Shaped By Solent
Led By: Georgina Shepherd – Retail Manager, Gunwharf Quays
The Shaped by Solent project brings together Solent Academies Trust, Shaping Portsmouth and a range of high-profile businesses to mentor and provide experience in business and public speaking to classes of SEND students.
Their task is to brainstorm, create, and present products the students could sell at the Shaping Portsmouth Conference, with profits from funds raised going to the schools to benefit their students and facilities.
Objectives
- To provide mentoring and experiential learning opportunities to SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) students. By partnering with high-profile businesses, the project can offer students practical experience in business and public speaking, which could enhance their employability and life skills.
- To promote creativity and innovation among SEND students. This objective could help students develop their problem-solving skills and encourage them to think outside the box.
- To teach entrepreneurial and business skills to SEND pupils within Portsmouth and promoting their employability to Portsmouth businesses.
Current Initiatives
- Team mentoring
- Dragons Den-style pitch session
- Manufacture and sales of the winning product
Impact
8 Groups of special education needs students entered the project from 3 Solent Academy schools from September to December 2022
12 Partnerships took part, 8 mentors and 4 judges.
New retail outlets at Spinnaker Tower & Collective Shop
Relaunched in September 2023, with all groups to sell their products at the Shaping Portsmouth Conference
Shaped By Solent is delivered in partnership with:
The latest news from Shaped By Solent:
Shaping Portsmouth Is Disability Confident
Shaped By Solent is back!
A new Lead for the Shaped By Solent programme
Can you help Solent Academy Trust students be Shaped By Solent?
Shaped By Solent programme raises over £500 for Solent Academies Trust
Portsmouth SEND students enter the Dragon’s Den for Shaped By Solent
Testimonials
