Everton in the Community has launched an innovative education STEAM programme in schools across Merseyside that combines football (soccer) with robots for schools to engage and inspire young people from disadvantaged areas and transform the way children learn about technology.
The charity’s new E-STEAM programme will deliver fun and imaginative learning to around 2,000 children, aged five to 16-years-old, in 63 schools across the Liverpool City Region, aspiring them into careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM).
The programme will see Everton in the Community Tutors using Sphero’s new sports themed coding solution, Sphero Sports, which uses Sphero BOLT programmable robots and football pitched themed mats to transform the way that children learn, create and invent through coding, science, music and the arts.
The aim of the project is to reduce the education inequality gap that exists in STEAM topics for children from disadvantaged communities, which has been exacerbated by school closures during the pandemic.
The ground-breaking programme is backed by industry experts CreativeHUT and supported by a range of partners including Liverpool-based gifting, pre-payment and engagement company Appreciate Group. Sphero has provided training support to the charity to ensure that the robots are used to their full capacity within schools, achieving maximum results with its pupils.
It is hoped the new programme will also inspire a new generation of young people to enter STEAM-related sectors and industries, and improve their future career prospects regardless of background, ability, and gender.
STEAM learning is proven to help young people to develop important personal and social skills, such as problem solving, critical thinking, communication and teamwork; all skills that are most likely to be in demand in 2025 according to a recent report by the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs.
Sue Gregory, Everton in the Community Director of Youth Engagement and Employability, said: “We are incredibly proud of our new e-STEAM programme and are excited to start rolling it out to schools across Merseyside and work to increase the interest in STEAM by making it fun, engaging and relevant for young people. This programme has been made possible thanks to the support of some incredibly socially-conscious organisations and we look forward to working alongside them to create joy in education whilst enabling young people to have a brighter future and bridge the skills gap.”
Liverpool-based Appreciate Group has funded the Sphero robots as part of its commitment to supporting young people in Liverpool City Region. Ian O’Doherty, Chief Executive Officer, at Appreciate Group, said: “Like many businesses, technology is at the heart of our current and future strategy so it’s vital the workers of tomorrow have the digital and STEAM skills we will need to remain successful. We are delighted to be supporting this programme and to help boost the learning prospects for children in the region when it comes to these important subjects.”
Everton in the Community staff will initially roll out the E-STEAM programme to 20 of its partner schools across Liverpool City Region from April 2021 before extending delivery to all of its 63 partner schools, engaging almost 2,000 young people. The charity will also put measures in place to monitor the project’s progress and track its impact in the region.
Future plans for the programme will see e-STEAM embedded across all of the charity’s programmes including disability, health and wellbeing and its Impact Model through community centres, after-school sessions and community-based programmes.
The launch of the new E-STEAM programme is the first step in the charity’s STEAM ambitions which will see Everton in the Community work alongside CreativeHUT and other forward-thinking organisations to develop unique initiatives and programmes before realising its long-term goal of developing its very own unique STEAM digital-skills lab in the heart of Liverpool 4.
CreativeHUT are a specialised STEaM educational resource, services and training provider with expertise in designing creative learning environments for students of all ages. Partnering with leading global brands such as LEGO®, LEGO Education and Makeblock to inspire children and teachers, they will provide long-term support for E-STEAM through the design of the digital skills lab, provision of resources and programme development.
Paul Chisnall, Co-Founder of CreativeHUT said: “Everton in the Community share our commitment to inspiring children and helping them develop skills for their future careers; we found kindred spirits in the charity and feel that E-STEAM will significantly positively impact the region. Building on the already incredible work of Everton in the Community, the roll-out of the E-STEAM programme will affect so many lives, and we are exceptionally proud to be a part of it.”
With the growth of the STEAM sector predicted to double the number of roles by 2028, STEAM skills are more important now than ever before. STEAM skills enhance people’s capacity to innovate and use technology and science as a tool to solve problems, with the global health crisis being one of many areas where STEAM can revolutionise industries that have been heavily impacted by the pandemic.
