VOLUNTEERS' WEEK - DICK EMERY

Dick Emery came to SATRO via Peter Stables, a SATRO Associate, as they had worked together as Engineers at BT where Dick worked for 30 years. Having retired in 2011, Dick has dedicated so much time and energy to supporting our programme of events; he has volunteered at over 26 events giving us an amazing 144 hours of time. Dick is very adaptable and has volunteered across the board at our events, making use of his engineering skills at our Mega-Structure Challenge days and in our Primary Science activities, and also demonstrating his business skills at our SATRO Business Games, both senior and junior. 

Additionally he has shown a willingness to roll up his sleeves and help out at our annual Science Festival and TeenTech events. (Additionally he has attended our Careers Speed Dating events to try and enthuse the next generation to become engineers.)

Dick has said that, “I enjoy volunteering with SATRO because the events are always well organised, and the young people get so much fun from them.  SATRO always share the event feedback with the volunteers, and it’s fantastic to see so many comments that show that the young people have discovered that science and engineering is fun!”

The Carl Burrows Trust Family Fun Day

SATRO Mobile tutor Bob Mancini and his van were at Limpsfield Chart on Sunday 2nd June for the Carl Burrows Trust Annual Family Funday. Pictured here having a quiet moment while everyone else was on the bike ride or walk he was kept busy later telling and showing – and giving the youngsters a go – what we do with schools.

The Trust was set up in 2011 in memory of Carl Burrows, a leading figure within the plumbing and heating industry. Its main aim is to assist young people in gaining access to the skills needed to forge a career within the Industry. The trust is a generous supporter of SATRO's Mobiles programme and we are working together to design ways of rewarding and hence encouraging the young people we work with.

VOLUNTEERS’ WEEK 1-7 JUNE - Shash Patel

Volunteers’ Week is a nationwide annual campaign which takes place on 1-7 June and celebrates the fantastic contribution millions of volunteers make across the UK.  Every year, over 200 million people in the UK volunteer, donating more than 100 million hours to their communities every week. 

SATRO would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our volunteers for their invaluable contribution to make what we do possible - quite simply we could not do it without you.   In 2012, 650 active volunteers delivered over 6,800 hours of work, which is absolutely outstanding.  These volunteers come from a huge variety of backgrounds and each brings a new set of skills from their experience in business to inspire and enthuse children by sharing their enthusiasm for the working world, with particular emphasis on enterprise and STEM subjects.

In order to show the diversity of our volunteers we would like to highlight a volunteer each day this week.  We have chosen these particular volunteers as each one brings something completely different to SATRO…

Shash Patel 

Shash is Director, Information Risk Management & Privacy at Air Products and despite this hugely challenging role he still manages to dedicate at least a day each month to volunteering with SATRO.  Shash has a BSc in Maths and came to SATRO in 2005 via his previous work with Surrey EBP. Shash really has turned his hand to at all of our events from conducting Business Studies Workshops for A level students, using his business skills in our business games, mentoring, acting as a judge at our Annual Problem Solving Challenge, in our Careers Speed Dating workshops and also chaperoning children at our Science Festival.   

We asked Shash why he gets involved...

"It was twofold; firstly to give something back to my community in a tangible way – by helping to develop students of all ages, as education is a major interest of mine; secondly, people like myself, who have spent their entire careers in a corporate environment, tend to live in an “ivory tower”, losing sight of what is happening around them, especially at a local level – my volunteering enables me to establish those links to my local community and helps educate me on what real life is actually like – maybe some of our politicians should do the same!”

TEAMWORK TRIUMPHS!

Last Wednesday saw a faithful band of SATRO volunteers head to The Park SEN School in Woking to help support and guide 34 Years 10 & 11 students through the vagaries of the SATRO Business Game. The students were placed into six teams which later became stationery companies and each team had their own SATRO Business Advisor. Teachers were on hand to play the various roles inherent in business with ‘the buying team’ negotiating hard with the students, many of whom refused to compromise. Bank accounts were opened and money managed whilst ‘the bosses’ kept everyone on track.

The pupils had varying degrees of learning difficulties ranging from moderate to severe but all were engaged from the start.

As one teacher remarked, "there was a real buzz in the hall and it was good to see the students working with others they haven’t worked with before. The game gave them an overview of a real company, and real life – on work experience they only see the area they are working on and may not understand how their part fits into the whole-a truly valuable life experience."

For the SATRO Volunteers, and indeed the Game Manager, it was one of the most rewarding mornings with everyone being impressed by the students’ eagerness to learn and take part.

As one of them observed, “what I thought was particularly good about my team was that everyone was involved and wanted to contribute and support each other regardless of ability.”

 The event was funded by a generous donation from Councillor Liz Bowes.

HAPPY HALF TERM

Last week saw an exceedingly busy week for SATRO, in which we delivered eight different events covering Junior Business Games, Fun Maths and Discovery Science workshops in both primary and secondary schools. 

A staggering total number of 1067 pupils/students were involved just in this one week!

Science days were held at Liphook Infant & Junior School, St Hugh of Lincoln Primary School in Woking and Beacon Hill Primary School in Hindhead; all three days offered a range of activites for Years 1-6 covering topics such as Lighthouses, Egyptians, Forces and Electric Circuits. 

SATRO events offer young people the opportunity to learn new skills in a dynamic way and many comment that they feel inspired by the experience. We certainly leave behind a buzz of "positiveness" at the end of a workshop and we hope that the students retain this sense of achievement as they now enjoy a well-earned half term break.

BUDDING BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURS

Forty-four Year 6 children from Springfield Primary School in Sunbury-on-Thames took part in a SATRO Junior Business Game on Monday 20th May. 

The basic premise of the game is that the children are stationery companies for the day, manufacturing bookmarks, which they have to then sell to a discerning panel of buyers.  They have to choose roles, decide on a company name and logo, manage their finances and negotiate orders for their companies whilst trying to learn to work with new people and meet various deadlines.  Each team has a business person acting as a facilitator to guide, support and encourage them throughout the day.

Judging from the pupil's feedback, they had a superb day which definitely opened their eyes to the world of business.  Here are a couple of comments about what they learned...

"How to discuss money professionally and why the accountant is so important in the business. I know you have to be dedicated and be mature in what you are doing and that business work is complicated."

"How the people on The Apprentice feel, when they are in business. I want to be boss at my work."

Look out Lord Sugar!

LIPHOOK SCHOOLS FEEL THE FORCE

Science was brought to life in an imaginative and novel way on Monday 20th May when 360 pupils at Liphook Infant and Junior schools had the opportunity to experience different science activities. 

Working with Years 2, 3, 4 and 5, an experienced team of SATRO volunteers delivered workshops on gravity, sound, friction and the property of materials.  The children were able to do practical investigations before making parachutes, musical instruments, land yachts or protective packaging boxes. 

The teachers were impressed that children of all level of abilities were engaged in the tasks and one commented that there was “a tremendous buzz around the school”.