Copyright

Aries Films Limited

Summary

StepUp is an online social media application that supports children and young people’s learning outside of school through helping them develop and share skills and knowledge.

Description

StepUp will be an online community that supports and nurtures children and young people with passions and life commitments outside of the formal school setting. These can be anyone from a young carer looking after a sick relative to a budding musician.

The service will support and encourage progression and different levels of initial commitment. Not only will children with an established interest be able to ‘StepUp’ their learning and progression in their chosen field but also children looking for an interest or that have an unfulfilled ambition to progress in a certain field or activity can get a ‘StepUp’ to get going with it.

Users will be able to access a community of individuals with a similar interest, passion or commitment. Through using this resource children will be able to:

• Share and showcase their knowledge and experiences
• Track their progression in their field through self-assessment
• Receive or offer one-to-one mentoring
• Form groups or communities in their local area
• Progress in their chosen field through knowledge exchange
• Share, where they choose, their experiences with parents, friends and educators.

Primarily this resource will be used outside the school environment but there are opportunities for curriculum links. Individuals or group experiences can be incorporated and showcased in the classroom, used as case studies, can highlight particular issues or spark interest from other children.

Life experiences and personal passions are an ideal way of supporting development outcomes across the Every Child Matters agenda not easily covered within formal education, such as personal, social and emotional development; self-esteem and confidence especially relating to communications, performance and presentation; physical confidence and wellbeing; and mature attitudes to risk and taking care of their own and other’s safety.

How it might be used

StepUp will be designed to cater for all levels of user, from individuals highly skilled in their field to beginners with an ambition to StepUp.

As a user I can access a community sorted by my particular activity, commitment or hobby. Once there I can:

• Interact with likeminded people with similar interests and experiences
• Complete self-assessments and skills recognition questionnaires
• Identify ways to progress in my chosen field, improve my skills or track my learning
• View or share articles, news and case studies
• Share or View video and photos
• Read or participate in Q&A groups based on specific subject
• Receive or offer one-to-one mentoring
• Choose what information to share with parents, friends and practitioners/teachers and in what capacity
• Form groups or communities in my local area
• See what is going on in my local community relating to my specific activity or interest
• Find where to get outside help in the form of subject matter experts or support groups.

My level of engagement and how much I contribute is entirely determined by me. The focus is on personalised learning and involvement.

Contact

Aries Films Limited
0844 8841785
becket@ariesfilms.com