The charity’s innovative E-STEAM programme has also been supported and funded by Everton Football Club’s IT security providers - EveryCloud who has donated 40 iPads to be utilised by schools across Merseyside in their digital learning and coding - as well as a donation from Darktrace, the world’s leading cyber Al company, which will be used to fund further equipment for the wider roll-out of the programme.
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For more information, please contact Jennie Kozlowski-Hughes, Everton in the Community Head of Communications via email at jennie.kozlowski@evertonfc.com or call 07961 770 317.
Editor’s Notes
About Everton in the Community
Everton in the Community is one of the UK's top sporting charities and is considered one of the Premier League's leading community schemes due to the quality and reach of its programmes.
The official charity of Everton Football Club has been at the forefront of social intervention across the Liverpool City Region since 1988 and delivers more than 40 programmes a year, specifically designed and developed to combat challenges which are prevalent across Merseyside. Its social programmes tackle issues such as mental health, employability, dementia, education, disability, poverty and homelessness.
The charity’s programmes support people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds from over 130 venues across the city region. From delivering the Premier League Primary Stars programme to school children to supporting the elderly members of the Liverpool community who are suffering from social isolation, Everton in the Community is open and inclusive to all.
Find out more at www.evertoninthecommunity.org
About Appreciate Group
Appreciate Group is a leading gifting, prepayment and engagement company, who are experts at creating joyful experiences and connecting people to the things in life they enjoy the most. Their purpose is to create more joy in the world by being trusted to help our customers with celebrating and rewarding.
About CreativeHUT
CreativeHUT are a specialised STEAM educational resource, services and training provider operating across the UK and Ireland who have expertise in designing purpose-built learning spaces for students of all ages, running robotics competitions, and delivering hands-on creative learning experiences.
Partnering with leading global brands such as LEGO®, LEGO Education & Makeblock, CreativeHUT are dedicated to inspiring children and teachers. Helping build life skills such as creativity, problem solving and critical thinking, CreativeHUT are committed to inspiring 21st Century Skills that will last students a lifetime. Learn more at Creative-Hut.com
About Sphero
Sphero inspires the creators of tomorrow through remarkably cool, programmable robots, electronic building blocks, and educational tools that transform the way kids learn and create through coding, science, music, and the arts. Sphero goes #BeyondCode and drives kids to turn their imagination into reality.
The skills students unlock through play-based learning prepare them to thrive, no matter what subject or career they pursue. Based in Boulder, CO, Sphero has become the #1 STEAM-based learning solutions company, loved by millions of parents, kids and educators worldwide. Learn more at sphero.com.
About EveryCloud
EveryCloud are an award-winning cloud security and cloud communications business helping protect and connect brands such as BDO, HomeServe, Odeon Cinemas Group, musicMagpie, PZ Cussons and a number of Premier League football clubs through best-of-breed technology solutions.
They are proud to serve Everton Football Club’s IT security requirements through their Protect Your Sport initiative and honoured to support Everton in the Community’s E-STEAM programme, helping build a brighter future for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged young people.
To learn why leading businesses and elite sports organisations trust EveryCloud with their cybersecurity and communications needs, visit: www.everycloud.co.uk
About Darktrace
Darktrace is a leading autonomous cyber security AI company and the creator of Autonomous Response technology. It provides enterprise-wide cyber defense to over 4,700 organizations, protecting the cloud, email, SaaS, traditional networks, IoT devices, endpoints, and industrial systems.
A self-learning technology, Darktrace AI autonomously detects, investigates, and responds to advanced cyber-threats, including insider threat, remote working risks, ransomware, data loss, and supply chain vulnerabilities.
The company has 1,500 employees globally, with headquarters in Cambridge, UK. Every second, Darktrace AI fights back against a cyber-threat, before it can cause damage.
