Windmills

Windmills has recently held a series of STAR Champions events in and around Liverpool. These one day training sessions take individuals through the unique STAR resource and work with them on an individual basis to help them become a licensed STAR champion, providing them with everything they need to deliver STAR effectively to the young people they work with.

STAR is an exciting, engaging and energetic activity based resource, which helps young people to understand more about who they are and what is important to them. It helps the students to explore what they really want from their life and encourages them to make more informed choices about their career and their future. It also helps participants to develop a practical action plan to help them achieve their ambitions and live a life they love.

The STAR toolkit includes a collection of innovative, interactive exercises and a DVD. These resources are delivered during high energy workshops that allow young people to think about and discuss their feelings, concerns and ambitions for the future.

STAR can be delivered in or outside of the school environment and it fits under a number of agendas that complement other initiatives such as CEG programmes, Enterprise, Citizenship, PSHE and Work Related Learning, Make Your Mark and Young Offenders Programmes, Sports and Youth Clubs.

A variety of individuals have attended the STAR Champions events to date, ranging from teachers, Connexions Staff, School Liaison Officers and Careers Co-ordinators. The events are also an opportunity to share best practice and innovative ideas with fellow professionals. All the ‘Champions’ have one thing in common, they are passionate about providing young people with the skills they need take control, realise their full potential and create a future that inspires them.

The feedback from the newly-trained STAR champions has been great. They have been very impressed with the resources and are excited about using them with young people.

“I now have extremely valuable aids for helping students become more aware and self reliant. I feel more motivated and inspired to implement the programme and to develop the careers service offered to my students”.

Many STAR Champions also felt that following the event, they realised how much they had neglected their own career development. One participant felt she had:

“A greater realisation that I can control my own destiny and I too have a responsibility to be proactive and motivated”.

Sharon Nicholson, a Learning & Development Manager at Windmills who delivered the sessions has been delighted with the feedback. She said:

“STAR has been given a fantastic reception. We already have some great case studies highlighting the difference it has made to the youngsters. I am really looking forward to the next event”.

For information about the next STAR event and how you or a colleague can become be a STAR ‘Champion’ please contact Carol Buckman on cbuckman@liv.ac.uk.