21st Century STEAM for Youthreach
Year Awarded
2020
Amount
€259,757
- Organisation:National Youth Council of Ireland
- Audience:Transition Year Students, Post Primary Teachers - Senior Cycle
- Location:national
Project Summary
The project aims to address a gap that exists nationally in STEAM education for socially, economically and educationally disadvantaged young people, who are early school leavers. The partners identified and researched this need in the Youthreach sector (a national programme for early school leavers). There is strong and ongoing interest from the sector in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) offered through the STEAM in Youth Work project.
By adapting the STEAM in Youth Work model, expanding it to fit within QQI4 of the National Qualifications Framework, the project will deliver relevant, co-created, inquiry-based STEAM education, supported by a CPD programme for coordinators and educators. The project will:
– Prepare students for progression through alternative routes to STEAM careers.
– Expose young people to STEAM professionals who took alternative routes.
– Enhance links with industries providing STEAM apprenticeships.
The project partners will bring their considerable combined expertise and experience in youth work, STEAM and education to bear in developing and rolling out the model, through the Youthreach programme, a key point of engagement of early school leavers nationwide. This will support alternative progression routes to STEAM careers and feed the talent pipeline.
By modelling and disseminating best practice in STEAM to the Youthreach Programme nationwide the project will support the following Discover Call objectives: Promote and support STEM education and career pathways; provide early school leavers with insights into STEM-related careers and address negative stereotypes; develop capacity for the delivery of STEM EPE in Ireland.