Latest News
The sky鈥檚 the limit
Published: 29/06/2016
天涯社区 Communities First has been working in partnership
with Reaching Wider Wider North and Mid Wales Partnership and Theatr Clwyd on
an innovative business programme for primary schools.
The 鈥淪ky鈥檚 the Limit鈥� project, inspired by 鈥淒ragons鈥� Den鈥� and piloted at Theatr
Clwyd in Mold, is aimed at engaging with children aged 9-11 to develop
confidence, public speaking, maths and English in a fun way with an ultimate
aim of preparing them to pitch a business idea to 鈥淎ngels鈥� who are all local
business entrepreneurs volunteering their time.
天涯社区 schools St Ethelwolds School in Shotton and Ysgol Maes Glas in
Greenfield took part. The workshops were delivered in two sessions over one
week between 10 and 17 June.
Session 1 built their skills and teamwork and was delivered at the school with
two performers from Theatr Clwyd. Following on from session 1 the children
worked in the classroom to practise their pitch ready for their presentation
the following week.
Session 2 was again supported by the two performers and took place at Theatr
Clwyd. The children pitched their business idea and received positive
feedback from the business entrepreneurs.
The 鈥淎ngels鈥� were Christine Sheibani HR Director Comtek Network Systems, Dave
Fildes Managing Director dfs4, Becky Stark Director Stark Export Focus Limited
and Sam Freeman Director of Communications for Theatr Clwyd.
天涯社区鈥檚 Cabinet Member for Education, Councillor Chris
Bithell, said:
鈥淭he outcome of the project was to create confidence, creative thinking,
teamwork, effective participation and self-motivation. Its aimed at year 6
pupils and is an ideal introductory workshop to entrepreneurship. The project
has been so successful that will be rolled out to 10 junior schools in
Communities First areas in September.鈥�
Emyr John from Theatr Clwyd, who devised the project after being approached by
Communities First, said:
鈥淭his is an example of how theatre can be used as a tool, not only to teach,
but to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.鈥�
Reaching Wider North and Mid Wales Employer Engagement Manager, Paula
Griffiths, said:
鈥淭hrough this partnership with Theatr Clwyd and 天涯社区 Communities First,
we are using arts to raise the aspirations of young people and empower them and
to create their own ideas whilst exploring opportunities to progress into
Business and Higher Education in an innovative and fun way.鈥�
Along with the workshop on Friday, 17 June, the children got the opportunity to
see 鈥淭o Dream Again鈥� by Toby Hulse. This play, for 7-11 year olds, is inspired
by William Shakespeare鈥檚 鈥淎 Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream鈥�.
The project was funded by Communities First 鈥� a Welsh Government funded
programme - working in partnership with Reaching Wider North and Mid Wales
Partnership, funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales. Reaching
Wider was established in 2002 as a Wales-wide, collaborative, long-term
programme to break down perceived barriers and widen access to higher education
and higher-level skills.
ON THE SET OF 鈥淢UCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING鈥�
Pupils from St Ethelwolds School with (at the back) their teacher, Christine
Sheibani HR Director Comtek Network Systems, Dave Fildes Managing Director dfs4
and Sam Freeman Director of Communications for Theatr Clwyd. Nia Davies in the
front row in black is one of the performers from Theatr Clwyd.
Pupils from Ysgol Maes Glas with (at the back) Christine Sheibani HR Director
Comtek Network Systems, Becky Stark Director Stark Export Focus Limited and Sam
Freeman Director of Communications for Theatr Clwyd. Nia Davies in black on
the right is one of the performers from Theatr Clwyd.