At Monifieth High School, a team of additional supports needs (ASN) students secured the school’s YPI grant for a charity which had a positive impact on their lives.
Their teachers Aine Cahill, Trudy Hunter and Lisa Johansen worked closely with the eight senior students to ensure each of them had the opportunity to play to their strengths and engage in a meaningful experience which developed their confidence and skills.
The group created a Canva video highlighting the value of the Hi-5 club.
Aine Cahill said:
“We are incredibly proud of what the team achieved. YPI is a great opportunity for all students to excel, demonstrating their unique strengths, as well as interacting with one another and external partners.
“YPI is one of the most impactful learning experiences these students have ever had and the results will be felt for a long time to come.”
The process: Students were introduced to the concept of philanthropy and activities in their local community as a group. They then voted about which charity they would like to represent. They watched examples of other presentations for inspiration.
Individual responsibilities were then assigned, designed to address key strengths and opportunities for each young person. These roles included a captain, timekeeper, team manager, music director, and artistic director. This gave the opportunity for teamwork, as well as time spent alone developing their own sections.
The students then had an online call and then an in-person meeting with a representative of the club to ask questions.
Lisa Johansen said:
“These students don’t often have the opportunity to talk and engage with external partners. They are all so used to Teams now, given the two years we’ve had that the introduction to the charity manager went really well. They were nervous about the in-person meeting but this was such a big moment for them and they did so well.
“To be in competition with their peers from other parts of the school was also really important and they, and we, are incredibly proud of their achievements for doing incredibly well. They are capable of far more than many people think.
“The YPI process gave us the flexibility to deliver a programme which built upon so many key skills and achievements. We could align it with their needs and their strengths.
“It’s not just about the programme, there is a lot of work to get young people ready for it and then work to reflect upon what they’ve achieved through the process.”
The students’ video can be viewed here.
