Somerset locals inspire the next generation during Schools Alumni Week
People in Somerset are being encouraged to talk about their careers in a project named ‘Made in Somerset’, that will inspire and support local young people to learn more about the different jobs available to them across the County.
In a programme developed by Future First, volunteers are invited to upload information about their job and career path, to a new digital platform named ‘The Hub’. This digital platform allows students to safely connect with people from their area, learning about different career pathways whilst gaining insight, inspiration, guidance and advice.
As part of the initiative, all schools and colleges across Somerset have free access to the charity’s new digital platform, allowing children to hear first-hand from people who work (or have previously lived or worked) in Somerset or who went to school in Somerset and are now working further afield.
For Schools Alumni Week, 24th – 28th April, Matt Navarra, alumni from Clevedon School in North Somerset, discusses his job as a Social Media Consultant and Industry Analyst, why he feels it’s important to connect with students from his old school, and how his diagnosis of ADHD at 28 transformed his career.
I signed up because I like trying to find ways that I can do something that doesn't require huge amounts of my time, but offers some value, something meaningful and useful back to people who are probably at an age where they are unsure what they want to do in life
Matt Navarra
He also wrote about his experience with finding his place in the world of work, and all of the different pathways he took to get there, on LinkedIn.
Connecting with relatable role models, whether it’s due to being from the same place, being neurodivergent, or even just supporting the same football team, can help young people aspire to be just like them, and see themselves in places they previously wouldn’t have thought possible.
The charity is now urging volunteers from across all areas of Somerset, to contribute however they can, whether that is by adding some information about their job and their career pathway, onto the platform- which takes just a few minutes- or providing more in-depth information through videos, virtual Q&A’s or school events.
Local businesses in the area are also being offered the opportunity to reach out to the students of Somerset to offer guidance and information about how they can progress in their particular industry sector.
Naomi Barker, Programme Director of Future First said, “Our work with schools has proven that relatable role models have a profound impact on the pathways of children’s careers, and so we hope people from Somerset are able to help their next generation by telling their stories. Through these encounters, with people from the same locality who represent different job roles and life journeys, children can learn about careers, gain encouragement and receive valuable practical advice.”
All schools and colleges across Somerset are being encouraged to access their free subscription to The Hub to retrieve the information Somerset’s community provides. Future First’s initiative has been funded by Somerset County Council, the Heart of the Southwest Careers Hub, and the UK Government Community Renewal Fund. If you would like to volunteer, sign up here.
To discuss setting up a similar project in your local area, please get in touch with naomi.barker@futurefirst.org.uk