Curiosity Club
Curiosity Club is a 3-year programme that offers the opportunity to explore the role of science as a tool for motivating and empowering young people. Working with People Know How, we supported young people in North Edinburgh and East Lothian who had been referred as potentially benefitting from additional support whilst transitioning between primary and secondary learning settings. This programme was funded by BBC Children in Need and Wellcome.
A key element of this programme has been exploring the question of how youth workers, especially those without a STEM background, approach and embed science activities to support young people to develop positive relationships, confidence and resilience to failure.
In collaboration with the youth workers involved in the programme and from learning which STEM activities the young people have enjoyed, we are developing a resource booklet highlighting how these activities can support youth worker outcomes. You can now download a preview of the resource!
"At the beginning it was nerve wracking for me – doing science has always looked exciting but I have very little background in doing that kind of thing. But learning with the young people, doing the experiments with them – learning and failing with them – and realising it doesn’t always work and that’s OK, has actually been really empowering. Curiosity Club has taught me to fail, not know the answer, and discover it all with the young people."
- N, Youth Worker
cultivating curiosity!
Curiosity Club started out as a collaborative youth work project with People Know How supporting young people in North Edinburgh to develop their science capital - building their curiosity about the world around them, confidence and relationships with families and role-models.
From April to June 2018, we piloted three clubs in different formats - an 8 week after school club in Craigentinny Primary and youth club in partnership with Craigentinny Community Centre (Donna Melrose, North East Youth Work Lead, City of Edinburgh Council) and an intensive science week at Leith Academy for students who didn’t go on a school trip. This was funded by the BBC Children In Need and Wellcome Trust Curiosity Fund.
It's the first time he has really showed enthusiasm, particularly in socialising. He was actually speaking to us and having conversations, which is unlike him, and I think it's been a worthwhile experience. We are really proud of him, really glad that he is actually engaged in this club.
~ Aunt of one of the participating young people
You can read our evaluation here and we will be sharing a practitioner-level guide with learnings and ideas for other people wanting to integrate science engagement with youth clubs!
Thank you to all the young people, parents, collaborators and funders!
