The Taskforce and its partners ran a major national campaign to persuade CEOs and business leaders from all sectors to visit schools and colleges during the week of the 18 – 22 October 2010 to have a practical conversation with head teachers and young people about opportunities for partnership working. The campaign involved schools and colleges teaching young people aged from 5 to 19.
The campaign brought heads, students and employers together to discuss how they can work to provide young people with the inspiration, motivation, knowledge, skills and opportunities they need to achieve their potential.
The successful campaign inspired over 700 visits across England, leading to the initiation and expansion of many new partnerships relevant to the National Framework of priority activities endorsed by all leading organisations from the world of education and employment.
The campaign week marked the first anniversary of the Taskforce’s launch and was timed to align with the inaugural Taskforce research conference held at the University of Warwick on 15 October 2010.
The Taskforce’s high profile Trustees and members of the Partnership Board led a national and regional media drive to highlight the activities that most benefit schools and young people, including employee volunteering to support primary numeracy and literacy strategies, work experience, mentoring, governors, careers advice, enterprise activities and Diplomas.
Drawing on excellent practice identified in the taskforce pilots run by the Taskforce partners in 2010, the campaign showcased these priority activities, while highlighting the evidence base to show real benefit for young people, schools and employers.
Education Business Partnership Organisations (EBPOs) were invited to get involved in the campaign.