Our Current Programmes
Driven by our mission to empower young minds, we support young people to become catalysts for change. They collaborate with us to tackle real-world challenges like climate change, employability, mental health, and sustainability.
Young people take the lead, deciding which problems they are passionate about solving. We work alongside them to ensure the right environment, tools, and resources (like industry experts) are available for them to grow and realise their ambitions.
To see our current areas of focus, please take a look at the programmes demonstrated below.
Positive Destinations
Positive Destinations is a new program, funded by the Careers Enterprise Company and working alongside West Yorkshire Combined Authority, designed to help young people, especially those in alternative provision settings, discover their strengths, build confidence, and explore exciting career options.
Why is this important?
In the UK, young people leaving alternative provision settings are significantly more likely to become NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). The latest statistics estimate 11.5% of all young people aged 16-24 were NEET, but for those leaving alternative provision, the number is much higher.
Positive Destinations aims to change this by:
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Working with schools and employers like Jet2, BAM Nuttall, and Leeds Bradford Airport to create relevant and engaging workshops.
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Helping young people develop important skills like communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.
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Building confidence in themselves and their abilities.
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Exploring different career paths that match their interests and talents.
By participating in Positive Destinations, young people will be better prepared for successful careers and fulfilling futures.
Teacher Encounters with Business
Imagine teachers with firsthand insights into real-world jobs, able to bring classroom learning to life with the buzz of the boardroom and the hum of the factory floor. That's the exciting vision of the Teacher Encounters Project, and it's happening right here in West Yorkshire! This collaborative initiative between IVE, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and local employers supports educators to:
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Visit workplaces: 100+ teachers from West Yorkshire have engaged with major companies, with more visits planned.
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Understand valued skills: Teachers gain knowledge about skills that businesses value, preparing students for success.
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Discover careers: Teachers explore and share diverse career options, including apprenticeships and technical specialties.
The results? Glowing! Both teachers and employers are thrilled with the program's impact:
"…it’s been so valuable for me to get out and have a look at a local business in our community and really get into a workplace. One take away for me is to start talking about employability skills and link them to careers, especially with my year 10s." - Science Teacher
With this initiative, the future looks bright for West Yorkshire students. Their classrooms will be more connected, their career paths clearer, and their chances for success amplified thanks to the dedicated teachers and employers who've catalysed their learning.
NCS ACLs
IVE are grateful to NCS for funding to deliver Applied Creativity Labs® to help 360 16/17 yr olds (in 2023-2025) find new social action solutions to real world local climate change problems, nurturing key transferable employability skills along the way. Young people hear from council and climate action groups about key local issues and receive IVE’s creative problem-solving training before devising, developing, and presenting new social action/media ideas to an Industry Panel of climate change stakeholders from the council, local businesses and climate action hubs. Following panel feedback groups take final steps to activate their social action solutions to climate change for their local council/climate action group.
Effective Transitions: West Yorkshire
The ETF Programme in partnership with West Yorkshire Combine Authority, C&K Careers and the Careers Enterprise Company is shaping a world where young people confidently pursue inspiring education and fulfilling careers. Since its launch in 2021, ETF has supported over 150 girls in 8 schools, providing tailored career sessions, creativity labs, mentoring, and workplace visits.
ETF equips girls with career awareness, confidence, and self-efficacy, social capital, and transferable skills that are essential for success. Effective Transitions aims to change lives, showing young women that their potential is limitless and providing them with the tools, confidence, and connections they need for a fulfilling future.
This is just the beginning, as our new project Targeted Transitions, will empower over 100 more young people from schools across West Yorkshire running throughout 2024. Stay tuned!
