We know that students who are near the age of young people in their school or local community have a considerable impact in helping them understand their potential to make a difference using science, technology and engineering.
Lauren and Lucy from Alton Convent School have just collected a prestigious Radio One Award for their work as TeenTech Ambassadors and all students who participate in our programmes are invited to take on this role. You can read about their journey here.
We have offered students opportunities to act as ambassadors since we first began and as many students, teachers, parents and companies will know, it’s a win-win for all involved.
Students can use the experiences they have enjoyed in the TeenTech Awards or TeenTech City of Tomorrow programmes in many different ways to inspire others to follow in their footsteps. Many students act as mentors to younger students or run tech clubs within their own schools becoming very powerful role models and mentors. They will earn the Young Ambassador badge.
Others take their influence wider and are awarded the TeenTech Young Ambassador Gold Award. For instance, Iona and Isabella from James Allen Girls School were stimulating panelists at the recent Global Innovation Forum in London, Lucas and Grace from Park House school presented at the 2015 BETT Conference, TeenTech Award winners from Loreto Convent stole the show when they shared their projects at COMPTIA and students at Ysgol Glan Y Mor in Wales below worked with younger students from feeder primaries on the TeenTech City of Tomorrow build day.
What does a TeenTech Young Ambassador do?
We want you to inspire young people who may otherwise eliminate themselves from science or tech careers. You can do this in many different ways. We can provide you with resources to do this, help you develop your own and share those designed by other TeenTech Young Ambassadors.
- Lead an interactive assembly
- Write a blog
- Mentor other students participating in the TeenTech Award programme, TeenTech City of Tomorrow or other great initiatives which offer young people the opportunity to make and create.
- Help run a science or tech club at your school
We also give young people a strong platform to influence policymakers and industry. TeenTech Young Ambassadors present at leading conferences and provide key input into reports.
In 2014 we set up the Young Digital TaskForce so student thinking could be shared with policymakers and industry. This work has grown considerably with students reaching out to their school and local communities and sharing their thinking to inform both our reports and those of others from the House of Lords to the recent Haringey STEM Commission.
You can:
- Join us at major conferences, TeenTech events and share your experiences
- Provide insight for reports shared with government and industry
- Share your story with local, regional and national media
What will I get out of this?
Young people are very powerful role models. TeenTech Young Ambassadors develop core skills in communication, confidence and creativity, not to mention the huge personal satisfaction that comes from making a difference. You’ll get to meet and work with inspiring people and have a set of experiences that will help you stand out from the crowd. There are many benefits which include:
- Developing skills that will be invaluable if you want to develop and run your own company
- Developing core skills valued by employers, universities and apprenticeship providers
- Gaining a formal reference from TeenTech for evidenced activity
- Developing your network of contacts
- Earning a TeenTech Young Ambassador Award
- Joining students you have mentored if they reach the final of the TeenTech Awards
If you’re interested ask a teacher or parent to get in touch with us or you can apply here.