SMILE
“Inspiring Young People to realise their true potential
and
make their difference in the wider community”
What is SMILE?
The SMILE £10 Challenge is an exciting initiative aimed at inspiring future generations of young people to realise their enormous potential, become more active citizens and make their unique difference in their local communities.
Year 6 primary school pupils mentored by Year 12 pupils are inspired to make the world a better place by sharing their skills, talents and passions to make someone smile in their local community.
Divided into teams of 5 – 6 pupils, young people explore the needs in their local community, and are given £10 and 7 weeks to make their difference and leave a lasting legacy. The only rule is a simple one; they can’t give the £10 away. The challenge is about making a difference - not making money.
How does it make a difference?
Young people use a simple SMILE to measure success:
Sharing their unique skills and talents
Meaningful in a way that really excites them and brings real meaning
Impact to make a difference in their community
Lasting which leaves a legacy
Everyone and which is engaging and enjoyable to everyone involved.
We’re continually amazed by how ingenious each of the SMILEs have been, ranging from the creation of cookbooks, computer classes , cakes and concerts for the elderly to pictures, plants and poems for the sick and recycling and re-educating for the environment.
Who is involved?
SMILE is a collaborative partnership designed and developed by the Windmills Foundation, the charitable arm of Windmills Ltd. Each team of 5-6 primary school pupils is supported by a sixth form student or equivalent from their neighbouring secondary school together with a combination of teachers, support assistants, parents, community members and local employers. We hope to combine young people (ME) with a team of like minded individuals (WE) to engage with the wider community (THEM) to have a combined difference as (US):
What are the benefits?
Literally everyone smiles:
- Young people gain accelerated life skills, boosted confidence, enhanced enterprise and employability, raised hopes and aspirations, applied academic learning and become global citizens.
- Schools benefit from rich experiential learning which develops skills required for SATS., fosters community cohesion and citizenship, aids transition, enhances PSHE and life skills and enables each pupil to develop and grow.
- Employers demonstrate genuine social responsibility and employee engagement which connects personal potential and team spirit with real community needs.
- The wider community smiles in all sorts of ways from bridges being built between generations, and real needs being met to parents amazed by the enormous growth in their children’s confidence.
The SMILE £10 Challenge 2013 was launched on 21st November 2013 for all Sefton schools.
What are the timescales?
The briefing event on 21 November provided each school with the tools, techniques, advice and guidance to facilitate the challenge. Provisional dates are outlined below:
Phase One - 21 November 2012 – 9 January 2013
Setting Up the Challenge
Ensuring the building blocks are in place to run the challenge and developing appropriate primary – secondary school links.
Phase Two - 9 January 2013 – 16 January 2013
Creating the Challenge
Launching the SMILE £10 Challenge in primary schools, empowering young people to collectively make their difference within their local communities
Phase Three - 16 January 2013 – 27 February 2013
Delivering the Challenge
Facilitating young people to practically deliver the challenge whilst maximising the multiple impacts they can make
Phase Four - March 2013
Celebrating & Reviewing the Challenge
Celebrating the difference made internally within each school and sharing this with others at the Windmills Celebration Event on 27th March 2013
Phase Five Embedding the challenge for future generations. The building of a legacy for the challenge This will begin in January and carry on after March based on your feedback and collective engagement.
Building a Legacy for the Challenge
Feedback from Sefton Schools
The challenge has been successfully piloted and developed in all Formby Schools with the following feedback received in 2012:
“I have really enjoyed working with primary school children and I’ve loved being a part of the challenge. The experience has been rewarding, unique and inspired me to carry on charity work and support different age groups locally” Year 12 student
“I now know that I can achieve anything I want and make anything possible. Now I won’t give up so easily and will stick at things” Year 6 student
“Keep smiling and always pass on the infection of smiling, when someone smiled at me today I started to smile too” Year 6 student
PREPARATION CHECKLIST FOR SCHOOLS
The Windmills Foundation will provide £10 for each team of pupils and equip participating schools with guidelines and resources to facilitate the process. If you want to take part and havent already registered your interest, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
A few actions which will be really beneficial for Primary Schools to do before they beging the challenge are to:
- Select a lead member of staff to deliver the challenge who has the passion, drive, energy and skills to make it happen. Identify number of teams of pupils (5-6 members in each team)
- Engage with your neighbouring Secondary School to raise awareness of the challenge and explore numbers of Year 12 members required (one per group)
- Ensure there is appropriate space in the curriculum to deliver the challenge with potential wider supporters (parents, governors, employers, community links)