better choices for their future. The project will be student lead, supported by professionals and volunteers.
Our aims for the young people delivering ‘The Service to Others’ Programme is that
• They will become confident, self assured and resilient members of society
• keep themselves safe
• make a positive contribution to society.
• recognise and articulate how the skills they have acquired are flexible
• continue to build on the key areas of Teamwork, Communication Problem solving, Self-belief and
Self-management
• have a new sense of well-being.
We aim for our project to target young people, who have been identified as vulnerable, or have low self-esteem, lack confidence or may not feel valued. Enabling them to become active change makers in their community, building positive behaviour, nurture their sense of well-being, develop life skills. The project aims to give them lifelong resilience and social mobility.
Working with others who share our ambitions