In partnership with the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, we are delighted to announce the delivery of our educational programme Skills Clubs for another consecutive school year. Skills Clubs aims to support skills development for students aged 14–18 so as to help them cultivate their understanding of social innovation, active citizenship and entrepreneurship, while at the same time facilitating their future integration into the labour market and society.
Building on our previous experience in similar educational programmes and combining ‘Core Skills’ methodology with workshops that can be delivered in schools, Skills Clubs aims to develop and enhance the key skills needed in the workplace and in wider society, which will help build a solid foundation for young people and become their roadmap towards social change and a more inclusive society.
Programme activities
Teachers participating in the Skills Clubs programme can get involved in any of the activities (as they function independently of each other) depending on their needs, time and availability.
The programme is available free of charge and includes the following strands:
Training seminars for teachers
From October to December 2024, we will deliver a series of ‘Core Skills’ training seminars for teachers, based on the Skills Builder tool, which provides an opportunity for participants to analyse the skills by breaking each of them down into teachable, measurable steps.
Through these seminars, teachers will find out more about the tool and develop practical knowledge of how to assess their students’ skills in the following areas:
- Listening: How we perceive, retain and process ideas and information.
- Speaking: How we convey information and ideas verbally.
- Problem solving: How we find solutions to difficulties and challenges.
- Creativity: How we use our imagination to generate new ideas.
- Leadership: How we support, encourage and help the development of other people in order to achieve a common goal.
- Teamwork: How we work collectively to achieve a common goal.
Solve for Tomorrow: Workshops for teachers
Are you a teacher interested in learning more about design thinking methodology?
Join our online training course for teachers organised by the British Council with the support of Samsung. You will have the opportunity to learn more about how you can foster innovative thinking, problem solving, leadership, teamwork and other core skills in your students and help them discover innovative solutions to contemporary challenges.
Registration
To take part in the course, select one of the following options:
- Thursday 27 February 2025, 16.30–19.30
- Wednesday 5 March 2025, 16.30–19.30
Participation is free.
Educational material
We will provide an activity manual (PDF, 4 mb) which can be delivered in schools by the teachers themselves or by our trainers. Everyone who wants to use the material will be able to access it via our website.
Workshops for students
The programme can be delivered in schools by our trainers in the form of non-formal learning workshops or by the teachers themselves with our support.
Through the workshops, students will become familiar with the concept of social innovation, with a focus on three main pillars:
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Digital Solutions
- Impact on the Community
Students will be divided into groups to develop an action plan, which they will continue to work on with their teacher, based on the tools provided in the manual.
Subsequently, if they wish to do so, the student groups can implement their social innovation action plan at their school or in the wider community.
At this stage, if needed, teachers can ask for additional support through mentoring so as to present the action plan they have implemented at the National Competition for Social Innovation Ideas we are organising towards the end of the school year.
The workshops for students have a duration one teaching hour each.
National Competition for Social Innovation Ideas
Schools that deliver the programme – with our support or on their own – can take part in the national competition. We invite students to form teams and share their ideas with us through action plans with a positive social impact.
Teams that wish to enter the competition should fill in the online form, answering the relevant questions and describing their action plan, which can be found in the last activity in the activity manual (PDF, 4 mb).
The teams with the most innovative and sustainable plans will be invited to present their ideas in front of a jury for the chance to win prizes for themselves and their schools.
The final will take place in May 2025.
Submission of entries is open until Friday 21 March 2025 (23.59).
Who is the programme for?
- Secondary school students (14–18 years old)
- Secondary school teachers
- Policy makers and school advisors
Information
For further information about the Skills Clubs programme, including how to take part in one of the teacher training seminars and/or hold a student workshop at your school, please contact Athina Kartelia:
| Athina.KouzoulampaKartelia@britishcouncil.org | |
| Telephone | 210 369 2361 |