Young Innovators Programme
Over the past six months, our Young Innovators programme, delivered in partnership with Kibble and local schools, has supported young people across Inverclyde to develop confidence, skills and ideas for positive change in their communities.
Throughout the course, participants have shown clear progress - from improved school attendance and growing confidence to a stronger ability to work collaboratively and develop ideas together. For many, this has been a chance to explore new ways of thinking about their future, while learning what it takes to turn an idea into something real.
Reflecting on the impact of the programme at St. Stephen’s Primary School in Port Glasgow, Headteacher Jennifer McDonald said she was incredibly proud of the young people involved.
“We are incredibly proud of our young innovators, whose creativity and confidence shone as they presented their brilliant idea for The Check Point to our panel of dragons,” she said.
Jennifer continued by highlighting the wider benefits of the programme for pupils. “Their engagement and attendance improved significantly throughout the project, and they developed vital skills for learning, life, and work,” she reflected, adding her thanks to the programme’s youth worker and Programme Lead at CVS Inverclyde, Tony Lockey for “inspiring and empowering them with his belief and enthusiasm.”
One of the most striking outcomes of the programme has been the development of five potential social enterprise ideas. Each idea is unique, shaped by the interests and experiences of the young people involved and rooted in social impact. The presentations delivered at the end of the programme demonstrated just how far participants have come, not only in their understanding of enterprise, but in their awareness of the issues facing their local communities and how they have come together to respond to them in creative and valuable ways.
A key feature of the programme has been the involvement of mentors from a range of local third sector organisations. Young people benefited from practical advice, insight into how organisations operate and opportunities to explore what social enterprise looks like in practice - including visits to local organisations and participation in course events such as the Dragons’ Den style presentations. These experiences helped bring learning to life and supported young people to think realistically about their ideas.
While many participants are now exploring different routes as they prepare to leave school, some have already expressed a desire to return to their ideas in the future. This reflects one of the core aims of the Young Innovators programme: to help young people understand that they can create real change in their own communities, even if that journey does not begin immediately.
The programme will now move into its final stage, with young people completing the paperwork required to gain their SCQF qualifications. For some participants, this will be one of only a small number of qualifications they leave school with, making it an important achievement that recognises their commitment, learning and growth.
The Inverclyde schools involved in the programme have been keen to see this experience of entrepreneurship continue and expand, including the possibility of involving additional year groups.
The Young Innovators programme continues to demonstrate the value of investing in young people - giving them space to explore ideas with confidence and imagine how they can make a difference where they live.