Blackpool Connected Futures

Connected Futures is a place-based grants programme launched by Youth Futures Foundation (YFF) in 2022 to understand the youth employment challenge in Blackpool.  Through the YFF funded Blackpool Connected Futures programme, the Connected Curriculum has been designed to adapt and supplement the existing curriculum to ensure that young people have access to experiences and opportunities where they can develop the essential skills and knowledge to help them succeed in life after school.

As part of this joined-up approach across Blackpool, schools are also using the Skills Builder Accelerator to embed essential skill development through their curriculum and learning approaches, with Year 8 students on the Workplace Encounters project and Year 10 students on the Compass Curriculum being supported to identify, reflect upon and apply their essential skills using the Benchmark self-assessment tool, which also allows them to track their progression.  Schools are provided with data overviews, breaking down this assessment data to better support students individually and collectively around focus skill steps and to ensure skills reflections are targeted and structured.

The Skills Builder names and icons for essential skills are being used consistently through project resources. Young people taking part in Connected Curriculum projects are using the Skills Builder Benchmark assessment to reflect on their skills before and after they have participated in project activity; this will enable them to reflect more closely on their skills and see where progress has been made. The Workplace Encounters projects are being designed to incorporate the Essential Skills, with particular focus on our core skill: Aiming High.