2013 Overview and Looking into 2014
2013 has been a pretty big year and it’s involved a range of highlights which I just wanted to reflect on through this blog post. With the new year starting tomorrow, I’m not really one for new year’s resolutions but I have started thinking about the opportunities that 2014 brings.
One of the biggest things about 2013 for me has been my role as a Young Ambassador with InspirEngage and the events I’ve attended through my role. Back in June 2013, I attended the Annual RLSS UK conference on 16/6/13 where I was on stage for a youth development session taking questions from the audience made up of nationwide RLSS staff on how the organisation could improve its youth strategy. The one point I made clear is ‘young people offer benefits, so make use of them and work with young people’.
Jack with InspirEngage and RLSS Team at annual conference 2013
I used social media as an example and the room agreed that the use of social media is something most young people have a firm grip on whereas the older generations may not so what better than to use the organisations young people to steer it’s social media strategy (obviously with guidance).
That was just one example, young people naturally have different viewpoints and see things from a different angle so organisations need to grab hold of that potential and listen to its younger population.
Just the week later I was down in Crowthorne, Berkshire at Wellington College for the annual The Sunday Times ‘Festival of Education’. I was there championing the work of InspirEngage at a stand with Melody and the rest of the team throughout the day. The day closed with a session that involved Michael Gove (Education Minister) and InspirEngage took the lead in kicking off the question’s.
To take a look at me questioning Gove with Zainab, a fellow Young Ambassador please see the video below or visit: http://youtu.be/EZdpB7dTyW0
My final big event highlight of 2013 is taking part in Manchester Airport’s annual schools ‘Dragons Den’ competition as project manager for the Helsby High team. I got to lead a small team in producing and selling homemade scented tin candles and all proceeds went to Hope House Children’s Hospices. Lots of time was spent on sending emails, selling to local retailers, selling at Christmas markets and producing candles but it was all good fun for a good cause.
During the summer this year I was also very fortunate to visit Eurocopter and Reckless New Media for a week of work experience at each workplace through a school initiative. Soon I’ll need to start finalising my plans for the future so to experience two very different yet fantastic career paths was very helpful and enjoyable.
I’ve really enjoyed meeting new contacts and working with new clients this year and the networking side of business is something I find really interesting. I lead a KS3 Enterprise project at school and it’s been great having people come in and volunteer their time to speak about experiences that can benefit all who are part of the project. One big highlight for the group was a talk from David Fletcher, a paramedic with experience working at North West Air Ambulance who discussed age as being a barrier to career progression which was very interesting.
I simply enjoy enterprise and while making money is fun as an entrepreneur, I love all the perks that come with it such as being able to lead school enterprise schemes, meet new people and work with community schemes and local businesses which is something I hope to do more of in 2014 through a new venture I’m working on!
2014 holds a few new opportunities and I’ve got some new business ideas I’m working on to launch in the new year. 2014 is also going to be a big year in setting the foundations for the next steps as Summer 2014 brings exam period then that marks the end of my time at high school albeit I will probably stay on at sixth form. One thing I am looking forward to is being able to drive!
I’m looking forward to another busy year and a long summer this year after GCSE’s which will mean even more business ventures, opportunities and networking!
Have a fantastic 2014,
Jack
Originally published at www.jackwatson.me.uk on December 31, 2013.
